Empty calories are calories that come from food and beverages that lack nutrients. Empty calories still have calories, but they will not provide any nutritional value or fuel. Candy, for example, contains empty calories because it does not contain essential vitamins, minerals, protein, or fiber. Take jelly beans, for example.
Fifteen jelly beans equal roughly 160 calories, most of which comes from sugar. A quarter cup of raisins has 122 calories. Raisins are packed with vitamins, minerals, and fiber in addition to some sugar. The health benefits of the raisins far exceed those of the candy (4).