Vaping has become an increasingly popular alternative to smoking cigarettes. Many former smokers have switched to vaping as a way to quit smoking and reduce health risks. A common question is: does vaping have calories?
The answer isn’t completely straightforward[1]. While the act of vaping itself does not contain any calories, the e-liquid used to create the vapor may include ingredients that add calories. The number of calories in e-liquid can vary widely depending on the specific ingredients and flavors used. By understanding what is in e-liquid and how it impacts calories, vapers can make informed choices.
What are Calories?
First, let’s quickly cover what calories are and how they relate to nutrition and weight management. At the most basic level, calories are a measure of the energy you get from consuming foods and drinks.
- The more calories you take in through eating and drinking, the more energy your body has available to power things like breathing, thinking, exercising, etc[2].
- If you consume more calories than your body uses for energy, those excess calories get stored as fat. Over time, a calorie surplus leads to weight gain.
- On the flip side, if you consume fewer calories than you burn, your body taps into fat stores for the extra energy it needs. Maintaining a calorie deficit results in weight loss over time.
So monitoring calorie intake is important for managing weight. But where do calories come from? Essentially all foods and beverages contain calories, including fats, carbohydrates, protein, and alcohol. Even air inhaled through vaping would not inherently contain any calories. But as we’ll explore next, e-liquids can sometimes include ingredients that add calories.
Here are some more details on calories:
- The main sources of calories are carbohydrates, protein, fat, and alcohol.
- Food labels list the calories per serving and macros to help people track intake.
- Most health experts recommend consuming 2000-2500 calories per day for weight maintenance.
- Burning 3500 calories equals losing about 1 pound of body fat.
- A calorie surplus over time leads to weight gain, while a deficit causes weight loss.
- Calories In vs. Calories Out determines if you gain, lose, or maintain weight.
So while vaping itself provides no calories, ingredients in e-juice can affect daily calorie intake and weight changes.
Do E-Liquids Have Calories?
To understand if vaping introduces any calories, we have to look at what exactly is contained in e-liquids. There are four main ingredients that make up the majority of non-nicotine vape juice:
- Propylene Glycol (PG) – A petroleum byproduct added for texture. Provides the “throat hit.”[3]
- Vegetable Glycerin (VG) – Made from plant oils. Gives vapor the thick, cloudy quality.
- Flavoring – Food-grade flavor extracts, either natural or artificial. Adds taste.
- Nicotine – Optional stimulant extracted from tobacco. Addictive and toxic in high doses.
The base ingredients – PG and VG – contain no calories. Most flavorings also have a negligible impact on calorie content. And while nicotine can act as a mild appetite suppressant, it has minimal calories even in concentrated amounts.
So pure, unflavored PG/VG e-liquid with no nicotine will have zero calories. However, when sweeteners and some flavor extracts are added to e-juice, they can start to introduce calories.
Here are some more details on the ingredients in e-juice:
- Propylene glycol and vegetable glycerin have no calories or carbs.
- Natural and artificial flavorings range from 0 to 20 calories per serving.
- Added sweeteners like sucrose and ethyl maltol add carbohydrate calories.
- Pure nicotine has about 4-10 calories per milliliter or less than 1 calorie for most vaping servings.
- Isolating ingredients helps determine if e-liquid has calories or not.
So while VG, PG, flavorings, and nicotine don’t inherently have calories, added sweeteners used in some e-juices can raise the calorie count considerably.
How Many Calories Are in E-Liquids?
The calorie content in vape juice can vary substantially depending on the specific ingredients used:
- Unflavored, pure VG/PG e-liquid has zero calories
- Lightly flavored e-liquids, have around 2 calories per milliliter
- Moderately flavored e-juice can have 5-10 calories per mL
- Dessert and candy flavored juices often have 15+ calories per mL
- Heavily sweetened e-liquid blends can contain 20-30+ calories per mL
Always check the nutrition label on your e-juice bottle to see exact calorie counts. When this info isn’t available, you can estimate calories based on the flavor profile and contents. As a general guide:
- Fruit and botanical flavors = lower calorie
- Desserts and candies = higher calories
- Nuts and spices = moderate calories
The takeaway is that calories in vaping come primarily from added sweeteners and calorie-containing flavorings in e-liquids. Pure VG/PG juice has no impact, while heavily sweet flavors can rival sodas and energy drinks for calories per volume.
Frequently Asked Questions related to Does Vaping Have Calories?
Does vaping itself have any calories
No, inhaling vapor from vaping does not contain or provide any calories. Calories can only come from ingesting foods and drinks, not inhaling.
What ingredients in e-juice add calories?
Sweeteners like sucrose and ethyl maltol add carbohydrate calories to e-liquid. Most other ingredients including PG, VG, nicotine, and flavors have negligible calories.
How many calories are in a puff of vape?
An average puff from a lightly flavored vape juice has around 0.1-0.5 calories. Heavy sweet flavors can have 1-2 calories per puff. Pure PG/VG has no calories per puff.
Will vaping lead to weight gain?
Vaping sweet flavors that contain calories can contribute to slight weight gain over time if it puts you in a calorie surplus. Be mindful of appetite changes and counter with diet and exercise.
Does nicotine in vape juice have calories?
No, pure nicotine is virtually calorie-free. The maximum amount of nicotine found in most e-liquids has around 4-10 calories per bottle. A negligible amount per puff.
What vape flavors have the least calories?
Fruit and botanical flavors tend to be lower calorie options. Dessert, candy, cream, and nut flavors often have more calories from added sweeteners.
How can I reduce calories when vaping?
Stick to lightly flavored or unflavored PG/VG vape juices. Avoid heavy sweeteners. Check labels for calorie counts when available.
Will vaping help me lose weight?
Vaping can help reduce calories from quitting sugary drinks and snacking. But the act of vaping itself provides no calorie burn – you still need a healthy diet and exercise.
