Cayenne Pepper vs. Spirulina
Nutrition comparison of Cayenne Pepper and Spirulina
Ever wonder how your favorite foods stack up against each other in terms of nutrition?
We compared the nutritional contents of
cayenne pepper
versus
spirulina
(100g each)
below using 2020 USDA and NIH data[1].
For a quick recap of significant nutrients and differences in cayenne pepper and spirulina:
- Both spirulina and cayenne pepper are high in calcium, calories, dietary fiber, iron, potassium and protein.
- Cayenne pepper is an excellent source of Vitamin A, Vitamin C and Vitamin E.
- Spirulina has 70% less sugar than cayenne pepper.
- Spirulina has more thiamin, riboflavin and pantothenic acid, however, cayenne pepper contains more Vitamin B6.
USDA sources for nutritional information: Cayenne Pepper (Spices, pepper, red or cayenne) and Spirulina (Seaweed, spirulina, dried) . Have a correction or suggestions? Shoot us an email.
Calories and Carbs
calories
Both spirulina and cayenne pepper are high in calories. Cayenne pepper has a little more calories (10%) than spirulina by weight - spirulina has 290 calories per 100 grams and cayenne pepper has 318 calories.
For macronutrient ratios, cayenne pepper is much lighter in protein, much heavier in carbs and heavier in fat compared to spirulina per calorie. Cayenne pepper has a macronutrient ratio of 11:53:36 and for spirulina, 59:25:17 for protein, carbohydrates and fat from calories.
Macro Ratios from Calories:
| Cayenne Pepper | Spirulina | |
|---|---|---|
| Protein | 11% | 59% |
| Carbohydrates | 53% | 25% |
| Fat | 36% | 17% |
| Alcohol | ~ | ~ |
carbohydrates
Cayenne pepper is high in carbohydrates and spirulina has 58% less carbohydrates than cayenne pepper - spirulina has 23.9g of total carbs per 100 grams and cayenne pepper has 56.6g of carbohydrates.
dietary fiber
Both spirulina and cayenne pepper are high in dietary fiber. Cayenne pepper has 656% more dietary fiber than spirulina - spirulina has 3.6g of dietary fiber per 100 grams and cayenne pepper has 27.2g of dietary fiber.
sugar
Spirulina has 70% less sugar than cayenne pepper - spirulina has 3.1g of sugar per 100 grams and cayenne pepper has 10.3g of sugar.
Protein
protein
Both spirulina and cayenne pepper are high in protein. Spirulina has 379% more protein than cayenne pepper - spirulina has 57.5g of protein per 100 grams and cayenne pepper has 12g of protein.
Fat
saturated fat
Spirulina and cayenne pepper contain similar amounts of saturated fat - spirulina has 2.7g of saturated fat per 100 grams and cayenne pepper has 3.3g of saturated fat.
Vitamins
Vitamin C
Cayenne pepper is an excellent source of Vitamin C and it has 656% more Vitamin C than spirulina - spirulina has 10.1mg 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 70 times more Vitamin A than spirulina - spirulina has 29ug 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 497% more Vitamin E than spirulina - spirulina has 5mg of Vitamin E per 100 grams and cayenne pepper has 29.8mg of Vitamin E.
Vitamin K
Cayenne pepper has 215% more Vitamin K than spirulina - spirulina has 25.5ug of Vitamin K per 100 grams and cayenne pepper has 80.3ug of Vitamin K.
The B Vitamins
Spirulina has more thiamin, riboflavin and pantothenic acid, however, cayenne pepper contains more Vitamin B6. Both cayenne pepper and spirulina contain significant amounts of niacin and folate.
| Cayenne Pepper | Spirulina | |
|---|---|---|
| Thiamin | 0.328 MG | 2.38 MG |
| Riboflavin | 0.919 MG | 3.67 MG |
| Niacin | 8.701 MG | 12.82 MG |
| Pantothenic acid | ~ | 3.48 MG |
| Vitamin B6 | 2.45 MG | 0.364 MG |
| Folate | 106 UG | 94 UG |
Minerals
calcium
Both spirulina and cayenne pepper are high in calcium. Cayenne pepper has 23% more calcium than spirulina - spirulina has 120mg of calcium per 100 grams and cayenne pepper has 148mg of calcium.
iron
Both spirulina and cayenne pepper are high in iron. Spirulina has 265% more iron than cayenne pepper - spirulina has 28.5mg of iron per 100 grams and cayenne pepper has 7.8mg of iron.
potassium
Both spirulina and cayenne pepper are high in potassium. Cayenne pepper has 102% more potassium than - spirulina has 1363mg 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 | Spirulina | |
|---|---|---|
| beta-carotene | 21840 UG | 342 UG |
| lutein + zeaxanthin | 13157 UG | ~ |
Omega-3 and Omega-6
omega 3s
For omega-3 fatty acids, both cayenne pepper and spirulina contain significant amounts of alpha linoleic acid (ALA).
| Cayenne Pepper | Spirulina | |
|---|---|---|
| alpha linoleic acid | 0.66 G | 0.823 G |
| Total | 0.66 G | 0.823 G |
omega 6s
Comparing omega-6 fatty acids, cayenne pepper has more linoleic acid than spirulina per 100 grams.
| Cayenne Pepper | Spirulina | |
|---|---|---|
| linoleic acid | 7.71 G | 1.254 G |
| Total | 7.71 G | 1.254 G |
Customize your serving size
The comparison below is by common portions, e.g. cups, packages. You can also see a more concrete comparison by weight at equal weight (by grams) comparison.
