Cooking sprays like PAM and generic vegetable oil sprays are popular among home cooks and chefs for their convenience and supposed calorie-free cooking. These sprays allow you to grease a pan or bakeware quickly and easily without the high calories and mess of pouring and spreading oil. With just a quick spritz, you can make your meals healthier, right? Or can you? Let’s take a closer look at whether cooking sprays deliver on their claims of being calorie-free.
What are cooking sprays?
Cooking sprays, also referred to as vegetable oil sprays, are aerosol cans that dispense a fine mist of oil. They typically contain vegetable oils like canola, olive, or sunflower oil along with lecithin, propellants, and anti-foaming agents. The lecithin helps the oil spread easily while the propellants spray the oil out of the can in a light mist.
When you use a cooking spray, only a very thin coating of oil gets distributed evenly over the cooking surface. A brief spray of a second or less releases less than a teaspoon of oil. This is far less oil than you would typically pour from a bottle for pan-frying or baking. The convenience of sprays allows you to quickly grease a pan, baking sheet, or skillet before cooking with just a light press of the nozzle.
Are cooking sprays calorie free?
Now we get to the important question – do cooking sprays contain zero calories as claimed on some product labels? The short answer is no. While sprays use far less oil than other cooking methods, they do contain calories from the oils inside.
However, the small amount of oil released by a quick spray contains very minimal calories. According to the USDA, a 1/3 second spray releases around 2 calories. A full one-second spray has about 5 calories.
Considering that a teaspoon of vegetable oil contains nearly 40 calories, sprays use less than 2% of the oil that you’d use otherwise. This very low amount of oil and calories is likely why some brands can get away with rounding down to zero on their nutrition labels.
Some sprays even advertise “zero calories” prominently on the front label. However, checking the nutrition facts on the back reveals they do contain around 5 calories per spray. While this calorie count is negligible, it is not technically zero.
How many calories are in popular cooking sprays?
The number of calories in each spray will vary slightly between brands based on the type of oil used and length of spray. Here is the calorie count for one second sprays of some top cooking sprays:
PAM Original Cooking Spray
– 5 calories per spray
PAM Olive Oil Cooking Spray
– 5 calories per spray
Baker’s Joy Original No-Stick Cooking Spray
– 5 calories per spray
Baker’s Joy Olive Oil No-Stick Cooking Spray
– 5 calories per spray
Smart Balance Omega Plus Cooking Spray
– 10 calories per spray
Pompeian Smooth Extra Virgin Olive Oil Spray
– 5 calories per spray
Spectrum Naturals Organic Canola Oil Spray
– 5 calories per spray
So while not exactly zero, all of these popular sprays contain just 5-10 calories per one-second spray. For most recipes requiring just a light coating of oil, this is a negligible amount of calories.
Does spray type affect calories?
While the number of calories per spray is generally very low overall, the type of oil used in the spray can impact the calories slightly.
Regular vegetable oil sprays are the lowest in calories, with canola, corn, and soybean sprays containing 8-10 calories per gram of oil. Olive oil sprays are a bit higher at around 10-15 calories per gram since olive oil itself is slightly more calorie dense than other vegetable oils. Butter-flavored sprays are the highest in calories since they contain other fats beyond just oil.
Here is a calorie comparison of a one-second spray for different oil types:
| Oil Type | Calories (per 1-second spray) |
|---|---|
| Canola oil | 5 calories |
| Olive oil | 5 calories |
| Coconut oil | 5 calories |
| Butter-flavored | 10 calories |
So while virgin olive oil may be slightly more calorie dense than canola oil by volume, the tiny mist amount sprayed results in a negligible calorie difference between the varieties.
Do cooking sprays promote weight gain?
While the calories in cooking sprays are minimal, some may wonder whether using these oils contributes to weight gain over time. After all, oil is high in fat and calories so any amount adds up.
However, using a brief spray to grease your pans makes a negligible impact. The tiny amount of oil is a drop in the bucket compared to the full meal being prepared.
