Tag: Adhesive nutrition

A primary ingredient in many traditional, water-activated envelope seals is gum arabic, a natural and edible tree sap, which means the adhesive does technically contain calories. However, the caloric content is so minimal that it is considered nutritionally insignificant for the average person.

An average U.S. postage stamp contains only about one-tenth of a calorie in its adhesive. The seemingly odd question of how many calories are in a stamp reveals a minimal nutritional impact from licking the gummed backing.