Paprika

Studies in people

• Benefit

  Heart rate and stamina²

  In people, paprika carotenoids lowered heart rate and oxygen use, which may help athletes last longer.

• Benefit

  Sun damage to skin³

  In people, eating paprika xanthophylls for a few weeks made skin less likely to redden and darken from sun.

• No harm found

  Carotenoid levels in blood⁴

  In people, taking paprika oleoresin capsules raised blood levels of some carotenoids, and no side effects were tied to it.

• Benefit

  Belly fat in overweight adults⁵

  In overweight people, taking paprika xanthophylls for 12 weeks shrank belly fat and lowered cholesterol.

Found in some samples or products

These come from where it was grown, how it was processed or cooked, or what it was made into. They are not about the ingredient itself, so the signal does not count them.

• Lead poisoning from food⁶

  In people, eating ground paprika contaminated with lead caused colic and anemia in many cases.

• Mold toxins in spices¹²

  Molds that can make toxins were found in paprika, and some made toxins when grown on it.

Allergies and intolerances

These are about people with an allergy, an intolerance or coeliac disease. The signal is about the ingredient itself, and these are about the person eating it, so the signal does not count them.

• Spice allergy reactions⁷

  Some people allergic to mugwort, birch pollen or celery also react to paprika, studies of their blood show.

How it’s made and used

• Carotenoid absorption⁸

  In people, paprika's zeaxanthin, beta-carotene and beta-cryptoxanthin got absorbed, but capsanthin and capsorubin barely did.

• How long it stays in the body⁹

  In men, capsanthin from paprika juice showed up in the blood but cleared within about two weeks.

• Organic vs conventional carotenoids¹⁰

  Organic paprika had more alpha-carotene, lutein and zeaxanthin; conventional paprika had more total carotenoids and capsaicin.

• Cured meat flavour and microbes¹¹

  Adding paprika to dry-cured loins changed which microbes grew and gave them smoky, savoury, cheesy aromas.

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 one finding in people. When most findings in people point one way, the page leans that way (“Mostly”), and every finding is still shown. 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.