How Many Calories Are in Space Dust? The Definitive Guide to a Cosmic Question

January 12, 2026 •

3 min read

Every year, approximately 35,000 tons of cosmic dust fall onto Earth, but despite common confusion with branded products, this extraterrestrial matter contains zero digestible calories for humans. This vast cosmic debris consists of tiny particles that, while fundamental to the universe, possess no nutritional value.

Quick Summary

Cosmic dust, composed of inorganic particles from asteroids, comets, and stars, offers no caloric or nutritional content for humans. The misconception stems from brand names like Elysian Space Dust IPA beer, which does contain calories, or the vintage candy of the same name.

Key Points

Zero Caloric Value: Real cosmic dust is made of inorganic materials like silicates and carbon and contains zero digestible calories for humans.
Brand Misconception: The myth originates from products like Elysian Space Dust IPA beer, which has calories, or a 1970s candy with the same name.
Indigestible Composition: Cosmic particles are composed of elements in forms that the human body cannot break down for energy.
Potential Health Risks: Consuming real extraterrestrial dust could be harmful due to its abrasive, jagged nature and the presence of reactive compounds.
Future Biotech, Not Raw Consumption: Future space food may involve converting asteroid materials via microbes, but this is a complex biochemical process, not direct dust ingestion.

Debunking the Myth: Why Real Space Dust Has Zero Calories

When most people hear the term “Space Dust,” their minds might drift to the popular Elysian Space Dust IPA or a retro candy. However, neither of these products are related to the astronomical reality. Understanding the composition of true cosmic dust is key to comprehending its lack of nutritional value.

The Alluringly Named IPA

The Elysian Space Dust IPA is a well-known, hoppy beer, and like all alcoholic beverages, it contains calories. For example, a 22 oz serving can contain approximately 420 calories from carbohydrates and alcohol. This beer is a product of fermentation and does not contain actual cosmic particles. Similarly, the 1970s powdered candy, also called Space Dust, contained sugar and carbon dioxide, leading to a caloric load far removed from space science. These products are the primary cause of confusion for anyone asking about the calories in space dust.

The Makeup of True Cosmic Dust

In reality, cosmic dust is not a food source. It is composed of minuscule, non-edible particles created from celestial events and bodies throughout the galaxy. These particles are the raw building blocks of planets and stars but are indigestible by humans. The main components typically include:

Silicates: Rocky, mineral-based grains similar to glass or sand.
Carbon-based materials: Including complex organic compounds like polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs), though not in a bioavailable form.
Icy compounds: Volatiles such as water ice, ammonia, and carbon dioxide, which exist only in the coldest regions of space.
Metals: Trace amounts of heavier elements like iron and nickel.

Comparing Real vs. Branded “Space Dust”

To clarify the difference, here is a comparison table outlining the stark contrast between the various forms of “space dust”:


Feature	Real Cosmic Dust	Elysian Space Dust IPA	1970s Space Dust Candy
Composition	Silicates, carbon, ice, metals	Malted barley, hops, yeast, water	Sugar, flavoring, carbon dioxide
Caloric Content	0 digestible calories	~420 kcal per 22oz serving	Varies, contains sugar calories
Origin	Supernovae, comets, asteroids	Elysian Brewing Company	General Foods
Edible?	No, and potentially harmful	Yes, intended for consumption	Yes, intended for consumption
Size	Nanometers to micrometers	Liquid beverage	Small, powered candy crystals

The Harmful Reality: Why You Can’t Eat Stardust

Aside from its lack of nutritional value, consuming real cosmic dust would be highly dangerous. Lunar dust, a type of space dust, is known to be abrasive and jagged due to the lack of erosion from atmospheric forces. Inhaling or ingesting this material would be similar to consuming fine glass powder, with harmful effects on the respiratory and digestive systems. While cosmic dust contains the building blocks of life, like amino acid glycine, these elements are not in a form our bodies can digest or utilize for energy.

The Future of Extraterrestrial Food

Research is being conducted on the potential of creating food from extraterrestrial sources, but this is far removed from consuming raw space dust. Scientists have explored the idea of using asteroid material rich in organic carbons as a food source for microbes, which could then be cultivated into edible biomass. However, this advanced biotech process for space travel is still in its early stages and involves growing food indirectly, not eating the rocks themselves.

Conclusion

In summary, the notion of calories in space dust is a product of brand naming and not scientific reality. Cosmic dust, comprised of tiny, indigestible mineral and carbon grains, provides no energy to humans. The only calories associated with the term are from the Earth-made beer or candy that borrowed the name. The universe's fundamental building blocks are fascinating, but they are a far cry from a usable energy source. To learn more about real cosmic dust, explore resources from organizations like the European Space Agency.

Frequently Asked Questions

Yes, Elysian Space Dust IPA contains calories, like all beers. A 22 oz serving of this brew can contain approximately 420 calories, primarily from carbohydrates and alcohol, not from cosmic particles.

Cosmic dust is composed of tiny particles, typically measuring micrometers or less, containing silicates, carbon, metals, and sometimes icy materials. These particles come from sources like supernovae, comets, and asteroids.

No, space dust is not edible for humans. It is primarily composed of inorganic minerals and compounds that the human digestive system cannot process for energy or nutrition.

Space dust, particularly from bodies like the Moon, can have sharp, jagged edges due to the lack of an atmosphere. Inhaling or ingesting it could cause serious health issues, similar to silicosis from glass dust.

Stardust, a type of cosmic dust, lacks nutritional value for humans. Although it may contain complex organic molecules like amino acids, they are not in a bioavailable form that the body can use for energy or growth.

The confusion arose from a popular 1970s candy called 'Space Dust' and the modern beer, Elysian Space Dust IPA. These products use the name for marketing but are distinct from actual cosmic matter, which is not food.

Future space missions might use organic compounds from asteroids to feed microbes, which can then produce edible biomass. This complex biotechnological process, however, does not involve eating the raw asteroid dust itself.