Pimento: a vitamin C rich pepper whose trials used pills

Every trial behind this page gave people Capsicum annuum supplements, extracts, powders or capsules, and none gave them canned pimento. In a meta-analysis of 11 placebo-controlled trials with 609 people with components of the metabolic syndrome, those supplements lowered LDL cholesterol modestly (standardized mean difference -0.39, 95% CI -0.72 to -0.07). The effect on body weight did not reach significance (P = 0.09). The food itself is mainly a source of vitamin C. Per 100 g, canned pimento has 84.9 mg of vitamin C, 133 micrograms of vitamin A and 1.9 g of fiber, from a single USDA reference record with no spread and no portion size.

The numbers, per 3.5 oz (100 g)

How much is actually in it

• Per 100 g, canned pimento has 84.9 mg vitamin C, 133 mcg RAE vitamin A, 0.215 mg vitamin B6, 1.68 mg iron and 1.9 g fiber. — USDA SR Legacy reference record, United States Evidence E source
  Vitamin C 84.9 mg, vitamin A 133 mcg RAE, B6 0.215 mg, iron 1.68 mg, vitamin K 8.3 mcg, fiber 1.9 g, riboflavin 0.06 mg, copper 0.049 mg per 3.5 oz (100 g)

What your body absorbs

• In 9 volunteers given one dose of red pepper oleoresin, zeaxanthin, beta-cryptoxanthin and beta-carotene reached the blood, but the red pepper pigments capsanthin and capsorubin were barely absorbed. — 9 fasting volunteers, single dose (6.4 mg zeaxanthin, 4.2 mg beta-cryptoxanthin, 6.2 mg beta-carotene, 35.0 mg capsanthin) (n = 9) Evidence C source
  Capsanthin and capsorubin bioavailability very low; provitamin A carotenoids detectable in chylomicrons

What it does to your health

• According to a meta-analysis of 11 trials with 609 people, Capsicum annuum supplements modestly lowered LDL cholesterol, with only a marginal effect on body weight. — 11 placebo-controlled trials, 609 participants, metabolic syndrome components (n = 609) Evidence A source
  LDL-C SMD -0.39 (95% CI -0.72 to -0.07); body weight SMD -0.19 (-0.40 to 0.03), P=0.09
• According to a meta-analysis of 4 randomized trials in adults with metabolic syndrome, Capsicum annuum supplements cut total cholesterol by about 5 mg/dL without changing LDL, HDL or triglycerides. — adults with metabolic syndrome and related disorders in 4 RCTs (n = 4 RCTs) Evidence A source
  Total cholesterol WMD -4.98 mg/dL (95% CI -7.08 to -2.88); no change in TG, HDL-C, LDL-C

Safety, limits and interactions

• In a randomized trial in 33 healthy adults, 20 or 100 mg/day of red pepper (paprika) oleoresin for 12 weeks raised plasma beta-cryptoxanthin and zeaxanthin with dose, while capsanthin never appeared in plasma and no adverse events occurred. — 33 healthy adults, 0, 20 or 100 mg paprika oleoresin daily, 12 weeks (n = 33) Evidence B source
  Dose-dependent plasma rise of beta-cryptoxanthin and zeaxanthin; capsanthin undetected; no adverse events

What people believe that the data does not support

• A systematic review of 32 trials found that no plant extract tested repeatedly, Capsicum annuum included, consistently suppressed appetite. — 32 trials in adults with overweight or obesity, at least 10 per group (n = 32 studies) Evidence A source
  No consistent positive effect on hunger or satiety; few, non-serious adverse events

What is still unknown

• In a randomized trial in 24 young men doing resistance training, 12 mg/day of the sweet pepper compound capsiate for 10 weeks changed no body composition, appetite or hormone outcome versus placebo. — 24 healthy untrained men aged about 22, 10 weeks of resistance training (n = 24) Evidence B source
  No supplementation by time interaction for fat mass, appetite, energy intake, leptin, adiponectin (P > .05)

