Red Pepper Nutrition Benefits and Facts

Nutritional summary

Red peppers are categorized by the USDA as a key component of the "red and orange vegetable" subgroup, which is prioritized in dietary guidelines for its specific profile of vitamins and phytochemicals .
Red varieties of pepper contain significantly higher levels of provitamin A—including beta-carotene and beta-cryptoxanthin (pigments the body converts to vitamin A)—than green, yellow, or purple cultivars .
Systematic reviews of observational data indicate that regular consumption of peppers is associated with a reduced risk of all-cause, cardiovascular, and cancer-related mortality .
Early research suggests that red pepper and its active compound capsaicin may influence cardiovascular risk factors like blood pressure and lipid profiles, though clinical trials show mixed results regarding the consistency of these effects .

Interesting fact

All red peppers start as green peppers, but as they ripen on the vine, they lose their bitterness and develop significantly higher concentrations of both sugar and nutrients.

Standout nutrients

SUPER

SOURCE

Molybdenum

EPIC

SOURCE

Vitamin C

EPIC

SOURCE

Ascorbic acid

SUPER

SOURCE

beta-Carotene

kcal per 100g

Protein0.90g

Fat0.17g

Carbs0.81g

Fiber1.63g

Sugar4.71g

Fat breakdown

Polyunsat0.10g

Monounsat0.00g

Saturated0.03g

Seasonality

JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDec

PeakIn seasonOther months

Diet

VeganVegetarianPescatarianGluten FreeDairy FreeKetoLow FodmapPaleo

Sustainability

Lighter footprint

Impact is generally low, though greenhouse-grown peppers require more energy than field-grown varieties.

Confidencemedium

Storage

Refrigerate

5–7 days

Store in the vegetable crisper drawer in a reusable bag.

Flavour

Data & Sources

Harmonized from 5 validated sources

French Food Database

1 contributing source food

Phenol-Explorer

1 contributing source food

Swiss Food Database

1 contributing source food

McCance & Widdowson

1 contributing source food

USDA

USDA FoodData Central

1 contributing source food

Claim citations

The effect of red pepper/capsaicin on cardiovascular risk factors: a systematic review, meta-analysis, and GRADE assessment - PubMed

[1]pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

Association of pepper intake with all-cause and specific cause mortality - A systematic review and meta-analysis - PMC

[2]pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

Spicy Food and Chili Peppers and Multiple Health Outcomes: Umbrella Review - PMC

[3]pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

The suitability of chili pepper (Capsicum annuum L.) for alleviating human micronutrient dietary deficiencies: A review - PMC

[4]pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

Health Benefits of Fruits and Vegetables - PMC - NIH

[8]pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

Healthy Eating As You Age: Know Your Food Groups | National Institute on Aging

[12]www.nia.nih.govnia.nih.gov

Coverage

Nutrients

FoodCompass

100.0

Version

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