kJ and kcal: two units you should not add together
A food label shows two numbers on its energy line. They are not two separate contributions to add together. Check the unit before calculating servings.
Two ways of expressing energy
Kilojoules (kJ) and kilocalories (kcal) are energy units. Annex XV of the EU food information regulation presents them together on the energy line. They do not represent separate nutrients. Do not add the kJ number to the kcal number. The official reference is linked below.
Choose one unit for your worksheet
If your sheet uses kcal, copy the value labelled kcal; if it uses kJ, keep kJ throughout. Put the unit in the column heading. Mixing units makes a total wrong even when the arithmetic is correct. When both are provided, copy the one you need directly.
Check the reference basis too
Look for per 100 g, per 100 ml or per serving. Fictional example: 200 kcal per 100 g gives 200 × 30 ÷ 100 = 60 estimated kcal for 30 g. This is an ingredient calculation, not a recommended serving or a guide recipe. Do not apply a gram weight to a per-100-ml reference without suitable information.
Separate energy from macro grams
Keep separate columns for energy, protein, carbohydrate and fat. Grams cannot be added directly to kcal. Copy each value into its own column and apply the same quantity factor to values using the same reference basis.
Check before dividing into servings
For each ingredient, check energy unit, reference basis and actual amount used. Add contributions in one unit, then allocate to servings. Results remain estimates rather than exact measurements of each plate. Related articles explain per-100-g values and rounding. The Yumlean guide offers detailed recipes with estimated macros.