Structured Nutritional Data & Citations
Paprika (Ground) - Nutritional Profile
Table 1: Calories & Macronutrients
| Nutrient | Per 100g (Approx.) | Per 1 Teaspoon (2.3g) (Approx.) |
|---|---|---|
| Energy | 289 kcal | 6.6 kcal |
| Protein | 14.1 g | 0.32 g |
| Carbohydrates | 53.9 g | 1.24 g |
| - Dietary Fiber | 36.7 g | 0.84 g |
| - Sugars | 10.4 g | 0.24 g |
| Fat | 12.9 g | 0.30 g |
| - Saturated | 2.1 g | 0.05 g |
| - Monounsaturated | 0.9 g | 0.02 g |
| - Polyunsaturated | 7.9 g | 0.18 g |
Key Micronutrients & Antioxidants (per 100g)
- Vitamins:
- Vitamin A (as Beta-carotene and Alpha-carotene): Extremely high, ~49250 IU (equivalent to ~2462 mcg RAE), providing over 500% DV.
- Vitamin E: ~30 mg (200% DV)
- Vitamin B6 (Pyridoxine): ~2.1 mg (162% DV)
- Vitamin K: ~80.3 mcg (67% DV)
- Riboflavin (B2): ~1.2 mg (92% DV)
- Niacin (B3): ~9.1 mg (57% DV)
- Minerals:
- Iron: ~21 mg (117% DV)
- Potassium: ~2270 mg (48% DV)
- Manganese: ~2.2 mg (96% DV)
- Magnesium: ~178 mg (42% DV)
- Copper: ~0.9 mg (100% DV)
- Zinc: ~4.3 mg (39% DV)
- Antioxidants: High concentrations of carotenoids, including Capsanthin, Capsorubin, Lutein, Zeaxanthin, Beta-cryptoxanthin. Also contains various flavonoids and phenolic compounds.
Functional Impact
- Glycemic Index (GI): Low. Due to its high fiber content and minimal intake per serving, paprika has a negligible impact on blood glucose levels.
- Glycemic Load (GL): Very Low. Standard serving sizes contribute minimal net carbohydrates.
- Satiety Score: Negligible as a standalone ingredient. Its primary impact is enhancing flavor, which can contribute to overall meal satisfaction and adherence.
Physical Properties
- Density: Approximately 0.6 g/cm³ (for ground powder). Varies slightly based on grind fineness and moisture content.
- Volumetric Contraction after Cooking: Minimal to none. As a dried, ground spice, it disperses into liquids and fats rather than undergoing significant volumetric changes through water loss or structural breakdown typical of fresh ingredients. Its volume is largely stable.
Citations & References
- USDA FoodData Central. (n.d.). Paprika. FDC ID: 2052502. Retrieved from https://fdc.nal.usda.gov/fdc-app.html#/food-details/2052502/nutrients (Accessed November 1, 2023).
- Dwivedi, M., & Singh, J. (2018). Nutritional and Medicinal Aspects of Spices. Woodhead Publishing. (General reference for spice micronutrients and functional properties).
- Roberts, D. (2009). The Science of Cooking. DK Publishing. (General reference for food density and physical properties).
Field Notes: Dr. Aria Vance
Subject: Paprika
Focus: Volumetric expansion/contraction, historical context, tracking challenges.
Why Paprika Is Difficult to Track
Journal Entry: Dr. Aria Vance, Lead Nutrition Data Scientist, NutriSnap
October 31, 2023. Another Tuesday, another dive into the abyss of granular nutritional data. Today, it’s paprika. The very word conjures images of vibrant stews, Hungarian goulash, or a simple dusting over deviled eggs. Its journey, from the New World to Spain, then Hungary, is a saga of culinary adaptation. Columbus introduced the Capsicum genus; the rest, as they say, is spicy history. Hungarian varieties, especially, became famous—sweet, hot, smoked. So much history for such a tiny, potent powder.
And that's precisely the problem, isn’t it? Tracking this ubiquitous crimson dust? It’s a nightmare. A truly Sisyphean task for anyone committed to logging everything. Seriously, who weighs their paprika? Nobody. Not with any consistency, anyway. You shake a bit. You spoon a touch. Maybe you even use the dreaded "dash." A dash! What in the nutritional data hell is a "dash"? Is it 0.1 gram? 0.5 gram? Does it vary based on the shaker hole size, or the vigor of the chef's wrist? It’s a complete guessing game.
Scales, bless their precise little hearts, just aren't cut out for such infinitesimal quantities. You put a pinch on a kitchen scale, and it reads zero. Then you add more, and more, until suddenly it jumps to 5 grams, obliterating any illusion of "a teaspoon." Manual input? Forget it. You're logging "paprika," but is it sweet paprika? Hot? Smoked? They have slightly different nutrient profiles, negligible perhaps in a single teaspoon, but over a lifetime of consumption, that’s a data gap. A cumulative phantom calorie count, or an underestimation of critical micronutrients like Vitamin A.
And barcodes? Please. The jar itself has one, but that tracks the product, not the quantity used in your complex dish. It’s an ingredient, often hidden, integrated, not a standalone apple you can weigh and scan. The human element, our intuitive "season to taste," is the bane of precise tracking. We eyeball it. We estimate. We lie, frankly, to our nutrition apps, just to get past the ingredient input screen.
This is why NutriSnap is a game-changer. We're not just scanning barcodes; we're seeing the food. Our AI, through forensic visual analysis, learns to recognize the texture, the color, the distribution of that paprika dust on a chicken breast, or swirled into a sauce. It's about moving beyond the absurdities of manual entry for micro-ingredients. Imagine, truly, finally, being able to accurately account for the subtle, flavor-packed additions that make food glorious, without needing a chemistry lab in your kitchen. It's not just about macros anymore; it's about seeing the whole, beautiful, paprika-dusted picture.
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