Kilojoules to Calories

Energy on food labels

Different regions use different units for food energy: kilojoules (kJ) are common in many countries, while kilocalories (kcal, often called simply “calories”) are widely used elsewhere. To compare items or track intake consistently, you may want to convert between units. The conversion factor is 1 kcal = 4.184 kJ.

This simple converter helps when reading international labels or comparing recipes. Keep in mind that nutrition information is often rounded, so small differences are normal. Use conversion results as a guide for planning meals and tracking energy, and consult product labels for official values.

Practical tips

When tracking calories, consistency matters more than micro-precision. Decide whether you’ll use kJ or kcal for daily logs and convert items accordingly. If you use a nutrition database or app, set its default unit to match your region for the smoothest experience.