Do Vapes Have Calories?

Vaping has quickly gained popularity over the past decade, with many people switching from traditional smoking to this more modern and seemingly cleaner alternative. Whether you are vaping nicotine-based e-liquids, flavoured juices, or even CBD, vaping is often seen as a better option when compared to smoking. But as more people take up vaping, questions arise about the contents of vape juices and their potential effects. One common query that has popped up is, “Do vapes have calories?”

This might seem like an odd question, but for those who are calorie-conscious or focused on their health, it’s a reasonable one. People want to know whether inhaling vape juice adds any calories to their daily intake, especially when indulging in dessert-flavoured e-liquids that mimic sweet treats like donuts, cookies, or custards. In this article, we’ll explore the ingredients in vape juices, examine if they contain calories, and what impact, if any, this might have on your body.

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Understanding Vape Ingredients

To understand whether vapes have calories, it’s essential to look at the ingredients that make up vape juice, or e-liquid. The most common components are:

Propylene Glycol (PG): 

This is a synthetic liquid that is commonly used as a food additive. It’s known for its ability to create vapor and act as a carrier for flavors. PG is widely considered safe for inhalation and consumption. It technically contains calories when ingested, but in vaping, it is inhaled, not consumed like food.

Vegetable Glycerin (VG): 

A natural compound derived from vegetable oils, VG is thicker than PG and is also used in food production. Like PG, VG contains calories when consumed as food, but when vaped, it’s heated and inhaled rather than digested.

Flavorings: 

Vape juices come in a variety of flavors, ranging from fruity to dessert-inspired ones. These flavorings are food-grade, meaning they are safe to ingest. However, in vaping, these flavors are inhaled and not eaten, which changes how your body processes them.

Nicotine (optional): 

Many vape juices contain nicotine, which is a stimulant derived from tobacco. Nicotine itself does not have any caloric value when inhaled.

Even though PG and VG contain calories when ingested, their use in vaping is vastly different from consuming them in food or drink. As a result, the calories that exist in these substances when eaten do not translate to caloric intake when they are vaped.

Do Vape Ingredients Contain Calories?

Now that we understand the basic components of vape juice, let’s delve deeper into whether these ingredients contribute any caloric intake when inhaled:

Propylene Glycol (PG): 

In food products, PG contains around 4 calories per gram when consumed. However, when it’s used in vaping, the body processes it differently. Since PG is inhaled and not ingested, it bypasses the digestive system. When inhaled, PG doesn’t metabolize in a way that would result in calorie absorption, meaning it doesn’t contribute to your daily caloric intake.

Vegetable Glycerin (VG): 

Like PG, VG is also caloric when ingested, offering about 4.3 calories per gram. Despite this, the key distinction is that when VG is vaporized and inhaled through vaping, it does not get processed by the digestive system. Instead, it turns into vapor and is expelled from the body. Therefore, while VG has calories when consumed as food, inhaling it through a vape does not add any calories.

Flavorings: 

Flavorings are another point of concern for calorie-conscious users. Many vape juices are flavored to mimic the taste of sugary treats, fruits, or desserts. These flavorings are usually food-grade additives, but since they are inhaled and not consumed in the traditional sense, they do not carry any caloric value when vaped. You may taste something sweet, but your body isn’t ingesting the calories associated with those flavors.

Nicotine: 

Nicotine is a stimulant, not a nutrient, and has no caloric value. While nicotine may have effects on metabolism and appetite control, it doesn’t contribute to caloric intake when vaped.

The way these ingredients are used in vaping is quite different from how they are metabolized when consumed orally. In vaping, the ingredients are inhaled as vapor rather than eaten or drunk, so their potential caloric content doesn’t translate into added calories when vaped.

Can Vaping Affect Weight Loss or Gain?

While vaping does not contribute any significant caloric intake, it’s worth exploring whether it can have an indirect effect on your weight. Many people wonder if vaping, especially nicotine-based e-liquids, could influence metabolism, appetite, or even weight loss or gain.

Nicotine and Metabolism: 

Nicotine is known to have a stimulating effect on the central nervous system, which can temporarily increase your metabolic rate. This means that nicotine users may burn slightly more calories while under its influence. This is one of the reasons why smokers often report difficulty in managing their weight when they quit smoking, as they are no longer experiencing the metabolism-boosting effects of nicotine. However, this increase in calorie burning is minimal and not a sustainable or healthy weight loss method.

Appetite Suppression: 

Nicotine is also known to suppress appetite. People who use nicotine, whether by smoking or vaping, may feel less hungry, leading to a decrease in food intake. However, relying on nicotine for appetite control comes with health risks and is not an advisable long-term strategy. It’s important to note that while nicotine may impact appetite, it still does not introduce calories into the body when inhaled through vaping.

Flavored Vapes and Cravings: 

For some vapers, using dessert-flavored e-liquids might satisfy their cravings for sweet foods, which could potentially help them avoid high-calorie snacks. While this might seem like an advantage, it’s important to recognize that vaping should not be used as a tool for managing food cravings or dietary habits. Additionally, any perceived appetite control from vaping flavored e-liquids doesn’t mean you’re consuming any calories from the vapor itself.

Conclusion

In conclusion, while nicotine can slightly impact metabolism and appetite, vaping itself does not directly contribute to weight loss or gain. Any effects are indirect and should not be relied upon for managing your weight.