Red Chillies Calories & Nutrition Calculator

Dried red chilli powder provides 2,081mcg vitamin A as RAE per 100g (231% DV) — from an enormous 21,840mcg beta-carotene plus 6,252mcg beta-cryptoxanthin. This makes it one of the most vitamin A-dense foods available per weight, exceeding sweet potato (709mcg), carrot (835mcg), and even liver (6,500mcg) on a per-gram comparison at these concentrations ^[1][2].

Simultaneously, red chilli powder contains 29.8mg vitamin E per 100g (199% DV) — among the highest for any non-oil food. Almonds have 25.6mg, sunflower seeds have 35.2mg, and most vegetables have less than 3mg. The combination of high vitamin A AND high vitamin E in a single food is unusual: red chilli is one of the few ingredients where both fat-soluble vitamins are concentrated together ^[1].

Per teaspoon (1.8g): 37.5mcg vitamin A (4.2% DV) and 0.54mg vitamin E (3.6% DV). At typical daily usage (1–3 tsp across meals), red chilli contributes 4–12% of vitamin A DV and 3–11% of vitamin E DV — among the most meaningful micronutrient contributions of any spice.

Red chilli powder has 17.3g total fat per 100g — making it the fattiest common spice. Cumin has 22.3g, but most spices have less than 7g. This fat comes from the chilli seed oil, which is rich in polyunsaturated fatty acids (8.4g) including linoleic acid. The high fat content is why red chilli powder has 318 kcal per 100g — higher than cardamom (311), cloves (274), or black pepper (251) ^[1].

At a teaspoon (1.8g): 6 kcal and 0.31g fat. At a tablespoon (5.4g): 17 kcal and 0.93g fat. These are small amounts, but in recipes using 2–3 tablespoons of chilli powder (Indian curry base), the fat from chilli alone reaches 2–3g — equivalent to about half a teaspoon of oil ^[1].

For food journaling, red chilli powder's fat content is unusual for a spice and worth noting in high-usage recipes. The fat is predominantly unsaturated and carries the fat-soluble vitamins A and E, making it functionally different from the saturated fat in butter or coconut oil.

Dried red chilli powder (cayenne) measures approximately 30,000–50,000 Scoville Heat Units (SHU) — roughly 5–10 times hotter than fresh green chillies (2,500–8,000 SHU). Capsaicin concentration in dried red chillies ranges from 0.1–1.0% by weight depending on variety, with cayenne at the mid-to-upper range. The capsaicinoid profile includes capsaicin (~69%), dihydrocapsaicin (~22%), and minor capsaicinoids ^[2][3].

Drying concentrates capsaicin along with other nutrients: fresh red chillies have roughly 40 kcal per 100g; drying removes water and concentrates everything to 318 kcal per 100g — approximately 8x concentration. Capsaicin follows this same concentration pattern ^[3].

For food journaling, capsaicin remains invisible to standard nutrient tracking — just as with green chillies. No database includes capsaicin or SHU values. The pungency compound that defines red chilli's culinary identity cannot be captured in any standard food log.

Red chilli powder retains 76.4mg vitamin C per 100g (85% DV) — surprisingly high for a dried product. Fresh green chillies have 242.5mg, so the retention after drying is approximately 31% — higher than most dried fruits or vegetables, likely because capsaicin's antioxidant properties partially protect ascorbic acid during dehydration ^[1][4].

Per teaspoon (1.8g): 1.38mg vitamin C (1.5% DV). Per tablespoon (5.4g): 4.13mg vitamin C (4.6% DV). These are small but measurable amounts — especially in cuisines using 1–2 tablespoons of red chilli powder per dish. Over 2–3 dishes daily, the cumulative vitamin C from red chilli could reach 8–12mg ^[1].

For food journaling, red chilli powder is the rare dried spice that contributes measurable vitamin C. Most dried herbs and spices lose virtually all their vitamin C. This retention is one of several factors that make red chilli's nutrient profile unusually robust for a dehydrated product.

One teaspoon of red chilli powder (1.8g) delivers: 6 kcal, 0.2g protein, 1.0g carbs (of which 0.5g fiber, 0.2g sugar), 0.3g fat, 37.5mcg vitamin A (4.2% DV), 1.38mg vitamin C (1.5% DV), 0.54mg vitamin E (3.6% DV), 0.14mg iron (0.8% DV), 36.3mg potassium (0.8% DV), and 1.91mcg folate (0.5% DV) ^[1].

Comparing common red spice usage: Mild curry (1 tsp, 1.8g) = 6 kcal; Medium curry (2 tsp, 3.6g) = 11 kcal; Spicy vindaloo (1 tbsp, 5.4g) = 17 kcal; Andhra-style dish (2 tbsp, 10.8g) = 34 kcal. At the upper end (2 tbsp), red chilli contributes 75mcg vitamin A (8.3% DV), 8.3mg vitamin C (9% DV), and 1.1mg vitamin E (7% DV) ^[1].

For food journaling, red chilli powder is among the most nutritionally impactful spices per teaspoon — delivering meaningful vitamin A, E, and C at just 6 kcal. Unlike most spices where per-serving nutrition is negligible, red chilli's fat-soluble vitamin contribution is genuinely trackable.