Energy Converter: Joules & Calories
Calorie Types Reference
| Calorie Type | Definition | 1 Calorie in Joules |
|---|---|---|
| Thermochemical | Standard food calorie | 4.184 J |
| International | Steam Table calorie | 4.1868 J |
| 15°C calorie | Calorie at 15°C | 4.1855 J |
| 20°C calorie | Calorie at 20°C | 4.182 J |
Note: The thermochemical calorie is the most commonly used definition in food nutrition labels (labeled as "Calories" with a capital C, representing kilocalories). 1 kilocalorie = 1000 calories.
How to convert from joules to kcal
Joules to thermochemical / food kilocalories
1 kcalth = 4184 J
The energy in joules E(J) is equal to the energy in kilocalories E(kcal-th) divided by 4184:
E(kcal) = E(J) / 4184
Example
Convert 5000 joules to kilocalories.
E(kcal) = 5000 J / 4184 = 1.195 kcal
Joules to international kilocalories
1 kcalIT = 4186.8 J
The energy in joules E(J) is equal to the energy in international kilocalories E(kcal-IT) divided by 4186.8:
E(kcal-IT) = E(J) / 4186.8
Example
Convert 5000 joules to kilocalories.
E(kcal-IT) = 5000 J / 4186.8 = 1.194 kcalIT
Joules to 15°C kilocalories
1 kcal15 = 4185.5 J
The energy in joules E(J) is equal to the energy in 15°C kilocalories E(kcal15) divided by 4185.5:
E(kcal15) = E(J) / 4185.5
Example
Convert 5000 joules to kilocalories.
E(kcal15) = 5000 J / 4185.5 = 1.195 kcal15
Joules to 20°C kilocalories
1 kcal20 = 4182 J
The energy in joules E(J) is equal to the energy in 20°C kilocalories E(kcal20) divided by 4182:
E(kcal20) = E(J) / 4182
Example
Convert 5000 joules to kilocalories.
E(kcal20) = 5000 J / 4182 = 1.196 kcal20