Studies comparing people who use cooking sprays to those who don’t have not found any significant differences in body weight or fat mass between the groups. As long as you stick to the recommended serving size of 1-second sprays, cooking sprays do not promote fat gain.
The bigger factors for weight loss are controlling your portion sizes of the overall meal and limiting high-calorie sauces, cheeses, breading, toppings. A brief spritz of 5 calories of oil is not going to make or break your diet.
Should you avoid cooking sprays for weight loss?
While cooking sprays can be used in moderation on a diet, some people may want to avoid them altogether when strictly trying to limit fats for faster weight loss.
Going without cooking sprays can save you a bit of fat intake. It also helps you change your mindset and habits around adding extra oils.
However, avoiding sprays does not mean you have to cook completely oil-free. For the times when food would stick without greasing, you can use one of these alternatives instead of sprays:
Use silicone baking mats or parchment paper
Line any baking sheets or pans with silicone mats or parchment paper. Food won’t stick to these at all, eliminating the need for sprays.
Use a grilling basket
Grilling baskets keep small or fragile foods contained so they won’t stick to grill grates. No need for messy sprays.
Rub a halved lemon over grates
The acid from a fresh lemon helps provide a quick non-stick barrier for grilling.
Opt for steam cooking
Steaming fish, veggies, and other foods prevents sticking without any added fats.
Use broth or water
Adding a small amount of low-sodium broth or water to a pan and letting it heat before adding food can prevent sticking.
So while cooking sprays provide convenience for greasing pans quickly, they are not required for a no-oil cooking routine.
Do cooking sprays cause other health issues?
Beyond weight concerns, some people may wonder if the chemicals in spray oils impact health in other ways as well.
One concern with spraying oil is potential lung irritation or breathing issues. The fine oil droplets float in the air and can be accidentally inhaled into lungs. While this effect is likely minor for most people, those with asthma or breathing sensitivities may want to avoid inhaling cooking sprays directly.
There is also some debate about whether the lecithin and propellants used in sprays are harmful. Certain consumer groups have raised concerns about dimethyl silicone, which is used as an anti-foaming agent. And fluorinated propellants were previously used but phased out due to environmental concerns.
While these aspects deserve more research, occasional use of cooking sprays has not been shown to cause confirmed health problems. The ingredients used are all currently approved as food-grade. Any potential risks are likely only present with heavy, constant use over many years.
For most people, moderate use of cooking sprays as directed on the label is considered safe. Those with respiratory issues may want to take precautions to minimize accidental inhalation during use.
Are there healthier oil spray alternatives?
If you want to avoid any potential risks of chemical propellants, you can find oil spray products that use natural propellants instead.
Some options include:
Olive oil pump sprays
These sprays use air as a propellant to spray a fine mist of olive oil. No chemical propellants.
Misto sprayers
Misto makes bottle attachments you fill with your own oil. It uses pressure to spray the oil.
Trigger oil sprayers
Refillable metal sprayers use levers and air pressure to spray oil from glass bottles you fill.
Check ingredients to confirm no chemical propellants or ingredients you want to avoid are used.
With these options, you get the same convenience of sprays without the additives found in canned versions.
How many sprays should you use?
To keep calories negligible and avoid any potential health issues from inhaling or ingesting too much, you should stick to the recommended serving sizes on cooking spray labels.
Here are the general guidelines for how many sprays to use:
Greasing pans:
– Small pans: 1-2 quick 1-second sprays
– Large pans: 2-3 quick 1-second sprays
Cooking eggs:
– For scrambled eggs, omelets etc: 2-3 brief sprays
Sauteing veggies or other foods:
– 1-2 brief sprays before adding each batch of vegetables or pieces of protein
Greasing baking dishes:
– Small baking pans/ramekins: 1 spray
– Large baking sheets: 2-3 quick sprays
– Bundt or cake pans: 4-5 quick sprays around the inner perimeter and base
Stick within these amounts instead of holding down the nozzle continuously. Excess spraying ups your oil and calorie intake.
