Which foods have empty calories?

January 6, 2026 •

4 min read

According to the CDC, Americans consume nearly 17% of their daily calories from added sugars, a primary source of empty calories. Understanding which foods have empty calories is crucial for making informed decisions to improve overall health and manage weight effectively.

Quick Summary

Identify common sources of empty calories, including sugary beverages, processed snacks, and fast food. Understanding the difference between nutrient-dense and calorie-dense but nutrient-poor options is essential for health. Strategies for making healthier food swaps are presented, helping to reduce intake and promote better well-being.

Key Points

Definition: Empty calories are foods high in energy but low in essential nutrients like vitamins, minerals, and fiber.
Common Sources: Sugary drinks, processed snacks, fast food, desserts, and alcoholic beverages are primary sources.
Health Risks: High consumption can lead to weight gain, nutritional deficiencies, and increased risk of chronic diseases.
Nutrient-Dense Difference: Nutrient-dense foods, like fruits and vegetables, provide high nutritional value relative to their calorie count.
Smart Swaps: Small changes, such as replacing sugary drinks with water or chips with nuts, can significantly reduce empty-calorie intake.
Label Reading: Check food labels for added sugars and solid fats to identify potential sources of empty calories.
Focus on Whole Foods: Basing your diet on whole, unprocessed foods is the most effective way to limit empty calories and boost nutrition.

What Exactly Are Empty Calories?

Empty calories are derived from foods that provide little to no nutritional value beyond their caloric content. Unlike nutrient-dense foods, which offer a wealth of vitamins, minerals, protein, and fiber for the energy they provide, empty-calorie foods are essentially energy-dense but nutrient-poor. This often means they contain high levels of added sugars and solid fats, such as butter and shortening, and often lack fiber or essential vitamins. Regular consumption can lead to weight gain, nutritional deficiencies, and an increased risk of chronic diseases, as they do not provide the body with the building blocks it needs to function properly.

The Most Common Culprits

Empty calories can be found in a wide range of products, many of which are staples in the modern diet. Being able to recognize these items is the first step toward making healthier choices. The most common sources include:

Sugary drinks: This is arguably one of the biggest sources of empty calories in the average diet. Sodas, energy drinks, sweetened teas, and fruit juices are packed with added sugars and offer no nutritional benefits. The calories from liquid sugar do not promote a feeling of fullness, making it easy to consume excessive amounts without realizing it.
Processed snacks: Chips, crackers, and other packaged convenience foods are frequently loaded with unhealthy fats, sodium, and refined carbohydrates. These snacks are designed to be highly palatable and addictive, but they offer minimal fiber, protein, or micronutrients.
Desserts and baked goods: Donuts, cookies, cakes, pastries, and ice cream are classic examples of empty-calorie foods. They typically contain large amounts of solid fats and added sugars, providing a quick, fleeting energy boost followed by a sugar crash and no lasting satiety.
Fast food: Many fast-food items, including french fries, burgers, and fried chicken, are high in calories, unhealthy fats, and sodium but low in essential nutrients. These foods are often deep-fried in processed oils, further stripping away any potential nutritional value.
Alcoholic beverages: Beer, wine, and cocktails are significant sources of empty calories. Alcohol itself is a concentrated source of calories, and sugary mixers or fruit juices in cocktails can dramatically increase the calorie count. Moreover, the body prioritizes processing alcohol, which can interfere with the metabolism of other nutrients.

Empty Calories vs. Nutrient-Dense Foods

Understanding the distinction between empty-calorie and nutrient-dense foods is key to creating a balanced diet. It's not just about counting calories, but about making every calorie count.

Making Smart Swaps

Incorporating healthier, more nutrient-dense alternatives can help you cut down on empty calories without feeling deprived. Here are some simple swaps:

Instead of: Soda, fruit juice, or energy drinks. Try: Plain water, unsweetened seltzer with a splash of lemon, or herbal tea.
Instead of: Processed crackers or chips. Try: A handful of nuts, seeds, or fresh vegetables with hummus.
Instead of: Ice cream or pastries. Try: A bowl of fresh fruit, a smoothie with Greek yogurt, or homemade energy balls.
Instead of: White bread or pasta. Try: Whole-grain versions like brown rice, 100% whole-wheat bread, or quinoa.
Instead of: French fries. Try: A baked potato or roasted root vegetables seasoned with herbs.

Comparison Table: Empty vs. Nutrient-Dense


Feature	Empty-Calorie Food	Nutrient-Dense Food
Nutritional Value	Little to no vitamins, minerals, or fiber.	High in vitamins, minerals, protein, and fiber.
Key Ingredients	Added sugars, solid fats, refined carbohydrates, and sodium.	Whole foods like fruits, vegetables, and whole grains.
Satiety	Poor; does not promote lasting fullness, leading to more cravings.	High; fiber and protein help you feel fuller for longer.
Energy Release	Quick, fleeting energy spikes followed by a crash.	Steady, sustained energy release throughout the day.
Health Impact	Associated with weight gain, obesity, and chronic diseases.	Supports healthy weight, immunity, and overall well-being.

Conclusion: Prioritizing Nutrition

While enjoying empty-calorie foods in moderation is part of a balanced lifestyle, making them a regular part of your diet can undermine your health goals. The key is to prioritize nutrient-dense whole foods as the foundation of your diet, ensuring you get the essential vitamins, minerals, and other components your body needs. By making conscious swaps and reading labels for added sugars and solid fats, you can significantly reduce your empty-calorie intake. This strategic approach empowers you to fuel your body with purpose, leading to better energy, a healthier weight, and a lower risk of chronic disease. Focus on adding more nutritional benefits rather than just restricting yourself. For more resources on food and nutrition, check out the information provided by the Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health on their nutrition website.

Frequently Asked Questions

Empty calories are calories that come from foods and drinks with a high energy content but little to no nutritional value, providing no vitamins, minerals, or fiber.

Not all processed foods are empty calories, but many are, especially ultra-processed items like packaged snacks, baked goods, and fast food, which tend to be high in added sugars, solid fats, and sodium.

While fruit juice comes from fruit, the processing removes most of the fiber, concentrating the natural sugars and making it a source of liquid calories with limited nutritional value, especially compared to whole fruit.

A quick way to identify potential empty-calorie foods is to check the nutrition facts label for high amounts of added sugars, solid fats, and a low percentage of dietary fiber, vitamins, and minerals.

Excessive consumption of empty calories can lead to weight gain and obesity, increased risk of type 2 diabetes, heart disease, and can contribute to nutritional deficiencies.

You can reduce empty calories by making simple swaps, such as using whole-grain versions of carbs, replacing sugary condiments with healthier options like salsa, and drinking water instead of soda.

Alcoholic drinks are almost exclusively empty calories, as alcohol is a high-calorie compound with no nutritional benefit. This effect is often compounded by sugary mixers used in cocktails.

Empty-calorie foods often lack fiber and protein, which are nutrients that help you feel full and satisfied. Without them, your blood sugar can spike and then crash, leading to more cravings.