What is a kcal vs cal?

A kilocalorie (kcal) is a unit of energy equal to 1000 calories (cal). In nutrition, kilocalories are commonly used to measure the energy content of food and beverages. One kilocalorie is equivalent to the amount of energy needed to raise the temperature of 1 kilogram of water by 1 degree Celsius.

Calories, on the other hand, are a unit of energy that are commonly used to measure the energy content of food and beverages. One calorie is equivalent to the amount of energy needed to raise the temperature of 1 gram of water by 1 degree Celsius. This smaller unit of measurement is often used in scientific settings and for calculating specific nutritional needs.

In everyday language, when people refer to "calories," they are typically referring to kilocalories. For example, if a food label states that a serving contains 200 calories, it actually contains 200 kilocalories of energy.