CALORIES

Calories or Kilojoules?

Calories and kilojoules are both units of energy in food. They tell us how much energy the food we eat provides. Kilojoules are the official unit for measuring energy in Australia and must be included in the nutrition panel while calories is used in other countries such as the US. We then use that energy to perform various functions and activities. The more calories or kilojoules a food contains the more energy it provides to the body. There are approximately 4.2 kilojoules in one calorie. For example 420 kilojoules is the same as 100 calories.

How Much Should I Have?

On average, men need about 2500 calories (10,500kJ) and women need about 2000 calories (8400kJ) a day depending on how active they are. More active people will require a bit more and those who are sedentary will require a bit less. Energy Out The energy from food goes towards fuelling our bodies to perform their necessary functions such as digestion and muscle movements, as well as extra activities such as walking, running and mowing the lawn. Our bodies will use the energy they have available and whatever is left will be converted to stored energy or fat. That’s why it’s important to eat the right amount of food to suit your activity levels to help maintain a healthy weight.

How Much Is in My Food?

All food companies need to list the kilojoule levels of their foods on the nutrition information panel. Calories are optional so you may need to use our handy conversion if you want to work it out yourself. You can find the energy content of all Kellogg’s food on the panel together with the percentage of energy it contributes to your daily energy intake (%DV). Most cereals contribute about 7-10% of our daily energy needs.