Have you ever had a puff of your vape and then got a craving to know how many calories in a vape? You’re not the only one. With increasing numbers getting conscious about what they consume (the things they put in their mouths, the beverages they drink, and yes, the air that they breathe), this is one of the questions being asked everywhere. As this obsession with calories and fitness-tracking devices grows, even the least generous of habits is being examined. And when you are vaping every day, you would rightly question whether those sweet-smelling clouds come with a side of hidden calories.
Vaping has exploded in popularity over the past few years, especially as a go-to alternative for traditional cigarettes. But with that rise, there’s also a growing curiosity about vape health facts, including whether vape juice contributes anything to your daily caloric intake. Think about it, most vape juices are flavored. Some taste like strawberries, others like dessert. So, do those vape juice ingredients include sugar? Fat? Anything that adds up on a fitness tracker?
To answer that, we need to understand the full picture of what's inside a vape. This blog will take everything apart, component by component, the calorie in e-cigarettes to very small details of vape juice formulation, and lay it all out in the simplest manner possible. Carelessly wondering or being serious about keeping up with what you put in your body, we will guide you through the puffs so you know what's actually going in.
Let’s dive in.
Understanding What’s Inside a Vape Juice
Before calculating the amount of calories in a vape, you must understand what is found in the vape juice. Most individuals also believe that since it is sweet, it is full of sugar or calories, but this is slightly off the mark.
Vape juice or e-liquid, e-juice, is often comprised of 3 components:
-
Propylene Glycol (PG)
-
Vegetable Glycerin (VG)
-
Flavorings
-
Optional Nicotine
These ingredients possess different properties, and some of them even have a small caloric value. But that does not automatically translate into having consumed those calories, especially with that inhaling and not eating.
Let’s break each component down in a way that actually makes sense.
Propylene Glycol (PG) and Vegetable Glycerin (VG)
The main things that bind any vape juice together are VG and PG. You could also think of them simply as the bottom, and that would hold everything together, and is what makes those clouds that everyone loves so much.
-
Propylene Glycol (PG) is a clear, light liquid. It does not possess any taste and is added to any type of product, such as asthma inhalers and food.
-
Vegetable Glycerin (VG) is thick and sweet. It is separated out of vegetable oils and is known to be used in many products which including toothpaste and baked foods.
Here’s the interesting part: VG actually contains calories. It has about 4.3 calories per gram, just like sugar. PG, on the other hand, has a very tiny caloric value that’s almost negligible.
But before you freak out, here’s what you need to know:
-
You’re not drinking vape juice, you're inhaling it.
-
A lot of the VG is not absorbed by your body in the same way as food.
-
The amount inhaled per puff is extremely tiny (less than a drop).
So, although technically there is some calorie content in the base ingredients, they are not eaten in a manner that will impact your diet.
This is one reason why some people Google sugar content in vape, hoping to understand if it impacts weight gain, but we’ll touch on that in a bit.
Flavorings
Now let’s talk about the fun part, the flavors. From cotton candy to mint mojito, vape juices come in thousands of flavor profiles. But what exactly gives them their taste?
Most vape flavorings are food-grade, meaning they’re safe to consume and used in regular foods too. These are usually made from natural or artificial compounds, and here’s the key: they often have very low to zero calories.
However, here are a few things to know:
-
Flavored vape juices do not contain actual sugar.
-
Some sweet flavors may use sucralose or ethyl maltol, which can have trace calories.
-
Still, it is so minuscule (a few micrograms/puff) that it will have no real impact on your body’s calorie count.
If you’ve ever wondered whether the sugar content in vape might ruin your diet, the answer is: probably not. The tiny flavor compounds are just there to give taste, not to feed your body energy.
That said, always buy vape products from trusted sources. Some low-quality juices might include unnecessary additives, which is a whole different health issue.
Nicotine
Last but not least is nicotine, the ingredient that keeps most users coming back. Whether you're using regular strength or salt nic, many people ask: “Does nicotine itself have calories?”
Surprisingly, nicotine does have a tiny caloric value. It’s estimated to be about 5 calories per gram, but again, this matters only when eaten or injected, not when it’s vaporized and inhaled.
Here are some quick facts:
-
The amount of nicotine in one puff is way below one milligram.
-
It is absorbed through the lungs, not the stomach.
-
Nicotine and weight gain are a hot topic, but not because of its calorie count; it’s because nicotine can suppress your appetite.
This is where myths often start. Some think vaping helps them lose weight (we’ll bust that later), while others worry it’s secretly adding pounds. But based on the science, the nicotine in vapes is not contributing calories in any meaningful way.
How Many Calories in a Vape
So, let’s answer the big question: how many calories are in a vape?
The short answer? Almost none technically, there are a few, but they are so tiny and not absorbed the way food is, they don’t count toward your daily intake.
Let’s break it down with some context:
-
1ml of vape juice may contain 4–5 calories, mostly from VG.
-
A full 60ml bottle? Around 240 calories, but that’s spread out over hundreds or even thousands of puffs.
-
The average puff? Around 0.03–0.06 calories per puff (yes, that’s less than a crumb of bread!).
Here’s what matters:
-
You inhale, you don’t digest vape juice.
-
The calories are not processed by your body like food or drink.
-
Vaping doesn’t show up on calorie trackers or affect your fitness goals.
Still curious? Here’s what research shows:
But don't worry, when your vape tastes like blueberry pie, it is not adding calories to your system anyway. Simply remember to focus on you as a whole and not on what your calories are.
