Empty Calories: What They Are and How to Avoid Them in Your Diet

There’s some truth to the saying ”calories in, calories out” when talking about weight management. However, not all calories are created equal.

Some calories are packed with nutrients, while others are like the friends who show up to your party, eat all the chips, and don’t even bring a dip to share. Empty calories: the freeloaders of the food world.

But what is an empty calorie, exactly?

If you’re a woman juggling a career, personal responsibilities, and carb cravings, empty calories can be sneaky little things that disrupt your healthy eating goals — full of fleeting energy with little to no nutrition.

We’re here to help you identify empty calories that may be lurking in your diet so you can opt for more nutrient-dense choices.

Empty calories are sort of like junk mail on your countertop — flashy and enticing, but overall pretty useless and often a letdown.

Calories, found in foods and beverages, are units of energy your body uses to perform its everyday tasks, from breathing to digesting to moving around physically. Empty calories bring all the energy but none of the nutritional benefits.

Besides empty promises on your plate, what are empty-calorie foods?

Items like greasy cheese fries, ice cream, pizza-flavored potato chips, and sugar-laden sodas whisper sweet nothings to your taste buds while leaving your body high and dry. In other words, empty-calorie foods don’t deliver any of the beneficial vitamins, minerals, protein, or fiber you could actually use for long-term health.

Empty-calorie foods and beverages are also calorie-dense, meaning they provide a significant amount of calories per serving (but lack essential nutrients).

For example, an orange offers fiber, vitamin C, and antioxidants with under 100 calories, whereas an orange-flavored taffy candy contains calories from added sugar and not much else.

Empty calories are rampant in the American food system, including what’s served in restaurants, schools, and corner stores. They’re often disguised as healthy choices with claims like “natural” and “organic” slapped on the packaging.

If you’re seeking empty calorie examples, here are some of their favorite places to hang out:

• Sugary drinks. Sodas, sweetened teas, sports drinks, fruit drinks, and coffee beverages loaded with syrups, sweeteners, and whipped cream would fall into this category. These drinks are packed with sugar and calories and have close to zero nutritional benefits.

• Candy and sweets. Gummies, chocolates, hard candies, and desserts like cookies, cakes, and pastries are sugar bombs that offer a quick energy boost followed by a crash — and not much else.

• Fried and fast foods. French fries, onion rings, fried chicken, hot dogs, and greasy burgers might taste great, but they’re usually loaded with unhealthy fats and sodium, making them caloric heavyweights with minimal nutrition.

• Alcoholic beverages. Beer, wine, and cocktails are classic examples of empty calories. Add sugary mixers, and your drink is more dessert than refreshment.

• Ultra-processed snacks. Chips, cheese puffs, pretzels, and microwave popcorn (especially the buttery kind) are loaded with refined carbs, unhealthy oils, and additives, leaving them nutritionally bankrupt.

• High-sugar breakfast foods. Many cereals, granola bars, muffins, and toaster pastries masquerade as breakfast but are essentially desserts in disguise, thanks to added sugars and refined grains.

What’s the big deal with the occasional sugary snack here and there? Probably not much — it’s totally fine to enjoy these in moderation.

That said, empty calories can add up over time — especially since they’re in the types of foods people are more likely to consume mindlessly while watching TV or scrolling on their phones.

It’s helpful to have an idea of how frequently empty calories may be showing up on your plate. If it’s more often than not, it could negatively affect your health.

Regularly indulging in empty calories may cause trouble in terms of:

• Weight gain

• Energy slumps

• Increased risk of chronic diseases

• Nutritional imbalances

• Women’s health effects

Keep reading for more details.

Weight Gain

Empty calories usually contain little to no fiber, protein, or healthy fats, so they can add up quickly without filling you up. Eventually, this may lead to overeating and unintentional weight gain.

For example, one can of soda can contribute 140 calories and 40 grams of added sugar to your day, leaving you wanting more with no real nutritional benefit.

Energy Slumps

Foods and drinks high in added sugar can provide a quick burst of energy followed by a blood sugar crash that leaves you feeling sluggish, foggy, and unmotivated.

Over time, these spikes and dips can take a toll on your overall energy levels, making you less likely to get the physical activity you need.

