What is the relationship between a "calorie", a "Calorie", and a "Kcal"?

• A. A "calorie" is equal to 1000 "Calories". A "Kcal" is equal to a "calorie"
• B. All three units can be used interchangeably.
• C. A "Kcal" and a "Calorie" can be used interchangeably; A "calorie" is equal to 1000 "Calories".
• D. A "Kcal" is equal to a "Calorie". A "Calorie" is equal to 1000 "calories".

Answer: (D)

Verified step by step guidance

1. Step 1: Understand the terminology. In nutrition, the term 'Calorie' (with an uppercase C) is used to represent a kilocalorie (Kcal), which is the amount of energy required to raise the temperature of 1 kilogram of water by 1 degree Celsius.
2. Step 2: Clarify the relationship between 'calorie' (lowercase c) and 'Calorie' (uppercase C). A 'calorie' (lowercase c) is a much smaller unit of energy and is defined as the amount of energy required to raise the temperature of 1 gram of water by 1 degree Celsius. Therefore, 1 Calorie (uppercase C) = 1000 calories (lowercase c).
3. Step 3: Recognize that 'Kcal' (kilocalorie) is equivalent to a 'Calorie' (uppercase C). In nutritional contexts, these terms are used interchangeably to describe the same unit of energy.
4. Step 4: Note that the term 'calorie' (lowercase c) is not commonly used in nutrition because it represents a much smaller unit of energy. Instead, 'Calorie' (uppercase C) or 'Kcal' is used to describe the energy content of food.
5. Step 5: Summarize the relationships: 1 Kcal = 1 Calorie (uppercase C) = 1000 calories (lowercase c). This equivalence is important for understanding food energy labeling and dietary energy requirements.