kcal vs. cal PLEASE HELP!

MandaLen13

Can anybody tell me what the difference is between kcal and regular calories? and how can I convert kcal into cal?

AlsDonkBoxSquat

here's a link to a google search:
http://www.google.com/search?hl=en&source=hp&q=converting+kcal+to+cal&aq=f&aqi=g2&aql=&oq=

mrau719

1 kcal is the same as 1 calorie with a lowercase "c" 1 Calorie with an uppercase "C" is equal to 1000 cals (or 1000 kcals)

yeahfatty

isn't it the same thing..?

i mean kcal is short for kalorier .. atleast in my world (the danish one) .. & calories is the english word.

if it's not .. i'm in huge trouble!

airycha

the way food is labled 1 kcal is 1 cal

tigersword

Kcal stands for kilocalorie, which equals 1000 calories. Those are scientific terms. The Calorie that applies to food is actually a kilocalorie. So from a food standpoint, it's the same thing.

1 kilocalorie = 1000 calories = 1 Calorie

JennsLosing

Kcal stands for kilocalorie, which equals 1000 calories. Those are scientific terms. the calorie that applies to food is actually a kilocalorie. So from a food standpoint, it's the same thing.

i was getting scared there for a minute...lol...

MandaLen13

isn't it the same thing..?

i mean kcal is short for kalorier .. atleast in my world (the danish one) .. & calories is the english word.

if it's not .. i'm in huge trouble!

I am an American living in Germany and everything here is measured in kcal, so I just didnt understand if maybe the measurement was off slightly from the American calorie. I think now that I read more that it is the same measurement. Just two different names. Thanks everybody for the help!

yeahfatty

Kcal stands for kilocalorie, which equals 1000 calories. Those are scientific terms. the calorie that applies to food is actually a kilocalorie. So from a food standpoint, it's the same thing.

i was getting scared there for a minute...lol...

me too! phew crisis averted.

statia152

From what I remember from Biology, a Kcal is 1,000 calories. Food packages go with regular calories, not Kcals. But it's been a long time since college, so I would google the formula to be sure.

tigersword

1 kcal is the same as 1 calorie with a lowercase "c" 1 Calorie with an uppercase "C" is equal to 1000 cals (or 1000 kcals)

You're reversed, Calorie is the food term, and calorie is the scientific measurement.

cheryls1020

Just bought a heart monitor that shows calories burned. Shows as kcals.
Do I need to convert to calories to keep my counting accurate?

scottaworley

no

TaintedVampyre

If this were true, I'd be morbidly obese.

Of_Monsters_and_Meat

This is why it should be measured in joules!
I am so sick of the Kcal Illuminati.

lisaabenjamin

This is why it should be measured in joules!
I am so sick of the Kcal Illuminati.

As a scientist, I kind of agree. But no-one in the real world really knows what a joule is, whereas they do vaguely understand what a calorie is, so I guess we're stuck with calories.

FredDoyle

This is why it should be measured in joules!
I am so sick of the Kcal Illuminati.

You're just a shill for the Big Metricists obviously.
...and if Canada is on the metric system, why is it still using Calories on nutrition labels? hmmmm...

Jruzer

As an American I insist that my food energy be measured in BTUs.

Alternately I could live with electron volts, just for the amusement factor. I can't eat that doughnut! It's 9E16 GeV!

mbeuchert24

Kcal stands for kilocalorie, which equals 1000 calories. Those are scientific terms. the calorie that applies to food is actually a kilocalorie. So from a food standpoint, it's the same thing.

i was getting scared there for a minute...lol...

I know right?

yarwell

As an American I insist that my food energy be measured in BTUs.

British Thermal Units ? Shome mishtake, shurely ?

Bagelsan

Little "c" calories aren't technically food calories; we measure food in kcal or big "C" Calories, because an adult human needs a lot of energy to live and writing out all the little "c" calories we need would be a pain. If we were truly eating little "c" calories we'd need about 2,000,000 cal each day ie. 2,000 food kcal!

mjones6599

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mjones6599

As an American I insist that my food energy be measured in BTUs.

Alternately I could live with electron volts, just for the amusement factor. I can't eat that doughnut! It's 9E16 GeV!

LMAO!!!

mjones6599

Kcal stands for kilocalorie, which equals 1000 calories. Those are scientific terms. The Calorie that applies to food is actually a kilocalorie. So from a food standpoint, it's the same thing.

1 kilocalorie = 1000 calories = 1 Calorie

^^This is correct. We mainly use the Calorie for simplicity. People would FREAK OUT if they knew the apple they just ate was 30,000 kilocalories, or that Big Mac was 600,000 kilocalories!!! (Instead of 30 and 600 Calories respectively)

But (eV), the electron Volt (slapping my hand on my knee) That's genius!! I can imagine widespread confusion!

Jruzer

As an American I insist that my food energy be measured in BTUs.

British Thermal Units ? Shome mishtake, shurely ?

Ironic, ain't it?

Carina_85

Wow! I have literally wondered this all of my life. Not enough curiousity to actually google it just in case I was x1000 out on my calories all the time. But it has always been a wonder.

I must say I'm relieved to find out they are one and the same

lean712

There is no different...1 kcal = 1,000 and 1 cal = 1,000

bobbler123

So if it says 100kcal on the box it means 100,000calories right!? Given that 1kcal = 1000calories = 1Calorie!

paperpudding

This is why it should be measured in joules!
I am so sick of the Kcal Illuminati.

You're just a shill for the Big Metricists obviously.
...and if Canada is on the metric system, why is it still using Calories on nutrition labels? hmmmm...

Good question, that does seem odd.

Australia is on the metric system and food labels, and food information ( like the food boards at Mcdonalds etc) is in kilo joules.

knra_grl

This is why it should be measured in joules!
I am so sick of the Kcal Illuminati.

You're just a shill for the Big Metricists obviously.
...and if Canada is on the metric system, why is it still using Calories on nutrition labels? hmmmm...

Because we Canadians believe in diversity and are all accepting - Honestly the metric system was introduced when I was in grade school and it would probably confuse the majority of our population if everything was converted totally to the metric system. Half of my cookbooks are in imperial measures :indifferent:

knra_grl

So if it says 100kcal on the box it means 100,000calories right!? Given that 1kcal = 1000calories = 1Calorie!

I believe that

kcal = 1 calorie
Kcal = 1000 calories

the difference is the upper and lower case