Kilocalories To Calories Conversion

kcal

1 kcal = 1,000 cal

Want to convert from calories to kilocalories instead?

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How to convert kilocalories to calories (kcal to cal)

The formula for converting kilocalories to calories is: cal = kcal × 1000. To calculate the kilocalorie value in calories first substitute the kilocalorie value into the preceding formula, and then perform the calculation. If we wanted to calculate 1 kilocalorie in calories we follow these steps:

cal = kcal × 1000

cal = 1 × 1000

cal = 1000

In other words, 1 kilocalorie is equal to 1000 calories.


Example Conversion

Let's take a look at an example. The step-by-step process to convert 8 kilocalories to calories is:

  1. Understand the conversion formula: cal = kcal × 1000
  2. Substitute the required value. In this case we substitute 8 for kcal so the formula becomes: cal = 8 × 1000
  3. Calculate the result using the provided values. In our example the result is: 8 × 1000 = 8000 cal

In summary, 8 kilocalories is equal to 8000 calories.


Converting calories to kilocalories

In order to convert the other way around i.e. calories to kilocalories, you would use the following formula: kcal = cal × 0.001. To convert calories to kilocalories first substitute the calorie value into the above formula, and then execute the calculation. If we wanted to calculate 1 calorie in kilocalories we follow these steps:

kcal = cal × 0.001

k1 = cal × 0.001

kcal = 0.001

Or in other words, 1 calorie is equal to 0.001 kilocalories.


Conversion Unit Definitions

What is a Kilocalorie?

A kilocalorie (kcal), commonly referred to as a Calorie with an uppercase "C," is a unit of energy used in the field of nutrition and dietary measurement. It represents the amount of energy required to raise the temperature of one kilogram of water by one degree Celsius. In scientific terms, 1 kilocalorie is equal to 1,000 calories (lowercase "c"), which are the smaller units used in physics.
In the context of nutrition, the energy content of food and beverages is often measured in kilocalories. For example, if a food item contains 100 kilocalories, it means consuming that food provides the body with 100,000 calories of energy. Kilocalories are widely used on food labels and dietary recommendations to indicate the energy content of various foods and drinks.

What is a Calorie?

A calorie (cal) is a unit of energy commonly used in nutrition. It represents the amount of energy required to raise the temperature of one gram of water by one degree Celsius (or one degree Kelvin). In the context of nutrition, the term "calorie" usually refers to a kilocalorie, which is equal to 1,000 calories in scientific terms.
The energy content of food and beverages is often measured in kilocalories, abbreviated as kcal or Cal (with an uppercase "C" to distinguish it from the smaller "cal" used in physics).
In scientific terms, 1 kilocalorie is equal to 4.184 kilojoules (kJ). The conversion factor between kilocalories (kcal) and kilojoules (kJ) is 1 kcal = 4.184 kJ.
In everyday language, when people refer to the number of calories in food, they are usually referring to kilocalories. For example, if a food label says a serving contains 200 calories, it means 200 kilocalories or 200,000 calories in scientific terms.

Kilocalories To Calories Conversion Table

Below is a lookup table showing common kilocalories to calories conversion values.

Kilocalorie (kcal)Calorie (cal)
1 kcal1000 cal
2 kcal2000 cal
3 kcal3000 cal
4 kcal4000 cal
5 kcal5000 cal
6 kcal6000 cal
7 kcal7000 cal
8 kcal8000 cal
9 kcal9000 cal
10 kcal10000 cal
11 kcal11000 cal
12 kcal12000 cal
13 kcal13000 cal

Other Common Kilocalorie Conversions

Below is a table of common conversions from kilocalories to other energy units.

ConversionResult
1 kilocalorie in joules4186.8 J
1 kilocalorie in kilojoules4.1868 kJ
1 kilocalorie in megajoules0.0041868 MJ
1 kilocalorie in gigajoules0.0000041868 GJ
1 kilocalorie in megacalories0.001 Mcal
1 kilocalorie in kilowatt hours0.0011622222 kWh
1 kilocalorie in therms0.000039652608749183 thm