Cayenne Pepper vs. Chili Pepper

Nutrition comparison of Cayenne Pepper and Chili Pepper


Ever wonder how your favorite foods stack up against each other in terms of nutrition?

We compared the nutritional contents of cayenne pepper versus chili pepper (100g each) below using 2020 USDA and NIH data[1].

For a quick recap of significant nutrients and differences in cayenne pepper and chili pepper:

  • Both chili pepper and cayenne pepper are high in Vitamin C and potassium.
  • Cayenne pepper has more beta-carotene and lutein + zeaxanthin than chili pepper, however, chili pepper contains more alpha-carotene than cayenne pepper.
  • Cayenne pepper has more thiamin, riboflavin, niacin, Vitamin B6 and folate, however, chili pepper contains more pantothenic acid.
  • Cayenne pepper is an excellent source of Vitamin A, Vitamin E, calcium, dietary fiber, iron and protein.
  • Chili pepper has 154.2 times less saturated fat than cayenne pepper.
  • Chili pepper has 51% less sugar than cayenne pepper.
Detailed nutritional comparison of cayenne pepper and chili pepper is analyzed below. You can also visualize the nutritional comparison for a custom portion or serving size and see how the nutrition compares.

USDA sources for nutritional information: Cayenne Pepper (Spices, pepper, red or cayenne) and Chili Pepper (Peppers, hot chili, green, raw) . Have a correction or suggestions? Shoot us an email.


Image of Cayenne Pepper src
Image of Chili Pepper src

Calories and Carbs

calories

Cayenne pepper is high in calories and chili pepper has 87% less calories than cayenne pepper - chili pepper has 40 calories per 100 grams and cayenne pepper has 318 calories.

For macronutrient ratios, cayenne pepper is lighter in protein, much lighter in carbs and much heavier in fat compared to chili pepper per calorie. Cayenne pepper has a macronutrient ratio of 11:53:36 and for chili pepper, 17:80:4 for protein, carbohydrates and fat from calories.

Macro Ratios from Calories:

Cayenne Pepper Chili Pepper
Protein 11% 17%
Carbohydrates 53% 80%
Fat 36% 4%
Alcohol ~ ~

carbohydrates

Cayenne pepper is high in carbohydrates and chili pepper has 83% less carbohydrates than cayenne pepper - chili pepper has 9.5g of total carbs per 100 grams and cayenne pepper has 56.6g of carbohydrates.

dietary fiber

Cayenne pepper is an excellent source of dietary fiber and it has 17 times more dietary fiber than chili pepper - chili pepper has 1.5g of dietary fiber per 100 grams and cayenne pepper has 27.2g of dietary fiber.

sugar

Chili pepper has 51% less sugar than cayenne pepper - chili pepper has 5.1g of sugar per 100 grams and cayenne pepper has 10.3g of sugar.

Protein

protein

Cayenne pepper is an excellent source of protein and it has 501% more protein than chili pepper - chili pepper has 2g of protein per 100 grams and cayenne pepper has 12g of protein.

Fat

saturated fat

Chili pepper has 154.2 times less saturated fat than cayenne pepper - chili pepper has 0.02g of saturated fat per 100 grams and cayenne pepper has 3.3g of saturated fat.

Vitamins

Vitamin C

Both chili pepper and cayenne pepper are high in Vitamin C. Chili pepper has 217% more Vitamin C than cayenne pepper - chili pepper has 242.5mg of Vitamin C per 100 grams and cayenne pepper has 76.4mg of Vitamin C.

Vitamin A

Cayenne pepper is an excellent source of Vitamin A and it has 34 times more Vitamin A than chili pepper - chili pepper has 59ug of Vitamin A per 100 grams and cayenne pepper has 2081ug of Vitamin A.

Vitamin E

Cayenne pepper is an excellent source of Vitamin E and it has 42 times more Vitamin E than chili pepper - chili pepper has 0.69mg of Vitamin E per 100 grams and cayenne pepper has 29.8mg of Vitamin E.

Vitamin K

Cayenne pepper has 462% more Vitamin K than chili pepper - chili pepper has 14.3ug of Vitamin K per 100 grams and cayenne pepper has 80.3ug of Vitamin K.

