Know2eat

Cayenne pepper

Capsicum annuum

Also known as cayenne, red pepper, chilli powder, lal mirch

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Dried ground fruit of hot Capsicum annuum varieties. The USDA entry is per 100 g of the dried spice; a shake over a dish is well under a gram, and heat level varies enormously between products.

Heart HealthWeight Management

Potential health benefits

Best supported: Limited

Ordered by how well the human research supports them — strongest first. A rating describes the state of the evidence, not how impressive the food is. How we rate evidence.

Cardiovascular risk markers

Heart Health
Limited evidence

Observational data links regular chilli consumption with lower all-cause and cardiovascular mortality in several large cohorts. People who eat a lot of chilli differ from those who do not in many ways, and no trial has tested the association, so this remains a correlation rather than a demonstrated effect.

Limited evidence. Early human work, or mostly lab and animal research.

3 sources

Deep research mode adds each paper’s own conclusion and stated limitations.

Satiety and appetite

Weight Management
Limited evidence

Small crossover trials report modest reductions in appetite ratings and in energy eaten at the following meal after a capsaicin-containing meal. Effects are small, short-lived, and appear blunted in people who eat chilli habitually.

Limited evidence. Early human work, or mostly lab and animal research.

3 sources

Deep research mode adds each paper’s own conclusion and stated limitations.

Body composition

Weight Management
Insufficient evidence

Capsaicin supplements are marketed for fat burning on the basis of small increases in energy expenditure measured over hours. Trials measuring actual body weight are short, small and inconsistent, and the metabolic effect is too small to matter over a day.

Insufficient evidence. Not enough human research to say anything useful yet.

4 sources

Deep research mode adds each paper’s own conclusion and stated limitations.

Ask about Cayenne pepper

Ask about Cayenne pepper

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Key nutrients

Nutrient content per 100 grams
NutrientAmount% DV
Macronutrients
Calories318 kcal16%
Protein12 g24%
Total fat17.3 g22%
Carbohydrate56.6 g21%
Fibre27.2 g97%
Total sugars10.3 g—
Water8.05 g—
Fats
Saturated fat3.26 g16%
Monounsaturated fat2.75 g—
Polyunsaturated fat8.37 g—
Cholesterol0 mg0%
EPA (omega-3)0 g—
DHA (omega-3)0 g—
DPA (omega-3)0 g—
Linoleic acid (omega-6)7.71 g—
Vitamins
Vitamin A2081 µg231%
Vitamin C76.4 mg85%
Vitamin D0 µg0%
Vitamin E29.8 mg199%
Vitamin K80.3 µg67%
Thiamin (B1)0.328 mg27%
Riboflavin (B2)0.919 mg71%
Niacin (B3)8.7 mg54%
Vitamin B62.45 mg144%
Folate106 µg27%
Vitamin B120 µg0%
Choline51.5 mg9%
Minerals
Calcium148 mg11%
Iron7.8 mg43%
Magnesium152 mg36%
Phosphorus293 mg23%
Potassium2014 mg43%
Sodium30 mg1%
Zinc2.48 mg23%
Copper0.373 mg41%
Manganese2 mg87%
Selenium8.8 µg16%
Other measured compounds
Beta-carotene21840 µg—
Alpha-carotene0 µg—
Lycopene0 µg—
Lutein + zeaxanthin13157 µg—
Caffeine0 mg—
Ash6.04 g—

Nutrient values are per 100 g of the USDA reference entry named on this page and vary with variety, growing conditions, storage and preparation.

Source record: Spices, pepper, red or cayenne (USDA FoodData Central, FDC ID 170932).

% DV uses the FDA Daily Values for adults and children aged 4 and over. A dash means no Daily Value has been established for that nutrient.

Bioactive compounds

Compounds present in meaningful amounts. Presence is banded rather than quantified, because whole-food levels vary enormously with variety, growing conditions, storage and preparation.

How preparation changes things

Only effects with real support are listed. If a preparation method is missing, it is because nothing dependable is documented — not because it makes no difference.

  • with fatIncreases capsaicin dispersion

    Capsaicin is fat-soluble, so it disperses into oil and dairy rather than water. This is why dairy relieves chilli burn and why chilli infused into oil tastes hotter than chilli stirred into a watery broth.

Things to know

Allergies, interactions and intake concerns. Every food gets this section — a reference where everything is uniformly good is not a reference.

  • Too much

    Burning, gut irritation and worsened reflux

    Capsaicin acts on the same receptor that signals heat pain, so high intakes cause burning at both ends of the digestive tract, abdominal pain and worsening of reflux and haemorrhoid symptoms in susceptible people.

  • Worth knowing

    Extreme-heat products are not food-dose chilli

    Very hot sauces, chilli-eating challenges and pepper extracts have caused oesophageal tears, severe vomiting and reversible cerebral vasoconstriction. These are not the exposures studied in the research on culinary chilli.

  • Worth knowing

    Handling and eye contact

    Capsaicin transfers readily from hands to eyes and mucous membranes and is not removed by water alone. Gloves, or washing with oil then soap, are the practical answer.