Calories in Vapor?

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Jo Patterson

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No. Propylene Glycol comes from the alcohol family and Vegetable Glycerin is derived from the fatty acids in plants.

Where does Vegetable Glycerin Come From?

Vegetable glycerin, or glycerol, is a clear, odorless liquid produced from plant oils, typically palm oil, soy, or coconut oil. Palm and coconut oils are natural triglyceride mixtures; each triglyceride is composed of three fatty acids esterified with glycerin. Vegetable glycerin has a number of valuable applications that include cosmetic products, foods, and as a replacement for alcohol in herbal and botanical tinctures.


How is Vegetable Glycerin Made?

Vegetable glycerin is produced using an extraction process called hydrolysis. During hydrolysis, oils are placed under the combined force of pressure, temperature, and water. The ester bond breaks and causes the glycerin to split from fatty acids and be absorbed by water; at which point the resultant is further isolated by distillation to increase purity. Purified vegetable glycerin has a texture similar to an oil or syrup due to its organic molecular makeup, specifically, three hydroxyl groups.



Glycerin, also known as glycerol, is an organic compound of carbon, hydrogen and oxygen with the chemical formula C3H8O3. It is produced industrially, usually as a by-product of soap manufacture, from oils and fats. It can be made from animal fat or, in the case of vegetable glycerin, vegetable oil. The source of the raw material does not affect the chemistry of the final product, but, since glycerin is widely used in foods and medications, this distinction is important for vegetarians. It is also used as a sweetener and as an ingredient in a number of cosmetic products.

Structure and Properties

The compound consists of a chain of three carbon atoms, to which are attached hydrogen atoms on one side and hydroxyl (OH) groups on the other. The three OH groups form hydrogen bonds between molecules, giving the compound a syrup-like viscosity and allowing it to dissolve easily in water. Chemically speaking, glycerin is an alcohol, but for food purposes, it is classed — in the USA — as a carbohydrate by the Federal Food and Drug Administration (FDA), because it provides calories and is not a fat or a protein.

Vegetable Glycerine
Vegetable glycerine comes to us through a very complex and sophisticated method of extraction known as Hydrolysis, and the end product that we refer to as "Vegetable Glycerine" is usually the by-product of another oils production. The basics of this system is that the fats and oils of a raw ingredient (usually vegetable oils) are split into crude glycerol fats, under the combined action of water, temperature and pressure. These temperatures can exceed 400° degrees and the material is usually kept under pressure for 20-30 minutes. What is actually occurring is a sort of "counter-flow" where the water absorbs glycerol from the fatty acid phase of the oil production. After this phase this glycerol is isolated and further distilled to give buyers a standard 99% Glycerine product.
Vegetable Glycerine is a clear, colorless, and odorless liquid with an incredibly sweet taste having the consistency of thick syrup. It is used as an agent in cosmetics, toothpaste, shampoos, soaps, herbal remedies, pharmaceuticals, and other household items. Because it is soluble in both, water and alcohol, its versatility is a major benefactor in its purported growth and popularity within the manufacturing sector. It is invaluable as a natural source ingredient with emollient like properties which can soften and soothe the skin and it assists the outer epidermis is retaining moisture. This helps to explain why it is one of the most popular cosmetic additives used today.
Other uses include its solvency action which aides herbalists in extracting botanical properties from plant materials without the use of alcohol. This is especially helpful for those with alcohol sensitivities as most liquid herbal extracts contain alcohol. But given its severely limited shelf life, extracts made from Vegetable Glycerine typically have a shelf life of 14-24 months whereas alcohol extracts can have an extended shelf life of 4-6 years.
 
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Jo Patterson

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Just curious, is there anything fattening about vaping? Calories, fat grams etc..since we're inhaling and absorbing 2 different types of oils?

YES there are calories .... it is a continual source of amusement to me that people actually think that sugar and calories that get to your blood stream via absorption other than the stomach don't have calories. Sorry to say, if it gets to your blood stream and it has calories, it doesn't make the slightest bit of difference how it got there.


Although glycerine is a carbohydrate, it has a different metabolic effect on the body. Unlike typical carbohydrates, glycerine reportedly has minimal impact on blood sugar levels. You should still count the calories (4.3 calories per gram) you are consuming from this product, since even a low carbohydrate diet needs some calorie control, but you do not need to worry about disrupting ketosis because there is no evidence that glycerine effects blood sugar, which is the way that normal carbohydrates disrupt ketosis.

Is Glycerin Used as a Sweetener?
Glycerin belongs to a special category of carbohydrates called polyols, which also includes sugar alcohols like sorbitol and erythritol. Like sugar alcohols, which I’ve talked about before, glycerin tastes sweet but it is not metabolized as sugar in the body and doesn’t cause a rise in blood sugar. For that reason, it’s sometimes used as a sweetener in foods marketed to diabetics and low-carb dieters. Glycerin also has that moisture-attracting property. The same way that adding glycerin to a lotion helps keeps your skin stay plump and moist, adding glycerin to foods helps them stay moist. So glycerin is also widely used in food manufacturing as a preservative.


Is Glycerin Safe?
As with almost any substance, a small number of people have sensitivities or allergies to glycerin and it can be toxic if consumed in sufficient quantities. But as it’s typically used, to keep foods fresh or as a low-glycemic sweetener, glycerin is generally safe. It is not, however, calorie-free. In fact, glycerin contains slightly more calories than sugar—and it’s only about 60% as sweet, so you might need slightly more to get the equivalent sweetness. Also, as with sugar alcohols, consuming a lot of glycerin can produce a laxative effect, which may or may not be desired.

Here’s the bottom line on glycerin as an alternative sweetener: The main advantage is that glycerin does not affect your blood sugar. However, substituting glycerin for sugar will not reduce calories. And consuming it (or foods sweetened with it) in large quantities is not a recipe for good nutrition. I suggest that glycerin—like all forms of sugar and sugar substitutes—be consumed in moderation.

- See more at: http://www.quickanddirtytips.com/he...althy-sweetener?page=all#sthash.X4RjZNUD.dpuf
 
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