Adults only (18+)

Are There Calories in Vapes

For anyone watching their weight or simply curious about what they are inhaling, a common question arises: are there calories in vapes? It might sound unusual at first, but with so many flavoured vape products on the market, including dessert and sweet profiles, the idea of consuming calories through vaping is a fair concern. This article explores whether vaping contributes to your daily calorie intake, what is actually in e-liquids, and whether those who are dieting or monitoring their nutrition need to take vape use into account.

Why the Question Comes Up

Many vape flavours are inspired by food and drink, such as vanilla custard, cola, bubblegum, and strawberry cheesecake. These flavours are often rich and sweet, mimicking the taste of high-calorie treats. This has led to a natural question: if you can taste something sweet, does that mean your body is consuming sugar or calories?

The short answer is that most vape liquids contain minimal or no calories that would affect your diet in any meaningful way. The longer answer involves understanding how vapour interacts with the body, how calories are measured, and what ingredients are actually in your vape.

What’s in E-Liquid

E-liquid, also known as vape juice, is typically made from four ingredients: propylene glycol (PG), vegetable glycerine (VG), flavourings, and optionally, nicotine. These ingredients are not high-calorie substances and are used in very small quantities when inhaled.

VG and PG are the main carriers of flavour and vapour. VG is slightly sweet and has some caloric value when consumed as a food ingredient. PG also has a small number of calories when ingested. However, vaping is not the same as eating. When you vape, these substances are heated into a vapour and inhaled into the lungs, not digested through the stomach. The body does not metabolise inhaled vapour in the same way it does with food, so any trace calories present are not absorbed in the conventional dietary sense.

Do You Absorb Calories When You Vape

Current evidence suggests that you do not absorb meaningful calories from vaping. The vapour you inhale enters the lungs and is exhaled shortly after. Unlike nutrients consumed through eating, the substances in e-liquid do not pass through your digestive system, liver, or bloodstream in a way that would deliver measurable energy to the body.

Even if trace amounts of VG or PG were absorbed during vaping, the quantities are so small that they would not impact your calorie intake. The body would not register them as usable energy sources like protein, fat, or carbohydrates. From a nutritional point of view, vaping does not count as eating or drinking and does not contribute to your daily calorie count.

Are Flavourings a Concern

Some people worry that sweet flavourings could contain sugar or other calorific substances. However, flavourings used in vape products are designed for inhalation, not consumption. They are highly concentrated, used in minute quantities, and regulated under UK safety standards. Importantly, they do not include sugar or fats that would normally be associated with high-calorie foods.

The taste sensation in vaping comes from artificial or natural flavour molecules that trigger your taste and smell receptors, not from ingredients that would provide calories. This means that the rich, dessert-like taste of your e-liquid does not come with the dietary consequences of eating the real thing.

Does Vaping Affect Appetite or Weight

While vaping does not contain calories, some users report that it helps suppress their appetite, especially those using nicotine. Nicotine is known to have appetite-suppressing properties, which is partly why smokers often gain weight after quitting. However, this is not a reliable or recommended method of weight management.

Nicotine free vapes do not have this effect and are unlikely to influence appetite or metabolism. Relying on vaping to manage hunger or weight is not advised, and any changes to eating habits should be discussed with a medical professional or dietitian.

Is Vaping a Substitute for Snacking

For some people, vaping provides a sensory experience similar to snacking. The hand-to-mouth action, combined with sweet flavours, can mimic the habit of reaching for sugary foods. This behavioural satisfaction may reduce the urge to snack in certain situations, but again, this is not a healthy or sustainable replacement for proper nutrition.

Using vaping to avoid eating could lead to unhealthy habits, especially if it becomes a way to ignore natural hunger cues. If you are using vaping to stop yourself from eating, it is worth asking why and considering whether your eating patterns are being affected in an unhelpful way.

How Vaping Compares to Sugary Snacks or Drinks

One reason people explore vaping as an alternative to sweet snacks is because of the low or zero calorie content. In comparison to fizzy drinks, sweets, or desserts, vaping does not deliver sugar, fat, or excess energy. This makes it a preferable choice for those trying to avoid sugar, especially people with diabetes or those on calorie-controlled diets.

That said, vaping should not be thought of as a nutritional product. It may offer a sweet sensation, but it does not provide vitamins, minerals, or energy in any meaningful form. It is not a substitute for proper food or drink and should not be used as one.

UK Regulations and Safety

In the UK, all vape products must comply with strict safety and labelling regulations under the Tobacco and Related Products Regulations. This includes the ingredients listed in e-liquids. Manufacturers must declare what is inside their products and ensure they are free from banned substances, including those that could be harmful or misleading in terms of health claims.

There is no requirement to list calorie content on vape liquids because the product is not consumed in a way that would make calorie information relevant. This reinforces the point that vaping is not considered a food or drink product and is regulated accordingly.

Final Thoughts

To sum up, vaping does not contain meaningful calories, and you cannot gain weight by using vape products. The sweet flavours in e-liquids come from flavouring compounds rather than sugar or fats. The vapour is inhaled and exhaled, not digested, so it does not provide the body with energy or nutrients. While vaping might replicate the sensory pleasure of eating sweets, it is not a dietary risk or benefit.

For anyone managing their weight or concerned about nutritional intake, vaping can be considered calorie neutral. However, it should not replace healthy habits or proper nutrition, and those with underlying health conditions should always seek professional advice if unsure.