Paprika doesn’t just belong on top of your deviled eggs or hummus; it may also have a beneficial purpose for skin! No, we’re not literally asking you to sprinkle paprika on our skin, but the red spice has recently made an appearance in a published research study in the Journal of Oleo Science for improving skin moisture.
Paprika – What is it?
Originating in Mexico, paprika is a spice made of dried and finely grounded red peppers. It has a sweet pepper taste but is milder than chili peppers. If you’re not fond of heat, this spice is for you! The intense red color is also used in cooking to enhance a meal’s color. It is most commonly used in marinades and as a garnish for a dash of eye-popping color, which is thanks to its carotenoids.
Carotenoids are responsible for nature’s red, orange, and yellow pigmentation. There are over 1,100 known carotenoids! They are broken down into two categories: xanthophylls and carotenes. Paprika happens to fall under ‘xanthophylls’, meaning carotenoids derived from oxygen.
Red Pepper and Antioxidant Benefits
Xanthophylls modulate light energy and they may act as a protection service against high-intensity light. Now, how does this relate to the skin? Every day our skin is exposed to a high-intensity light source—the Sun, which produces ultraviolet light, increases the appearance of wrinkles and skin aging, and potentially causes melanoma/skin cancer if the skin is exposed for extended periods. All of these effects are due to oxidative stress.
There is a high antioxidant count in xanthophylls, which helps reduce the body’s oxidative stress, slowing down the aging process. Paprika xanthophylls, in particular, have been found to be helpful in preventing life-harming diseases in one study published in Health Sci Journal. One limitation of this study however, is that it was conducted on male college athletes; so, more validation research is needed with a wider range of ages, athletic abilities, and genders to be able to make this conclusion for certain.
Can Red Pepper Moisturize Your Skin?
Not only does paprika have antioxidant benefits, a recent four week clinical study conducted in Japan showed that the group who took paprika supplements had enhanced skin moisture compared to that of the placebo group. Also for those in the paprika group, gene expression displayed high concentrations of aquaporins (proteins that transport water between cells) and hyaluronic acid synthase (a popular humectant in skincare to hydrate the skin).
Conclusion
It is beyond doubt that there are skin health benefits (in addition to eye health) associated with the ingestion of carotenoids. Though the in vitro mechanistic and clinical outcomes for paprika and moisturization benefits may be sound, it may be a bit too early to tell. Nonetheless, it is certainly an exciting piece of research and it would be great to see some validation or continuation of this research. With what you learned today, would you consider sprinkling (ingesting) some paprika into your skincare routine? Let us know your thoughts by commenting below.
If you liked this article, you may also like “Can Salads Replace Sunscreens?“
References
- Chili Peppers by Dayvison de Oliveira Silva via Pexels
- Pepper on Paprika by Karolina Grabowska via Pexels
- Yamada M, Matsuda T, Ichihara T, Sakamaki-Sunaga M (2020) Effects of Orally Ingested Paprika Xanthophylls on Respiratory Metabolism during Endurance Exercise: Study Protocol for an Interventional Randomised Controlled Trial. Health Sci J 14:1. 2020 Feb 19. [Link]
- Yatsuhashi H, Takumi H, Terada Y, Kuriki T. Effects of Oral Supplementation with Paprika Xanthophylls on Human Skin Moisture. J Oleo Sci. 2022 Apr 5. [Link]
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