Do Vapes Have Calories?
Do vapes have calories? Yes, but they’re probably not affecting your waistline. We’ll explain why the body doesn’t process these calories as it would with food, and what this means for vapers concerned about calorie intake.
Two Key Points
- Vape juice contains approximately 5 calories per millilitre due to ingredients like vegetable glycerin and propylene glycol, but these calories are not absorbed by the body through inhalation.
- Nicotine, while calorie-free, affects weight management by suppressing appetite, increasing resting metabolic rate, and promoting fat breakdown, yet vaping is not recommended for weight control.
Do vapes have calories?
So, how many calories are in an e-liquid, if any? You might be surprised to find out that an e-liquid does in fact contain calories, with vape juice containing approximately 5 calories per millilitre. This means a typical 10ml bottle of e-liquid racks up around forty calories, while a larger 40ml bottle contains about 200 calories. These numbers are relatively low compared to most food or drinks, making an e liquid’s calorie count pretty unconcerning.
Vegetable Glycerin and Propylene Glycol
Vegetable glycerin (VG) and propylene glycol (PG), the two primary ingredients in e-liquid, are the major sources of calories in vape juice. PG contains about 4 calories per gram, while VG is ever so slightly more dense in calories, clocking in at approximately 4.32 per gram.
But don’t worry about your diet just yet, as these calories are not absorbed when vaped. Yes, you read that right! Despite their calorie content, these components don’t contribute to your caloric intake at all.
Do flavourings and sweeteners contain calories?
One might assume that the flavourings and sweeteners in vape juices contribute to the calorie count, right? Wrong! Flavourings and sweeteners contribute negligibly to the overall calorie count, with the primary caloric content still coming from PG and VG. General flavourings used in vape juice, despite their presence, do not significantly increase a vapes calorie content.
Does nicotine contain calories?
As for nicotine, the remaining ingredient in most vape juices, it doesn’t contain calories. While it doesn’t contribute to the e liquid’s calorie count, it does play a significant role in weight management. Research all the way back in 2002 highlighted that nicotine reduces appetite and food intake, potentially contributing to weight reduction.
Nicotine in vapes has several potential effects on weight management:
- It has appetite-suppressing properties, which could help to curb weight gain in the short term.
- It increases a person’s resting metabolic rate.
- It promotes the breakdown of fats in the body, which can also contribute to weight loss.
However, it’s important to note that nicotine is a highly addictive, potentially dangerous substance and is not a recommended method for weight management.
Can Your Body Absorb Calories from Vaping?
Although vape juice does have a minute caloric content, the body can’t even absorb these calories when you vape. The body does not absorb calories from vaping because inhalation does not introduce substances into the digestive system. Inhaling vapor from vapes bypasses the normal digestive process, which is where calories are typically absorbed. Therefore, the calorie amount in vape liquids is minimal and does not have any kind of significant impact on a person’s weight.
The caloric content of a vape juice is basically negligible and hardly worth mentioning when considering overall diet and consumption.
Does vaping make you lose weight post smoking?
Nicotine, when consumed through vaping, can act as an appetite suppressant and potentially impact weight management, although it is not a recommended method for weight loss. The biochemical effect of nicotine on appetite involves altering the levels of neuropeptide Y and pro-opiomelanocortin, which play a role in the feelings of hunger and satiety.
Typically, quitting smoking leads to unwanted weight gain as the metabolic rate slows following nicotine withdrawal, underscoring nicotine’s role in calorie burning. This is why some people may struggle with losing weight after quitting smoking.
The specific impact of e-cigarette use on body weight after quitting smoking yields mixed findings, and may depend on how nicotine cravings are managed.
Is vaping good for weight loss?
Some individuals have considered vaping as a method to manage weight or control weight gain after they quit smoking. However, research investigating vaping as a weight maintenance tool yields varied results. There is no definitive evidence to support vaping as a proven effective tool for maintaining weight post-smoking cessation.
Therefore, despite the temptation to view vaping as a potential weight loss solution for weight control post-smoking, it’s crucial to bear in mind the potentially damaging effects that nicotine can have on the mind and body. Vaping is really not recommended as a tool for anyone wanting to lose weight, but it may have a weight loss effect if its used as a tool to quit smoking.
Summary: Do vapes have calories?
In conclusion, while vape juice does contain minimal calories, these calories are not absorbed by the body when vaped. The main caloric contributors are VG and PG, while flavourings and sweeteners contribute negligibly to the overall caloric content.
Although nicotine also doesn’t contribute to the calorie count, it does have an appetite-suppressing effect and can potentially affect weight management. However, vaping is not a recommended method for weight loss, and its potential role in weight management after quitting smoking is yet to be definitively established. Nicotine is a highly addictive and potentially dangerous substance.
It’s always recommended to manage weight through balanced diet and regular exercise, and to seek professional advice when considering major lifestyle changes like quitting smoking or starting vaping.
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