Paprika
What the research shows
PrototypeNo concerns
none of the findings here link it to harm
3 health findings on this page, all in people · See the findings
A spice made from dried and ground red peppers.
It is used as a major ingredient in many European, African and Middle Eastern dishes.
Written from English Wikipedia1
What research says
Studies in people
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Benefit
Heart rate and stamina2
In people, paprika carotenoids lowered heart rate and oxygen use, which may help athletes last longer.
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Benefit
Sun damage to skin3
In people, eating paprika xanthophylls for a few weeks made skin less likely to redden and darken from sun.
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Benefit
Belly fat in overweight adults5
In overweight people, taking paprika xanthophylls for 12 weeks shrank belly fat and lowered cholesterol.
Study type not stated
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Benefit
Heart and cancer protection6
Paprika holds carotenoids and polyphenols, which may help prevent some cancers and heart disease, though amounts differ between samples.
How it’s made and used
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Carotenoid levels in blood4
In people, taking paprika oleoresin capsules raised blood levels of some carotenoids, while capsanthin was not detected.
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Cured meat flavour and microbes7
Adding paprika to dry cured loins changed which microbes grew and gave the meat a smoky, savoury aroma.
The signal at the top counts the findings in people and in animal and lab studies. A concern in studies of people outranks animal and lab studies, and “No concerns” needs at least two findings in people. Findings whose study type is not stated are shown but not counted. This page is a reference, not medical advice. It describes what regulators and published research say. Talk to a doctor or dietitian about your own diet.
Products
The 6 most-scanned of 24,975 products on Open Food Facts that list paprika.
- Paprika Pringles · 165 g 6 additives
- Baked Beans BRAMWELLS · 410 g 1 additive
- Spanish Style Grains Merchant Gourmet · 250 g 0 additives
- Sensations Thai Sweet Chilli Crisps Walkers · 150 g 2 additives
- Ravioli vegetariens Carrefour BIO · 650 g 0 additives
- Organic Baked Beans Tesco · 420 g 1 additive
References
- 1Paprika. Wikipedia. Accessed September 26, 2026.
- 2Maeda H, Nishino A, Maoka T. Biological Activities of Paprika Carotenoids, Capsanthin and Capsorubin. Adv Exp Med Biol. 2021;1261:285-293. doi:10.1007/978-981-15-7360-6_26
- 3Nishino A, Sugimoto K, Sambe H, Ichihara T, Takaha T, Kuriki T. Effects of Dietary Paprika Xanthophylls on Ultraviolet Light-Induced Skin Damage: A Double-Blind Placebo-Controlled Study. J Oleo Sci. 2018;67(7):863-869. doi:10.5650/jos.ess17265
- 4Umigai N, Murakami K, Shimizu R, Takeda R, Azuma T. Safety Evaluation and Plasma Carotenoid Accumulation in Healthy Adult Subjects after 12 Weeks of Paprika Oleoresin Supplementation. J Oleo Sci. 2018;67(2):225-234. doi:10.5650/jos.ess17155
- 5Kakutani R, Hokari S, Nishino A, et al. Effect of Oral Paprika Xanthophyll Intake on Abdominal Fat in Healthy Overweight Humans: A Randomized, Double-blind, Placebo-controlled Study. J Oleo Sci. 2018;67(9):1149-1162. doi:10.5650/jos.ess18076
- 6Ponder A, Kulik K, Hallmann E. Occurrence and Determination of Carotenoids and Polyphenols in Different Paprika Powders from Organic and Conventional Production. Molecules. 2021;26(10). doi:10.3390/molecules26102980
- 7Li L, Flores M, Salvador A, Belloch C. Impact of paprika and dextrose addition on dry cured loins microbiota and its effect on aroma development. Int J Food Microbiol. 2024;421:110782. doi:10.1016/j.ijfoodmicro.2024.110782