Kilojoules to kilocalories converter

Enter an energy value in kJ or kcal and see the equivalent amount immediately.

Kilojoules
kJ
Kilocalories
kcal

Contents

How the kJ to kcal converter works

Two equal energy bolts balanced on a scale

Enter an energy value in either field. The other field updates immediately, and the middle button swaps kilojoules and kilocalories without changing the amount of energy.

The factor behind the conversion

A thermochemical kilocalorie contains exactly 4.184 kilojoules. Convert kcal to kJ by multiplying by 4.184; convert kJ to kcal by dividing by the same number.

1โ€‰kcal=4.184โ€‰kJ1\,\mathrm{kcal}=4.184\,\mathrm{kJ}

The calculator keeps the full factor during the calculation. A displayed decimal is rounded only at the end.

Food-energy examples

Calories, kilocalories and labels

In nutrition, a capital-C โ€œCalorieโ€ commonly means one kilocalorie. A small calorie, written cal, is one thousandth of a kilocalorie, so it is not the unit used by this converter.

Unit conversion does not make a food measurement more accurate. If a label is rounded or a serving size changes, the converted result carries the same limitation.

Questions about kJ and kcal

These short answers cover the factor, direction and common calorie terminology.

How many kilojoules are in one kilocalorie?

One thermochemical kilocalorie equals exactly 4.184 kilojoules.

How do I convert kJ to kcal?

Divide the number of kilojoules by 4.184.

How do I convert kcal to kJ?

Multiply the number of kilocalories by 4.184.

Is a food Calorie the same as a kilocalorie?

In nutrition, Calorie with a capital C usually denotes one kilocalorie, or 1000 small calories.

Why does the result contain decimals?

Many kilojoule values are not exact multiples of 4.184, so their kilocalorie equivalents are fractional.

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