Expert explains how many calories you gain from vaping
It feels like there are more vapers than non-vapers these days, particularly among younger people, but questions remain about what it does to the body - and how many calories are in each puff?
For context, 10 percent of adults, around 5.4 to 5.5 million people, vape daily or occasionally in the UK, with over half being ex-smokers.
Now, the average adult needs about 2,000 to 2,500 calories a day - and you're probably wondering, as a vaper, how much impact it has on your lifestyle.
BBC Health Correspondent Dominic Hughes explained on the BBC News YouTube channel that ‘a single puff of a vape uses about 0.05 ml of e-liquid, a tiny amount, which equates to less than one quarter of a theoretical calorie’.
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If you're trying to lose weight or build muscle, vaping shouldn't have a massive impact, from a calorie point of view.
“So that's next to nothing. You probably use that much energy just thinking about whether to vape or not,” Hughes said.
“Your brain uses loads of calories and then just picking up the vape and inhaling.
“Our bodies are burning calories all the time, even as we sit around thinking.
“Not to mention that you can't really absorb calories through your lungs.
“They bypass your digestive system, so they aren't converted into fat. And the same applies to sweeteners that are contained in some vapes. They don't contain real sugar, so they don't add calories.”
Vaping is less dangerous than smoking
According to the NHS, nicotine vaping is less harmful than smoking and is 'one of the most effective tools for quitting smoking'.
Hughes says ‘that's because people who vape are exposed to fewer toxins and they are present at lower levels than smoking cigarettes’.
“The NHS advises that switching to vaping reduces exposure to those toxins that can cause cancer, lung disease, heart, and circulation problems like heart attack and stroke. But vaping isn't risk-free,” Hughes said.
“The really big difference is the exposure to those 70 or so toxic chemicals that are linked to illnesses like cancer, lung disease, heart attack, and stroke.
“Experts say it's all those toxic chemicals contained in cigarettes such as tart and tobacco that cause almost all the harm from smoking. So, while vaping may not be risk-free, it's much less harmful than smoking.”
You must be 18 or older to buy vapes in Britain, as all disposable vapes are fully banned after the Tobacco and Vapes Bill became law in April 2026.
"This legislation marks a turning point for the nation’s health. By ending the cycle of tobacco addiction for future generations, we are taking one of the boldest steps in decades to prevent illness before it even begins," Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, Wes Streeting, said.
"For too long, smoking has claimed lives, widened inequalities and placed avoidable pressure on our health services. This law changes that trajectory - protecting young people from ever starting, while backing current smokers with the support they need to quit for good.
"A smoke-free generation is now within reach, and this government is determined to deliver a healthier, fairer future for everyone."
Anish Vij