The B Vitamins

Cayenne pepper has more thiamin, riboflavin, niacin, Vitamin B6 and folate, however, chili pepper contains more pantothenic acid.

Cayenne Pepper Chili Pepper
Thiamin 0.328 MG 0.09 MG
Riboflavin 0.919 MG 0.09 MG
Niacin 8.701 MG 0.95 MG
Pantothenic acid ~ 0.061 MG
Vitamin B6 2.45 MG 0.278 MG
Folate 106 UG 23 UG

Minerals

calcium

Cayenne pepper is an excellent source of calcium and it has 722% more calcium than chili pepper - chili pepper has 18mg of calcium per 100 grams and cayenne pepper has 148mg of calcium.

iron

Cayenne pepper is an excellent source of iron and it has 550% more iron than chili pepper - chili pepper has 1.2mg of iron per 100 grams and cayenne pepper has 7.8mg of iron.

potassium

Both chili pepper and cayenne pepper are high in potassium. Cayenne pepper has 492% more potassium than chili pepper - chili pepper has 340mg of potassium per 100 grams and cayenne pepper has 2014mg of potassium.

Antioxidants and Phytonutrients

carotenoids

Carotenoids are micronutrients commonly found in plants and some animal products. An example is beta-carotene, the notable carotenoid which is a popular source of Vitamin A.[4][5]

For specific types of carotenoids, cayenne pepper has more beta-carotene and lutein + zeaxanthin than chili pepper per 100 grams, however, chili pepper contains more alpha-carotene than cayenne pepper per 100 grams.

Cayenne Pepper Chili Pepper
beta-carotene 21840 UG 671 UG
lutein + zeaxanthin 13157 UG 725 UG
alpha-carotene ~ 23 UG

Omega-3 and Omega-6

omega 3s

For omega-3 fatty acids, cayenne pepper has more alpha linoleic acid (ALA) than chili pepper per 100 grams.

Cayenne Pepper Chili Pepper
alpha linoleic acid 0.66 G 0.005 G
Total 0.66 G 0.005 G

omega 6s

Comparing omega-6 fatty acids, cayenne pepper has more linoleic acid than chili pepper per 100 grams.

Cayenne Pepper Chili Pepper
linoleic acid 7.71 G 0.104 G
Total 7.71 G 0.104 G



Customize your serving size


The comparison below is by weight, but sometimes 100g isn't that intuitive of a measurement for food. View a custom portion comparison (e.g. cups, oz, package).

You can try adding or subtracting the amount of either Cayenne Pepper or Chili Pepper .

Note: The specific food items compared are: Cayenne Pepper (Spices, pepper, red or cayenne) and Chili Pepper (Peppers, hot chili, green, raw) .

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FAQ

Does chili pepper or cayenne pepper contain more calories in 100 grams?
Cayenne pepper is high in calories and chili pepper has 90% less calories than cayenne pepper - chili pepper has 40 calories in 100g and cayenne pepper has 318 calories.

Does chili pepper or cayenne pepper have more carbohydrates?
By weight, cayenne pepper is high in carbohydrates and chili pepper has 80% fewer carbohydrates than cayenne pepper - chili pepper has 9.5g of carbs for 100g and cayenne pepper has 56.6g of carbohydrates.

Does chili pepper or cayenne pepper contain more calcium?
Cayenne pepper is a rich source of calcium and it has 720% more calcium than chili pepper - chili pepper has 18mg of calcium in 100 grams and cayenne pepper has 148mg of calcium.

Does chili pepper or cayenne pepper contain more iron?
Cayenne pepper is an abundant source of iron and it has 550% more iron than chili pepper - chili pepper has 1.2mg of iron in 100 grams and cayenne pepper has 7.8mg of iron.

Does chili pepper or cayenne pepper contain more potassium?
Both chili pepper and cayenne pepper are high in potassium. Cayenne pepper has 490% more potassium than chili pepper - chili pepper has 340mg of potassium in 100 grams and cayenne pepper has 2014mg of potassium.