Kissing is an enjoyable activity for many people, but can it also provide health benefits like burning calories? The idea that a passionate kissing session could burn anywhere from 200 to 500 calories has been floating around pop culture and health blogs for years. But is there any scientific evidence to back up this tempting claim?
What the Research Says
There aren’t many rigorous scientific studies focused specifically on how many calories kissing burns. However, we do know that kissing requires moving various facial muscles, and any type of physical activity requires burning at least some calories.
One small study published in the International Journal of Obesity in 1996 looked at couples kissing passionately for periods of time up to 30 minutes. Researchers found that on average, the men burned around 101 calories during a vigorous kissing session, while women burned about 69 calories.
Another study presented at the American Chemical Society meeting in 2000 examined couples intensely kissing over a 30 minute period. In this study, men were found to burn an average of 126 calories through kissing while women burned about the same amount as in the previous study, around 68 calories.
So while kissing does appear to burn some calories, the numbers are much lower than the legendary 500 calorie claim. At best, 30 minutes of passionate kissing might burn around 100 calories for men and 70 calories for women. Clearly a far cry from burning off a piece of cake!
Why Kissing Burns Calories
Physical activity of any kind, from walking to weightlifting, burns calories because it requires energy expenditure. The more muscles engaged and the higher the intensity, the more calories burned. There are a few reasons kissing requires the use of energy and calories:
- Using facial muscles – Over 30 different facial muscles are activated by kissing and put to work. These include the masseter muscle used for chewing, orbicularis oris muscle around the lips, and zygomaticus major muscle used for smiling. The more passionately you kiss, the harder these muscles work.
- Increased heart rate – Kissing raises your heart rate, which requires increased energy. The longer the kiss, the higher the heart rate climbs.
- Use of core muscles – Engaging in a passionate kiss requires your core muscles to engage to support your posture and balance. This muscle activation burns extra calories.
- Increased blood flow – More blood pumps through your lips during kissing, which uses calories. Increased blood flow occurs throughout the body as your heart works harder.
So in summary, a vigorous kiss requires the use of multiple large and small muscle groups throughout the upper body, elevated heart rate for an extended time, and increased blood circulation. All of this physiological activity requires calories for energy.
Factors That Influence Calories Burned Kissing
While kissing does burn some calories, how many depends on several factors:
Intensity and Passion
A quick peck will burn next to no calories, while a passionate makeout session will have a higher calorie-burning effect. The intensity of the kissing determines how many muscles are engaged and for how long. More vigorous and passionate kissing burns more calories.
Duration
The longer the kissing lasts, the more calories will be used. Ten minutes of kissing burns fewer calories than an hour of passionate locking of lips.
Type of Kiss
Different types of kisses involve different muscles. A deep French kiss where tongues intertwine engages more muscles than a closed-mouth kiss.wet, open-mouthed kisses also increase saliva production, which may burn a few extra calories.
Body Positioning
Sitting or lying down requires less muscle activation than standing while kissing. Holding your body against the force of gravity standing up engages more muscles.
Weight and Gender
Heavier individuals burn more calories performing any activity. Men tend to have more muscle mass than women, so they may burn slightly more calories kissing, as evidenced by the research.
Other Physical Activity
Kissing before, after, or during other more strenuous physical activities like sex or exercise can lead to a higher calorie burn for the overall session. The kissing calories then add onto the other activity calories.
How Many Calories Does Kissing Burn? Estimates
The amount of calories burned while kissing can vary significantly based on the above factors. Here are some rough estimates based on limited research:
- 1 minute of light kissing – 2-3 calories
- 5 minutes of light kissing – 10-15 calories
- 10 minutes of moderately passionate kissing – 30-50 calories
- 30 minutes of very passionate kissing – 100-200 calories
As you can see, even extended kissing sessions don’t lead to burning hundreds of calories for most people. You’d have to kiss passionately for hours on end to come close to the mythical 500 calorie mark.
Kissing Compared to Other Calorie Burning Activities
While kissing does burn some calories, how does it compare to other common physical activities?
Here is an approximation of how many calories different activities can burn in 30 minutes for a 155 pound (70kg) person:
| Activity | Calories burned (approximate) |
|---|---|
| Kissing | 50-100 |
| Walking (3mph) | 150 |
| Light cycling (10mph) | 260 |
| Jogging (5mph) | 295 |
| Elliptical machine (moderate effort) | 285 |
As shown, kissing burns about half the calories of light walking or cycling. So while pleasant, kissing should not be thought of as a significant calorie-burning exercise on its own. Moderate effort cardio activities burn 3-5 times as many calories in the same time period.
Health and Relationship Benefits of Kissing
While kissing may not burn hundreds of calories, it does have other health and relationship advantages:
- Reduces stress and lowers cortisol levels
- Releases “love hormones” like oxytocin and dopamine
- Lowers blood pressure
- May boost immunity by exposing you to new bacteria
- Improves intimacy and connection in a relationship
- Helps you bond and stay attracted to your partner
So don’t just focus on the calorie-burning factor. Take time to enjoy kissing your loved one for all its emotional and physiological benefits outside of calories!
Maximizing Calories Burned While Kissing
While a makeout session may not add up to much exercise, you can maximize the potential calorie burn by:
- Kissing standing up instead of lying down – engages more muscles
- Intensifying the passion – kiss harder and more vigorously
- Using open-mouth and tongue kissing – activates more facial muscles
- Engaging core muscles by pressing closer together
- Incorporating light touching/petting – uses arm muscles
- Lengthening duration – aim for 30 minutes or more
Combining kissing with other more strenuous activities like sex or exercise also boosts overall calorie expenditure.
The Bottom Line
While kissing does burn some calories by engaging facial and upper body muscles, the actual numbers are much lower than the mythical 500 calorie claim. At best, several minutes of passionate kissing might burn 100-200 calories.
To actually burn 500 calories through kissing, you’d likely need to kiss vigorously for hours, which isn’t realistic for most people. So don’t rely on kissing as a major calorie-burning activity. Focus instead on the relationship and health perks like stress relief and bonding – those are the real reasons to pucker up!