So even if your vape tastes like blueberry pie, don’t stress, it’s not sneaking calories into your diet. Just keep in mind that the focus should be on your overall health, not just calorie count.
Do Different Vape Types Have Varying Caloric Contents?
Now that we know the basics, let’s answer another common question: do all vapes have the same amount of calories? The answer is not exactly, but the difference is so small, it really doesn’t matter from a health or diet point of view.
There are several types of vapes on the market:
-
Pod systems
-
Box mods (sub-ohm)
-
Nicotine salts vs freebase nicotine
It is the e-liquid itself that has an effect on the amount of calories rather than the device. It matters not which smooth disposable or low-high powered mod you use: the difference in calories is in the VG, flavors, and nicotine strength, not the hardware.
Here’s how it plays out:
-
High VG juices = Slightly more calories (VG has about 4.3 calories per gram)
-
More flavorings = May include trace sweeteners (still extremely low calorie)
-
Nicotine salts = Calorie content nearly identical to regular freebase nicotine
But again, even with these slight differences:
-
One puff ≈ 0.03–0.06 calories
-
100 puffs = around 3–6 calories total
-
Most of it is not absorbed or metabolized like food
So whether you are vaping mango ice from a pod or vanilla custard on a box mod, your body doesn’t treat that as calories like it would treat a cookie. In reality, too many consumers mistakenly believe that there is a huge variety in calories of e-cigarettes based on brand name, specific model, or any other reason, but that’s not true at all.
It’s more about what’s in the juice, not how you’re vaping it.
Common Myths About Vaping and Calories
When people start asking how many calories in a vape, the conversation often turns into a sea of rumors. Some say vaping makes you gain weight. Others swear it helps them slim down. So what’s the truth?
Let’s clear the fog by busting the two most common myths floating around the internet and vape shops.
Myth 1: Vaping Adds Calories to Your Diet
This is a classic one. People assumed that if a vape tastes like candy, it has to be like candy. They think they’re somehow breathing sugar, fat, or carbs and that vape juice ingredients are magically lining their waistline.
Here’s the truth:
-
Flavor ≠ calories – Flavorings are present in tiny amounts, often under 1%.
-
VG has some calories, but inhaling isn’t the same as eating.
-
PG has virtually none.
Let’s do some quick numbers:
-
A 60ml vape bottle might contain 200–250 calories total, mostly from VG.
-
That bottle typically lasts several days to weeks.
-
You’re inhaling micro amounts, not absorbing them the way your digestive system does.
So, does vaping add calories to your diet? Technically, the juice has a few. But practically speaking? No, not in any meaningful way.
This is why health experts say there’s no need to track vape calories on fitness apps, and why how many puffs equal 1 calorie doesn’t even matter.
Myth 2: Vaping Helps Burn Calories
On the flip side, some believe vaping is a “hack” to burn calories. That is because nicotine can suppress appetite, so vaping might help people lose weight. While there’s a tiny bit of science behind that, it’s been blown way out of proportion.
Here’s what the science really says:
-
Nicotine does slightly raise heart rate and can reduce appetite
-
Some users report eating less after vaping
-
But this doesn’t equal burning calories like exercise
In fact, vaping is often compared to drinking diet soda or chewing sugar-free gum; it gives your mouth something to do, but that doesn’t mean you’re torching fat.
Also:
-
Vaping doesn’t increase metabolism in any meaningful way
-
There are no proven long-term weight loss benefits
-
Depending on use, some people actually gain weight after quitting vaping due to appetite rebound
So while vaping might change your appetite temporarily, it’s not a weight loss tool. The connection between vaping and appetite is more about habit than health.
Conclusion
So, after digging through all the facts, science, and a bit of common sense and we are now able to resolve the question: how many calories in a vape? The reply is easy and comforting, and almost nothing. Although vape juice does have elements such as vegetable glycerin, which technically does carry a few calories, it is so little that it really does not make a difference once you inhale it.
You are not eating the vape juice, and your lungs are not constructed to store calories as your stomach. You can vape as much as you like all day, and it will never appear at all on your fitness tracker or sneak cleverly into your daily bag of calories. Regardless of whether you vape a disposable, a pod system, or a high-powered vape mod, it is the same thing; calories in e-cigarettes simply do not make any difference that really matters.
Of course, there are a lot of myths online. Vaping is said to make you fat by some, but others say it burns fat. All these claims fail in credible science, though. The thing is, when you are concerned about your health, the last thing you need to worry about is the taste of your vape, but not about a balanced diet, activity, and rest.
Finally, vaping needs to figure into the entire wellness picture and not solely calories. Therefore, vape smart, be educated, and avoid allowing the internet myths to blur your thinking.
FAQ’s
Does Vaping Make You Lose Weight?
Not really. Whereas nicotine may decrease hunger, which can lead to less snacking, vaping does not burn fat or help in actual weight loss. Weight loss is generally short-term and dependent on modified behavior as opposed to the vape itself.
Can Vaping Make You Gain Weight?
Vaping by itself is not going to cause you to gain weight, and it has virtually no usable calories. Nevertheless, others experience increased appetite when they stop smoking because nicotine causes them to lose their appetite. Then, in case weight gain occurs, it is more related to the increased consumption of food and not the number of calories in e-cigarettes.
Do the Calories in Vapes Matter?
In short, no. The ingredient of vape juice has very few calories, and you inhale not digest them. Vaping won't affect your diet even heavily. Therefore, there is a simple answer to the question of how many calories in a vape contains: not so many to view them as a reason to be concerned.