Are there actually calories in vapes?

January 6, 2026 •

4 min read

While the primary ingredients in e-liquids—propylene glycol (PG) and vegetable glycerin (VG)—do have a caloric value when ingested, the calories in vapes are almost entirely insignificant due to the process of inhalation. This reality counters the common myth that vaping can significantly impact your daily caloric intake or lead to weight gain.

Quick Summary

E-liquids contain minimal calories from PG and VG, but these are not absorbed through the lungs during inhalation. The caloric impact on body weight is negligible.

Key Points

Negligible Calorie Count: While e-liquid ingredients like vegetable glycerin (VG) and propylene glycol (PG) have calories, the total amount is extremely small and considered negligible for dietary purposes.
Inhalation is Not Ingestion: Your body absorbs calories through the digestive system, not the lungs. Since vaping involves inhalation, the minimal calories in the vapor have no significant dietary impact.
No Weight Gain from Vaping Itself: The caloric content of vapes is so low that it will not cause weight gain. Any weight changes related to vaping are indirect and not caused by the calories.
Nicotine as an Appetite Suppressant: Nicotine can act as an appetite suppressant, but relying on it for weight loss is not recommended and carries health risks, including addiction.
Lifestyle Changes are Key: For sustainable weight management, focusing on a healthy diet and regular exercise is far more effective and healthier than relying on vaping.
Sweet Flavors May Trigger Cravings: Some people report that sweet-flavored vapes can trigger cravings for actual sugary foods, which could indirectly lead to increased calorie intake.

The Core Ingredients of E-Liquid

E-liquid, or vape juice, is the substance heated by a vaporizer to produce the aerosol that is inhaled. Understanding its components is key to understanding the caloric question. The bulk of most e-liquids is composed of two primary ingredients that act as carriers for flavor and nicotine:

Propylene Glycol (PG): A synthetic organic compound used in food and medicine. When consumed, it contains approximately 4 calories per gram.
Vegetable Glycerin (VG): A natural compound derived from vegetable oils. If ingested, it contains around 4.32 calories per gram.

Other components, such as food-grade flavorings and nicotine, make up a small percentage of the total mixture. Flavorings and sweeteners may contribute a small amount of calories, but this is also considered insignificant. Nicotine itself has no caloric value.

Inhalation vs. Ingestion: A Crucial Distinction

The central reason that calories in vapes have no meaningful impact on weight is the difference between inhalation and ingestion. The human body is designed to absorb and metabolize calories through the digestive system, which is what happens when you eat food. When you vape, you are not consuming the e-liquid; you are inhaling a vaporized aerosol into your lungs.

The lungs are designed for gas exchange, not nutrient absorption. As a result, the body's metabolic pathways do not process the trace calories from the inhaled PG and VG in the same way they would for a food item. The vast majority of the vapor is simply exhaled, and the minimal amount that might be absorbed has an impact so small it is considered negligible.

Quantifying the Insignificance

To put the caloric content into perspective, let's look at the numbers. A typical 10ml bottle of e-liquid contains roughly 40 calories in total, or about 4 calories per milliliter. For a standard vape user, it can take a significant amount of time to use up even a single milliliter of e-liquid. One source estimates that a single puff might contain only 0.04 calories, a truly miniscule amount. This total calorie count for an entire bottle is comparable to a single small carrot, and that's before considering that the body doesn't absorb the calories from vaping.

Indirect Effects on Weight

While vaping does not directly cause weight gain or loss through its caloric content, it can have indirect effects related to appetite and habit. These effects are primarily linked to the presence of nicotine.

Nicotine and appetite: Nicotine is a known appetite suppressant, which is why some individuals may experience weight changes when they quit smoking. For those using e-liquids with nicotine, this appetite-suppressing effect can persist, potentially leading to reduced food intake. However, this is not a recommended or sustainable weight loss strategy.
Habit replacement: The hand-to-mouth motion of vaping can serve as a behavioral replacement for snacking, which can help some individuals manage their weight by reducing mindless eating. On the other hand, the sweet flavors in many vapes can also trigger cravings for actual sugary foods in some people.

Comparison of Caloric Impact

Here is a table comparing the caloric impact of vaping versus other common items.


Factor	Vaping	Small Carrot	Can of Soda
Calories	Negligible (4-5 per gram, but not absorbed)	~25 calories	~150 calories
Absorption	Very low (not via digestion)	High (via digestion)	High (via digestion)
Effect on Weight	Negligible impact	Minimal impact	Can cause weight gain over time
Appetite	Nicotine can suppress appetite	Does not suppress appetite	Can increase appetite with sugar rush

A Note on Other Health Considerations

It is important to remember that the minimal caloric impact of vaping does not equate to it being harmless. Vaping still carries various health risks, particularly concerning lung health and nicotine addiction. Using vaping as a weight management tool is not advisable due to these potential health problems. For reliable and sustainable weight management, a balanced diet and regular exercise are the recommended approach.

Conclusion: Separating Fact from Fiction

To put it simply, while e-liquid technically contains calories, these calories have no practical impact on your daily intake or weight. The body does not absorb them effectively through inhalation, making the concern about caloric content a non-issue. The minimal and temporary appetite-suppressing effects of nicotine are not a safe or effective long-term weight loss solution. Ultimately, the question of whether are there actually calories in vapes is best answered by understanding that their effect on weight is effectively zero, but this should not be misconstrued as an endorsement of vaping's overall safety. For any health-related concerns, consulting a healthcare professional is always the best course of action.

An Authoritative Perspective on Vaping Ingredients

For more information on the ingredients found in e-liquids and their health considerations, you can refer to the National Institutes of Health (NIH) and other research on the topic.

Frequently Asked Questions

Flavored vapes contain flavorings, but the caloric increase from these is still negligible. Sweeteners are used to create the taste without adding significant calories, as sugar would not vaporize well.

No, vaping itself does not cause weight gain because the calories in e-liquid are not absorbed through inhalation. Any weight gain associated with vaping might occur if you quit nicotine, as the appetite-suppressing effects wear off.

Nicotine itself contains no caloric value. Any calories in nicotine-containing e-liquids come from the VG and PG base, not the nicotine.

For most fasting protocols, vaping will not break a fast because the caloric intake is insignificant. The minimal calories from PG and VG are not processed by the body in the same manner as food.

While trace amounts of vaporized e-liquid might condense and be swallowed, the body does not efficiently absorb calories from the lungs. The caloric impact is considered negligible.

A disposable vape typically contains a small amount of e-liquid, often around 2ml. Given the low caloric density, a disposable vape would contain only a handful of calories, which are not absorbed in a way that affects your weight.

Weight loss is not caused by the calories burned but by nicotine's effect as an appetite suppressant. When someone quits nicotine, their appetite can return to normal or increase, which can lead to weight gain.