Kilocalories to Calories Converter

How to convert kilocalories to calories

calories = kilocalories × 1,000

1 kilocalorie (the food Calorie) is 1,000 calories, exactly 4,184 joules. 1 thermochemical calorie is exactly 4.184 joules.

The factor is exact in both directions: 1 kcal = 1,000 cal and 1 cal = 0.001 kcal. Nothing is rounded until you choose how many decimals to show.

Worked example: 250 kcal

1. Start with the value in kilocalories: 250 kcal.
2. Multiply by 1,000, because 1 kilocalorie = 1,000 calories: 250 × 1,000 = 250,000 cal.

Kilocalories to calories chart

Print chart

Kilocalories from 50 to 3,000 converted to calories with the exact factor, shown to five significant digits.

Kilocalories to calories, part 1 of 4

kcal	cal
50	50,000
100	100,000
150	150,000
200	200,000
250	250,000
300	300,000
350	350,000
400	400,000
450	450,000
500	500,000
550	550,000
600	600,000
650	650,000
700	700,000
750	750,000

Kilocalories to calories, part 2 of 4

kcal	cal
800	800,000
850	850,000
900	900,000
950	950,000
1,000	1,000,000
1,050	1,050,000
1,100	1,100,000
1,150	1,150,000
1,200	1,200,000
1,250	1,250,000
1,300	1,300,000
1,350	1,350,000
1,400	1,400,000
1,450	1,450,000
1,500	1,500,000

Kilocalories to calories, part 3 of 4

kcal	cal
1,550	1,550,000
1,600	1,600,000
1,650	1,650,000
1,700	1,700,000
1,750	1,750,000
1,800	1,800,000
1,850	1,850,000
1,900	1,900,000
1,950	1,950,000
2,000	2,000,000
2,050	2,050,000
2,100	2,100,000
2,150	2,150,000
2,200	2,200,000
2,250	2,250,000

Kilocalories to calories, part 4 of 4

kcal	cal
2,300	2,300,000
2,350	2,350,000
2,400	2,400,000
2,450	2,450,000
2,500	2,500,000
2,550	2,550,000
2,600	2,600,000
2,650	2,650,000
2,700	2,700,000
2,750	2,750,000
2,800	2,800,000
2,850	2,850,000
2,900	2,900,000
2,950	2,950,000
3,000	3,000,000

calories = kilocalories × 1,000. Factors: NIST SP 811. unitcheck.net/energy/kilocalories-to-calories/

kcal and food “Calories” are the same thing

Nutrition labels count energy in kilocalories. In everyday English the “kilo” is dropped and the unit is written “Calories”, often with a capital C. So 250 kcal on a label is 250 Calories. No conversion is needed between those two.

The factor of 1,000 on this page applies to the small calorie (cal) used in chemistry and physics: 250 kcal = 250,000 cal. In joules, 1 kcal is exactly 4,184 J (4.184 kJ) on the thermochemical definition.