Vaping is no new concept! Many consider it to be a better substitute to smoking, but there is always something people don’t ask themselves, which is, How many calories are in a vape? It is also a curious question, given the attention that we give to everything, starting with the food we consume, to the beverages that we drink. But does the simple act of vaping contribute to your daily calorie intake? Let's discover the mystery in the most delightful, easy manner!
What Exactly Is a Vape?
Prior to our concern about calories, we should briefly come to the same level of understanding about what vaping really is. In simple terms, Vape is a product that heats a liquid (also called e-liquid or vape juice) to create vapour, which you then inhale. This is a liquid normally composed of a mix of propylene glycol (PG), vegetable glycerin (VG), flavours and nicotine. It consists primarily of nicotine, though other substances in the vape juice may add calories to it.
Now you may be asking yourself- how does this even have anything to do with calories? And, when you are vaping, the components contained in the e-liquid are touched on your body in a manner that has the potential to influence your calorie count.
Calorie Debate: Vaping and Calories
The thing is that in this case, vaping does not necessarily put extra calories in your body, the same as food does. No nutritional value comes with breathing in vapour. Your body is not taking in major calories from the vapour. So when you are puffing away, what you are breathing in is not particularly contributing to the intake of calories in your body. But then, we can decompose the ingredients that constitute the e-liquid and determine whether they can slip in some calories. Let’s do it!
Base Ingredients: PG and VG.
These two components are the main conveying agents of the taste in e-liquids. Propylene glycol is a tasteless, odourless material that is utilised to give the illusion of a throbbing hit that is like smoking, and vegetable glycerin is sweeter and provides the vapour with its familiar thick, smooth texture. But are they calorie-dense?
• Propylene Glycol (PG): PG is usually not a high-calorie ingredient. The body is not able to use it as a source of energy, and, therefore, it will not add to your daily calories.
• Vegetable Glycerin (VG): VG, however, is slightly different. It is a sugar substance, and, actually, does have some calories, around 4 calories per gram.
Here is the point, though: the quantity of VG you inhale is tiny in comparison with the quantity of calories that you would get with a complete meal. Thus, VG could affect the caloric effects, but it is rather insignificant.
Hiding the Guilt: Flavourings?
Further, let’s have a discussion of flavouring. When you are vaping strawberry, vanilla, or menthol, it is all brought about by the added flavouring agents. These are the usual food-grade chemicals that are combined in the e-liquid. A few of these flavouring agents may have a small trace of calories in them; however, in most instances, the value is very minute as such, they will not have any significant effect on your overall calorie balance.
Natural and Artificial Flavours: The calories of flavouring are virtually none. You are getting a very small amount of these flavours and, taking into consideration that they are not getting consumed in the normal manner (eating food), the calories they commit do not add up to much.
Nicotine: No Problem in terms of calories.
No discussion is likely to be more popular than the one on nicotine, the most common ingredient in e-liquids, and its effect on calories. The simple fact is, it does not add any calories either. Nicotine is a stimulant that, in fact, can reduce appetite, which will leave you less hungry but will not contribute to your caloric intake.
Number of calories actually added by vaping
Vaping does not cause any real calories to your diet. The amount of calories you would be taking in by the end of vaping is very low based on the contents of e-liquids. If you’re vaping regularly, you’re talking about a fraction of a calorie here and there, but it’s so small that it doesn’t make any noticeable difference.
Actually, to the best of your estimations, it is safe to believe that a vape session can add less than 1 calorie. Yep, that’s it. The whole vaping session has fewer than 1 calorie. It is not actually a reason to be worried, is it?
Vaping vs. Eating: The Question of Calories?
Now, let’s get real for a moment. Unless you are obsessed with your calorie consumption, then perhaps it is not due to vaping. Rather, give closer attention to your diet, physical activities and way of life. As an illustration, do you take snacks more often when vaping? Do you take up your vape breaks with a little snack? That may be the actual culprit in your calorie consumption.
The reality is that most vapers actually utilise vaping to suppress their appetite. It has further been found that nicotine reduces hunger, which could explain why certain individuals vape between meals to calm their hunger.
Is vaping an alternative to smoking?
Ok, it is not caloric, but are there other health effects of vaping? Vaping is regarded to be more acceptable than smoking old-fashioned cigarettes. The lung can, however, be slightly irritated because of exposure to vapour. It must, however, be noted that excess vaping should not be done.
Caloric Content of Vaping: Is It a Concern?
In the end, there is no reason to worry about the calorie content in vaping. The calorie quantity in components that have VG is quite minimal, almost negligible. Does not impact overall calorie intake. Likely it is wise to focus on your nutrition, physical activity and lifestyle if you are concerned about calories.
Vaping is all about having a good time; thus, there is no need to worry about the details like calories. Therefore, vape your favourite flavour and stop worrying about these calories. What matters is that you are having a good time.