Note: The specific food items compared are: Cayenne Pepper (Spices, pepper, red or cayenne) and Spirulina (Seaweed, spirulina, dried) .
Cayenne Pepper g
()
|
Daily Values (%) |
Spirulina g
()
|
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|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| KCAL % |
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5% | calories | 5% |
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KCAL % | |
| G % |
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5% | carbohydrates | 5% |
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G % | |
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5% | dietary fiber | 5% |
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| G | 5% | sugar | 5% | G | |||
| G % |
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5% | total fat | 5% |
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G % | |
| G % |
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5% | saturated fat | 5% |
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G % | |
| G | 5% | monounsaturated fat | 5% | G | |||
| G | 5% | polyunsaturated fat | 5% | G | |||
| G | 5% | trans fat | 5% | G | |||
| MG | 5% | cholesterol | 5% | MG | |||
| MG % |
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5% | sodium | 5% |
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MG % | |
| 5% | Vitamins and Minerals | 5% | |||||
| UG % |
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5% | Vitamin A | 5% |
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UG % | |
| MG % |
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5% | Vitamin C | 5% |
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MG % | |
| IU % |
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5% | Vitamin D | 5% |
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5% | calcium | 5% |
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5% | iron | 5% |
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5% | magnesium | 5% |
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5% | potassium | 5% |
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5% | thiamin (Vit B1) | 5% |
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| MG % |
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5% | riboflavin (Vit B2) | 5% |
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| MG % |
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5% | niacin (Vit B3) | 5% |
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MG % | |
| MG % |
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5% | Vitamin B6 | 5% |
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| MG % |
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5% | pantothenic acid (Vit B5) | 5% |
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| UG % |
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5% | folate (Vit B9) | 5% |
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5% | Vitamin B12 | 5% |
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5% | Vitamin E | 5% |
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MG % | |
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5% | Vitamin K | 5% |
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5% | protein | 5% |
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G % | |
| UG % |
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5% | biotin (Vit B7) | 5% |
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5% | choline | 5% |
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MG % | |
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5% | chlorine | 5% |
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MG % | |
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5% | chromium | 5% |
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UG % | |
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5% | copper | 5% |
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MG % | |
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5% | fluoride | 5% |
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5% | iodine | 5% |
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5% | manganese | 5% |
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5% | molybdenum | 5% |
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5% | phosphorus | 5% |
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5% | selenium | 5% |
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UG % | |
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5% | zinc | 5% |
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MG % | |
| G | 5% | Water | 5% | G | |||
| G | 5% | Starch | 5% | G | |||
| G | 5% | Alcohol | 5% | G | |||
FAQ
Does spirulina or cayenne pepper contain more calories in 100 grams?Both spirulina and cayenne pepper are high in calories. Cayenne pepper has a little more calories ( 10%) than spirulina by weight - spirulina has 290 calories in 100g and cayenne pepper has 318 calories.
Is spirulina or cayenne pepper better for protein?
Both spirulina and cayenne pepper are high in protein. Spirulina has 380% more protein than cayenne pepper - spirulina has 57.5g of protein per 100 grams and cayenne pepper has 12g of protein.
Does spirulina or cayenne pepper have more carbohydrates?
By weight, cayenne pepper is high in carbohydrates and spirulina has 60% fewer carbohydrates than cayenne pepper - spirulina has 23.9g of carbs for 100g and cayenne pepper has 56.6g of carbohydrates.
Does spirulina or cayenne pepper contain more calcium?
Both spirulina and cayenne pepper are high in calcium. Cayenne pepper has 20% more calcium than spirulina - spirulina has 120mg of calcium in 100 grams and cayenne pepper has 148mg of calcium.
Does spirulina or cayenne pepper contain more iron?
Both spirulina and cayenne pepper are high in iron. Spirulina has 270% more iron than cayenne pepper - spirulina has 28.5mg of iron in 100 grams and cayenne pepper has 7.8mg of iron.
Does spirulina or cayenne pepper contain more potassium?
Both spirulina and cayenne pepper are high in potassium. Cayenne pepper has 100% more potassium than - spirulina has 1363mg of potassium in 100 grams and cayenne pepper has 2014mg of potassium.