Capsicum Calories & Nutrition Calculator

The vitamin C content across capsicum colors is dramatically different: yellow delivers 183.5mg, red provides 127.7mg, and green offers 80.4mg per 100g raw. All three exceed an orange's 53mg per 100g. A single medium yellow capsicum (119g) contains approximately 218mg vitamin C — more than double the 90mg daily recommended value ^[1][2][3].

This makes yellow capsicum the single highest vitamin C food per 100g among common vegetables and fruits — exceeding kale (93mg), broccoli (89mg), strawberries (59mg), and even kiwi (93mg). The green variety, despite having the 'lowest' vitamin C of the three colors, still provides 89% of the daily value per 100g.

For food journaling, if you track vitamin C, the color of your capsicum matters significantly. Switching from green to yellow capsicum in the same quantity more than doubles the vitamin C contribution. All three colors provide vitamin C well in excess of daily needs from moderate portions.

Green capsicum has 20 kcal, red has 26 kcal, and yellow has 27 kcal per 100g raw. A medium-sized capsicum (119g) ranges from 24 to 32 kcal — negligible in the context of any daily calorie budget. The calorie difference between colors comes primarily from sugar content: green has 2.4g, red has 4.2g sugars per 100g ^[1][2].

Despite the near-zero calorie count, capsicum delivers substantial micronutrients. A single medium red capsicum provides: 152mg vitamin C (169% DV), 55mcg folate (14% DV), 187mcg vitamin A (21% DV), and 251mg potassium (5% DV) — all for approximately 31 calories.

For food journaling, capsicum is a 'free nutrient' in calorie terms — the micronutrient contribution vastly outweighs the calorie cost. If you're maximizing nutrition-per-calorie, raw capsicum strips are among the most efficient snacks available. Log the color for accurate vitamin C tracking.

Red capsicum provides 157mcg vitamin A (RAE) per 100g — 17% of the daily value from a single vegetable. Green capsicum has only 18mcg — a nearly 9x difference. Yellow falls in between at 10mcg. The difference is entirely due to beta-carotene: red capsicum has far more of this orange-red pigment, which the body converts to vitamin A ^[2].

Red capsicum also leads in vitamin E: 1.58mg per 100g (11% DV) compared to green's 0.37mg (2% DV). This combination of vitamin C, vitamin A, and vitamin E in a single low-calorie vegetable is unusual — most foods excel in one fat-soluble or one water-soluble vitamin, not both categories simultaneously.

For nutrition journaling, if you track vitamin A or vitamin E alongside vitamin C, red capsicum is the clear winner among the three colors. Green capsicum's nutritional advantage is limited to having slightly fewer calories (20 vs. 26 kcal) and lower sugar content.

The folate content varies sharply by color: red capsicum has 46mcg per 100g (12% DV), yellow has 26mcg (7% DV), and green has only 10mcg (3% DV). For folate-conscious food journaling, red capsicum provides nearly 5x the folate of green per serving ^[1][2].

One cup of chopped red capsicum (150g) delivers approximately 69mcg folate — a meaningful contribution alongside its other B-vitamins. Combined with legumes or greens, red capsicum enhances the B-vitamin profile of a meal without adding significant calories.

For food journaling, the practical takeaway is straightforward: if B-vitamins matter, choose red over green. The calorie difference (6 kcal per 100g) is trivial, but the folate difference (4.6x) and vitamin A difference (9x) are substantial enough to change the nutritional value of your logged meal.

Raw capsicum delivers maximum vitamin C, but cooking method determines how much survives. Quick stir-frying (2–3 minutes at high heat) retains approximately 70–80% of the vitamin C. Roasting at moderate heat retains 60–70%. Boiling in water destroys 40–50% — the vitamin C leaches into the cooking water and degrades from prolonged heat ^[4].

For a red capsicum stir-fry, the retained vitamin C is approximately 89–102mg per 100g (assuming 70–80% retention of 127.7mg). This is still higher than the raw vitamin C content of most other vegetables. Even cooking losses leave capsicum as a top-tier vitamin C source.

For food journaling, log raw capsicum at the full vitamin C values. For cooked dishes, reduce the vitamin C by approximately 20–30% for stir-fries and 30–40% for roasted/grilled preparations. The calorie and macronutrient values remain essentially unchanged by cooking method (before oil is added).