Kilocalorie (kcal)
The kilocalorie (kcal) is 1000 calories, exactly 4184 J. Food labels call it a Calorie (capital C) or simply "calories".
Symbol: kcal
Quantity: energy, work and heat
SI relation: 1 kcal = 4184 J (exact)
Derivation: 1 kcal = 1000 cal = 4184 J (exact)
Exact: yes, by definition
Reference conditions. Thermochemical kilocalorie (food Calorie), 4184 J exactly.
Typical uses
- Food and diet energy (2000 kcal reference intake)
- Exercise energy expenditure
- Metabolic rates
Convert kilocalories to other units
| Conversion | 1 kcal equals | Reverse |
|---|---|---|
| kilocalorie to joule | 4184 J | joule to kilocalorie |
| kilocalorie to kilojoule | 4.184 kJ | kilojoule to kilocalorie |
| kilocalorie to kilowatt-hour | 0.001162222222 kWh | kilowatt-hour to kilocalorie |
| kilocalorie to BTU | 3.965666831 BTU | BTU to kilocalorie |
| kilocalorie to megajoule | 0.004184 MJ | megajoule to kilocalorie |
| kilocalorie to calorie | 1000 cal | calorie to kilocalorie |
| kilocalorie to watt-hour | 1.162222222 Wh | watt-hour to kilocalorie |
| kilocalorie to therm | 0.00003966613703 thm | therm to kilocalorie |
| kilocalorie to electronvolt | 2.611447397 × 10²² eV | electronvolt to kilocalorie |
| kilocalorie to foot-pound | 3085.960033 ft·lbf | foot-pound to kilocalorie |
| kilocalorie to erg | 41840000000 erg | erg to kilocalorie |
Open the Energy Converter to convert any value between all units.
Sources
- Guide for the Use of the International System of Units (SI), NIST Special Publication 811, 2008 Edition, National Institute of Standards and Technology , Appendix B.8, "kilocalorie (thermochemical)".
Last reviewed: . Factors are stored exactly and computed with 50-digit decimal arithmetic. See how we verify conversion factors.
Cite this page
APA
Scientific Converters. (2026, October 15). Kilocalorie (kcal). Retrieved October 17, 2026, from https://scientificconverters.com/units/kilocalorie/
IEEE
Scientific Converters, "Kilocalorie (kcal)," scientificconverters.com. Accessed: Oct. 17, 2026. [Online]. Available: https://scientificconverters.com/units/kilocalorie/