Increased Risk of Chronic Diseases

A diet high in empty calories contributes to conditions like obesity, type 2 diabetes, and heart disease. The combination of excess sugar, unhealthy fats, and lack of essential nutrients like fiber, vitamins, and minerals can set the stage for long-term health issues.

Nutritional Imbalances

If a large portion of your diet consists of empty calories, they can take up space in your stomach and crowd out room for nutrient-dense foods like fruits, veggies, whole grains, healthy fats, and lean proteins. Eventually, this can lead to imbalances in nutrients that are essential for overall health.

Impact on Women’s Health

Eating lots of empty calories may pose risks specific for women. For instance, not getting enough important nutrients can contribute to poor bone health, low energy levels, reduced immunity, and hormonal imbalances.

If you think your empty calorie intake is higher than you’d like, these everyday tips can help you reign them in and ensure you’ve got room for healthier options:

• Choose water first. Water is essential for staying hydrated, making it the best drink of choice for general health. It’s also free of calories, unlike energy drinks, sodas, fruit juices, and specialty coffees. If you get tired of plain water, try unsweetened seltzer water or herbal teas, or infuse your water with lemon slices or cucumbers to switch it up.

• Make smart snack choices. Trade potato chips and candy for nutrient-dense snack foods like fresh veggies with hummus, a handful of nuts and seeds, or whole fruit.

• Make most of your grains whole. Replace refined grains and simple carbohydrates like white rice, pasta, and bread with whole-grain versions like brown rice, 100% whole-wheat bread, and quinoa.

• Pay attention to ultra-processed foods. Many foods with empty calories come in crinkly packages and frozen boxes that just need to be microwaved. As much as possible, prepare fresh homemade options, which gives you more control over the ingredients and nutritional value.

• Read the ingredients. When purchasing items in cans, bags, and packages, check the food label for sugar content. Even foods that may seem healthier, like dressings, granola bars, and condiments, can be high in added sugar.

• Ditch alcohol. Alcohol is a significant source of empty calories that can add up quickly. If you drink occasionally, opt for lighter options — but remember, alcohol generally doesn’t offer any health benefits.

• Plan ahead. A little meal planning and prep can go a long way when you’re trying to reduce empty calories. Empty-calorie foods often result from last-minute decisions about what to eat, like when it’s past dinnertime and you’ve got no ideas. Many find that carving out time each week to plan ahead can minimize these potential regrets.

Making Simple Swaps

Here are some ideas for how you can replace empty calories with whole foods and more nutrient-dense options.

Unfortunately, empty calories are everywhere in the food system, and consuming a lot of them can work against your health goals. Eating a diet of mostly empty calories can lead to numerous health issues.

While you may not be able to eliminate all empty calories, a balanced diet that incorporates a variety of healthy foods is key. Plus, there are simple things you can do to reduce your intake of empty calories and improve your well-being. 

Here are some takeaways:

• Empty calories are nutritional no-shows. Empty-calorie foods and beverages can provide a fleeting sense of joy for your taste buds, but that’s about it. Since they lack fiber, protein, healthy fats, vitamins, and minerals, empty calories don’t leave you satisfied or contribute much to your overall nutrient needs.

• They can sneak up on you. There are many sources of empty calories, some of which can be surprising. Sugary sodas, energy drinks, granola bars, condiments, and dressings can be high in calories but low in nutrition, even when they may seem innocent.

• Small shifts can make big differences. Swapping potato chips for nuts or soda for lemon water, reading ingredient labels, and planning meals and snacks ahead for the week can help reduce empty calories and last-minute decisions that perhaps aren’t the healthiest.

Identifying empty calories in your diet and creating healthier habits can help prevent unwanted weight gain and better support your energy levels and overall well-being.

If you’re struggling with healthy weight management, check out our weight loss resources. We can connect you with a licensed healthcare professional to provide personalized guidance and go over your treatment options.

This article is for informational purposes only and does not constitute medical advice. The information contained herein is not a substitute for and should never be relied upon for professional medical advice. Always talk to your doctor about the risks and benefits of any treatment. Learn more about our editorial standards here.