The bottom line

The cholesterol finding is not settled. A second meta-analysis, of only 4 randomized trials in adults with metabolic syndrome, found total cholesterol down by about 5 mg/dL (95% CI -7.08 to -2.88) and no change in LDL, HDL or triglycerides. Two pooled analyses of supplements reached different answers on LDL, and the second one rests on four trials, so the size of any effect is unclear and small even at its best. The idea that red pepper curbs appetite was checked. A systematic review of 32 trials in adults with overweight or obesity found that no plant extract tested in several trials, Capsicum annuum included, consistently suppressed hunger, and the trials were not pooled. In 24 young men doing resistance training, 12 mg a day of capsiate for 10 weeks changed no measure of body fat, appetite or related hormones against placebo. The red pigment of the pepper barely gets in. In 9 fasting volunteers given one dose of red pepper oleoresin, with no control group, zeaxanthin, beta-cryptoxanthin and beta-carotene reached the blood, while capsanthin and capsorubin were barely absorbed. In a randomized trial in 33 healthy adults taking 20 or 100 mg of paprika oleoresin in capsules daily for 12 weeks, beta-cryptoxanthin and zeaxanthin rose in the blood with dose, capsanthin never appeared, and no adverse events occurred. That safety result is for capsules. We have no card on pepper allergy, pregnancy, children or medicines, and no data on how cooking or canning changes the pepper.

Sources

1. pmto-daily-r6-07 · dataset
   Pimento, canned (FDC 168559, sr_legacy, Vegetables and Vegetable Products) per 100 g: vitamin C 84.9 mg · vitamin A 133 µg · vitamin B6 0.215 mg · iron 1.68 mg · vitamin K 8.3 µg · fibre 1.9 g · copper 0.049 mg · riboflavin 0.06 mg
   USDA SR Legacy (2018), Pimento, canned, FDC 168559 · checked 2026-10-01
2. pmto-daily-r6-04 · single-arm absorption study
   From the major carotenoids present in the paprika oleoresin only zeaxanthin, beta-cryptoxanthin and beta-carotene were detectable in considerable amounts... The bioavailability of the pepper-specific carotenoids capsanthin and capsorubin from paprika oleoresin is very low.
   Br J Nutr, 2003 · checked 2026-10-01
3. pmto-daily-r6-01 · meta-analysis of RCTs
   Analysis of the included 11 studies (n = 609) showed that C. annuum supplementation had significant effect on low density lipoprotein-cholesterol [SMD = - 0.39; 95% CI - 0.72, - 0.07; P = 0.02; prediction interval, - 1.28 to 0.50] and marginally significant effect on body weight [SMD = - 0.19; 95% CI - 0.40, 0.03; P = 0.09].
   Sci Rep, 2020 · checked 2026-10-01
4. pmto-daily-r6-02 · meta-analysis of RCTs
   The results of four eligible RCTs showed that C. annuum supplementation could significantly reduce total cholesterol (TC) (WMD: -4.98 mg/dL, 95% CI: -7.08 to -2.88, p ≤ 0.001) levels, but did not regulate triglyceride, high-density lipoprotein cholesterol, and low-density lipoprotein cholesterol concentrations.
   Phytother Res, 2023 · checked 2026-10-01
5. pmto-daily-r6-03 · randomized controlled trial
   In total, 33 subjects were randomly divided into three groups to take capsules containing 0, 20, or 100 mg of paprika oleoresin daily for 12 consecutive weeks... In these experiments, β-cryptoxanthin and zeaxanthin dose-dependently accumulated in plasma within the dose range of the study over 12 consecutive weeks of paprika oleoresin supplementation... In contrast, capsanthin was not detected in plasma before or during the 12-week treatment period. Finally, no adverse events were associated with intake of paprika oleoresin (20 and 100 mg/day) in safety evaluations.
   J Oleo Sci, 2018 · checked 2026-10-01
6. pmto-daily-r6-06 · systematic review
   The plant extracts most tested were derived from Camellia sinensis (green tea), Capsicum annuum, and Coffea species. None of the plant extracts tested in several trials showed a consistent positive treatment effect.
   Nutrients, 2019 · checked 2026-10-01
7. pmto-daily-r6-05 · randomized controlled trial
   In conclusion, 10 weeks of resistance training increased total body weight, muscle mass, and maximum strength in healthy untrained men; however, CAP supplementation (12 mg, 7 days per week) failed to change adipose tissue-derived hormones, appetite, body composition and muscle strength in this population.
   Nutr Res, 2024 · checked 2026-10-01