Does Vaping Have Calories?
One of the most frequently asked questions around vaping is “does my vape contain calories”. As a general rule we are all a little more conscious these days about our general health, and watching our waistlines is a big part of that mentality.
We've already explored the potential impact vaping can have on your workout, as well as ways in which vaping might potentially make your boobs smaller. While of course the latter topic focusses on issues faced more so by female vapers; in both cases the data cited in each blog suggests that vaping can have an impact on weight control.
With that in mind, it’s fair to ask why this is the case, and calories certainly sound like a viable cause, with many e-liquids being quite sweet tasting, especially High-VG or Shortfill juices which often come in indulgent dessert flavours.
Does E-Liquid Contain Calories?
The short answer is yes, vapes do contain calories, however the amount is considered negligible. The studies available (see our sources 2+3 below) which have examined vaping’s impact on weight control vs smoking, suggest that it is actually the nicotine playing the bigger role in any potential change.
We have covered this subject in more detail in our fully sourced best practice guide, Nicotine & Health, but the general understanding is that nicotine acts as an appetite suppressant by modifying our brain’s reward system. When we are hungry, our bodies instinctively tell us to find food, when we then eat and satisfy that hunger, we get a big dopamine hit – this is how our bodies train themselves to survive.
Nicotine also delivers an immense dopamine hit when absorbed, which can interrupt normal functions (source 4). When hungry, if we smoke or vape, that dopamine release tells our bodies we did a good thing, and almost tricks it into thinking we have just eaten, supressing your appetite. In this way, vaping or smoking could cause a person to lose weight over time.
How Many Calories are in an Average Vape?
When questioning e-liquid calorie content, we are more likely concerned about gaining weight, not losing it. Thankfully, despite their sweetness, most vape juices will not threaten your diet plan.
The two most abundant ingredients in any e-liquid are Vegetable Glycerol (VG) and Propylene Glycol (PG). Both of these ingredients are understood to contain around 4 calories per ml (source 1).
Flavourings and sweeteners used in vapes are also generally calorie-free, although this does depend on whether the manufacturer uses sugar instead of sweetener, as doing so will of course incur a higher calorie count – EDGE E-liquids do not use sugar, for the record only low levels of sweetener where necessary.
Do the Calories in Vapes Matter?
Looking at the evidence we have available, the answer appears to be no. with the average bottle of e-liquid containing around 30-50 calories at most, you are more likely to burn them off simply by being awake and moving around throughout your day than you are to see weight gain.
If you have any concerns at all however, speak to your doctor or healthcare advisor, they will offer you the best advice for your own dietary needs.
If you have never smoked or vaped, then we stress that you must not start using nicotine in any form as a weight control technique – nicotine is highly addictive, and vaping should only be used as a method of tobacco harm reduction.