Tips for using cooking sprays correctly
Besides controlling portions, using proper technique helps minimize excess oil. Here are some tips for getting the most benefit from your cooking spray:
– Spray from a distance of 6-8 inches above the pan. Avoid spraying up close, which deposits more.
– Make quick light sprays instead of long heavy-handed sprays
– Wipe excess oil from the pan with a towel after greasing if it looks too heavy.
– Re-apply lighter coats of spray between batches instead of one heavy spray at the start.
– If food still sticks with light spraying, the pan may not be fully preheated before use.
– Don’t tilt the pan after spraying – the oil will pool unevenly. Keep it flat.
– To distribute oil evenly, rotate and tilt the pan after spraying, then flatten again before cooking
– For baking, spray pans before preheating the oven so excess oil can burn off.
Using proper technique ensures you get the non-stick benefit of sprays without going overboard on oil.
Are there oil-free alternatives to cooking sprays?
If you want to avoid oil altogether, try these convenient oil-free options:
Silicone baking mats
Reusable silicone baking mats provide a non-stick surface for baking cookies, roasting veggies, and more.
Parchment paper
Parchment rounds can line pans for baked goods. sheets work for roasting veggies or fish.
Grilling baskets
Baskets keep food contained on the grill with no sticking.
Broth or water
Use a small amount of low-sodium broth or water in a pan instead of oil before sautéing.
Non-stick cookware
Quality non-stick skillets and baking dishes allow oil-free cooking.
Steam cooking
Steaming fish, vegetables, dumplings, and more requires no oil.
So while cooking sprays provide convenience, you can go completely oil-free with some simple adaptations.
Should you avoid cooking spray for non-stick cooking?
Cooking sprays solve the convenience issue of greasing pans quickly and easily. However, for the most part, they are not required to make non-stick meals.
With some simple adjustments, you can cook healthy oil-free meals just as easily:
– Use silicone mats or parchment paper for baking
– Opt for grilling racks or pans to prevent sticking
– Steam foods that would normally be sautéed or fried
– Cook in ceramic non-stick pans
– Use broth or water instead of oil to sauté aromatics or prevent sticking
– Roast veggies on a sheet pan in the oven instead of sautéing
– Skip adding extra oil when making casseroles or baked pasta dishes
So if your primary reason for using cooking sprays is for their non-stick ability, reconsider. With a few easy oil-free adaptations, you can cook just as conveniently without the sprays.
Should you avoid cooking sprays when baking?
While cooking sprays provide quick, easy pan greasing for baking, you can get the same benefit without them:
– Use parchment paper or silicone baking mats to line pans and prevent sticking.
– Grease pans with softened butter or coconut oil using a brush or paper towel.
– Opt for metal non-stick bakeware like Wilton or USA Pan. These distribute heat evenly and bake up beautifully with no sticking.
– Dust pans lightly with cocoa powder or flour then tap out the excess. The small dusting prevents sticking.
– Some sticky baked goods like muffins or breads don’t need greasing. Let them bake right in the pan, then loosen while still warm.
With options like these, cooking sprays are unnecessary for baking. Limiting oil is beneficial for reducing overall fat and calories in baked goods.
Conclusion
While cooking sprays provide convenience and promote less oil use compared to pouring and spreading, they do still contain a small number of calories, usually around 5 per spray. For most recipes requiring just a light greasing, this negligible amount makes little calorie impact.
However, some people may prefer to avoid even this small oil amount by using silicone mats, grilling baskets, non-stick cookware, and other handy adaptations for oil-free cooking. With proper techniques, you can achieve stellar low-fat baked goods and entrees without relying on sprays.
Overall, cooking sprays live up to their reputation as a healthier alternative to poured oils. But with creativity in the kitchen, you can skip them entirely and make delicious calorie-controlled meals. Just be sure to stick to recommended serving sizes, use proper spraying technique, and complement with lower-calorie cooking methods.
