Paprika can be made from several different varietals of the chile pepper family Capsicum annuum, though the different peppers all tend to be of the relatively long, tapered kind with thinner flesh. Fat, thick-fleshed sweet peppers, like a standard Bell pepper that you’ll find in your average grocery store, often don’t dry well enough to make a ground product and are prone to mold. They are valued for their bright red color as much as--or even more than--their flavor. The American Spice Trade Association, or ASTA, came up with a scale to measure paprika's color. The ASTA score goes from 50-180; 85 is a standard-grade color value. As the numbers go up, the color of the paprika is more saturated and vibrant.

In addition to its anti-inflammatory and antioxidant properties, curcumin has also been shown to have anti-cancer effects. Studies have found that curcumin can inhibit the growth of cancer cells and even induce apoptosis, or programmed cell death, in certain types of cancer. While more research is needed in this area, the potential of curcumin as a natural cancer treatment is promising.
Although the study did not show a drop in markers of the inflammatory response in the blood, the results are thought to be due to inflammatory proteins present in joint space. One of the studies showed joint pain eased in two hours with a curcurin supplement and one hour with a nonsteroidal inflammatory response drug, ibuprofen, a drug recommended for joint problems. The duration of curcumin supplementation was 4 to 12 weeks.


While paprika and cayenne have their own stories and benefits, the real differences lie in their culinary uses. In the kitchen, the difference between cayenne and paprika shows up in three ways:
Common Paprika Questions


- Paprika oleoresin is widely used as a natural colorant and flavoring agent in the food industry. It is valued for its intense red color and robust flavor, making it suitable for use in processed foods, seasonings, sauces, and meat products. Additionally, it is used in the pharmaceutical and cosmetic industries for its colorant properties.