How many calories are in 1 mL of 20% IVFE?

• A. 1 calorie
• B. 2 calories
• C. 3 calories
• D. 4 calories

Answer: (B)

Fat provides about 9 kcal per gram. A 20% IVFE has 20 g of fat per 100 mL, so per milliliter there are 0.2 g of fat. Multiply 0.2 g by 9 kcal/g to get 1.8 kcal per mL, which is typically rounded to 2 kcal per mL. So 1 mL of 20% IVFE delivers about 2 calories.