📅This fact may be outdated
This fact was accurate when traditional lick-and-stick stamps were standard. However, the U.S. Postal Service has largely phased out moisture-activated adhesive stamps in favor of self-adhesive stamps. By 2013, almost all U.S. stamps became self-adhesive, and the USPS discontinued printing new lick-and-stick stamps. While some remaining inventory may still exist, most people no longer lick stamps.
Every time you lick a stamp, you're consuming 1/10 of a calorie!
Did Licking Stamps Really Give You Calories?
If you're old enough to remember licking stamps, you might be surprised to learn you were technically snacking. Each lick of a traditional U.S. postage stamp delivered about one-tenth of a calorie to your system—roughly the same amount of energy you burned by licking it.
The calorie culprit? Gum arabic and dextrin, starch-based adhesives used to make stamps stick. According to the FDA, these substances contain about 1.7 calories per gram, though each lick transferred only a tiny fraction of that to your tongue.
The Great Stamp Transition
Here's the twist: you probably haven't licked a stamp in years. By 2013, almost all U.S. stamps had become self-adhesive. The United States Postal Service quietly phased out traditional lick-and-stick stamps, and for good reason—they cost 115% more to produce than self-adhesive versions.
Self-adhesive stamps surged from 20% of production in 1995 to 85% by 1998. Today, finding a traditional gummed stamp is like spotting a payphone: technically possible, but increasingly rare.
International Stamp Snacking
Not all countries abandoned the lick. British stamps packed more of a caloric punch at 5.9 calories per lick, with larger commemorative stamps delivering up to 14.5 calories. Countries like Thailand still use traditional gummed stamps more commonly than the U.S.
The adhesive variations came down to ingredients. British stamps used polyvinyl alcohol alongside starch-based adhesives, creating a different calorie profile than their American counterparts.
Why We Stopped Licking
Beyond cost savings, self-adhesive stamps solved practical problems:
- No more dried-out adhesive on old stamps
- Faster application for bulk mailing
- Improved durability in different climates
- Elimination of the unpleasant taste
The transition marked the end of a peculiar ritual. For over 150 years, people worldwide had licked billions of stamps, consuming trace amounts of calories without thinking twice about it.
So while the fact about stamp calories is technically true, it's become a relic of postal history. If someone today claims they're watching their calorie intake by avoiding stamp-licking, they're about two decades behind the times—and the USPS already solved their problem.