empty calories

plural noun

|Updated on: 16 Jun 2018

Definition of empty calories

: calories from food that supply energy but have little or no nutritional value

Recent Examples of empty calories from the Web

The food tended to be high in empty calories — those from solid fats, added sugars or both, the organization said.

— martin finucane, BostonGlobe.com, "Study says people eat a lot at work — and it’s not too healthy," 11 June 2018
And the empty calories of Trump’s policy-free speeches at raucous rallies were perfect for streaming straight onto cable news, without context or commentary.

— rachael combe, The Cut, "The Hillary Book That’s ‘Going to Piss Off’ Both Sides," 20 Apr. 2018
These changes present a challenge of eating enough food to get the proper nutrients to help our bodies without eating too many empty calories, which can pack on unwanted pounds.

— chicagotribune.com, "The five best foods for your health — and the five to avoid," 15 Mar. 2018
Spring break buzzkill: Your booze-y drink can be packed with empty calories.

— Houston Chronicle, "Spring break reminder: Cocktails can be packed with empty calories," 8 Mar. 2018
The cottage cheese in these pancakes adds protein and pizzazz, while the fresh blueberry compote lends sweetness without additives or empty calories.

— woman's day kitchen, Woman's Day, "Cottage Cheese Pancakes with Blueberry Compote," 5 Mar. 2018
Frequently eating extra calories, especially empty calories, can result in a poor diet and obesity.

— zlati meyer, USA TODAY, "McDonald's cheeseburgers in Happy Meals: Now by request only," 15 Feb. 2018
Those would be empty calories if this team had NCAA tournament aspirations.

— zach osterman, Indianapolis Star, "Insider: IU goes from 'soft' to 'winning' in Archie Miller's eyes," 15 Feb. 2018
Sugar-sweetened beverages provide a lot of empty calories.

— joe, The Seattle Times, "Controlling blood sugar for a better sex life," 11 Feb. 2018

These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'empty calories.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.