Grams to tablespoons: USDA spoon weights
Divide grams by the ingredient's weight per tablespoon. 50 g of flour is 6.4 tablespoons.
Tablespoons of flour
50 g at 7.81 g per tbsp = 6.40 tbsp
Measure 6 tbsp plus 1 1/4 tsp
7.81 g per tablespoon, from USDA FoodData Central. How we calculate this
Ingredient: All-purpose flour. Amount: 50 g. Tablespoon: US customary, 14.8 mL.
To convert grams to tablespoons, divide the grams by the weight of one tablespoon of that ingredient. USDA FoodData Central lists all-purpose flour at 125 g per US cup, and a US cup holds 16 tablespoons. So one tablespoon of flour weighs 125 / 16 = 7.8 g, and 50 g is 50 / 7.8125 = 6.40 tablespoons. Granulated sugar weighs 12.5 g per tablespoon, so the same 50 g is exactly 4 tablespoons.
Pick the ingredient, type the grams and choose your spoon. The US customary tablespoon of 14.8 mL is the default; the other option is the 15 mL spoon of metric recipes and US nutrition labels. The result shows tablespoons to two decimals and the spoons to measure them with, such as 6 tablespoons plus 1 1/4 teaspoons.
Quick answer: how do you convert grams to tablespoons?
Divide the grams by the weight of one tablespoon of the ingredient. A US tablespoon is 1/16 cup, so it holds the USDA cup weight divided by 16. That is 7.8 g of flour, 12.5 g of sugar, 14.2 g of butter or 18.3 g of table salt. So 50 g of flour is 6.4 tablespoons.
Key takeaways
- Tablespoons = grams / grams per tablespoon, and a US tablespoon of any ingredient weighs its USDA cup weight / 16.
- One US tablespoon holds 7.8 g of all-purpose flour, 12.5 g of granulated sugar, 14.2 g of butter and 14.8 g of water.
- No single grams-per-tablespoon figure works for every food: a tablespoon of table salt (18.3 g) weighs more than three times one of cocoa powder (5.4 g).
- The 15 mL spoon is 1.4 percent larger than the US tablespoon, so it holds a little more of everything.
Worked example: 50 grams of flour to tablespoons
Take 50 g of all-purpose flour. USDA FoodData Central lists 125 g per US cup, and a cup is 16 tablespoons, so one tablespoon weighs 125 / 16 = 7.8125 g. Then 50 / 7.8125 = 6.40 tablespoons.
Measuring spoons cannot hold 0.4 of a tablespoon, so the converter splits the count. A tablespoon is 3 teaspoons, so 0.4 tablespoon is 0.4 x 3 = 1.2 teaspoons, which rounds to 1 1/4 teaspoons. Measure 6 tablespoons plus 1 1/4 teaspoons.
Change the ingredient and the answer changes. 50 g of granulated sugar is exactly 4 tablespoons (50 / 12.5). 50 g of butter is 3.52 tablespoons (50 / 14.1875), and 10 g of table salt is 0.55 tablespoons, or 1 3/4 teaspoons.
Change the spoon and the count shifts a little. A 15 mL tablespoon of flour holds 125 x 15 / 236.588 = 7.93 g, so 50 g fills 6.31 of them.
How we calculate this
Formula
Tablespoons = grams / grams per tablespoon.
Grams per US tablespoon = 125 g per cup / 16 = 7.8125 g.
50 / 7.8125 = 6.40 tbsp, measured as 6 tbsp plus 1 1/4 tsp.
Your inputs
Ingredient: All-purpose flour, 125 g per US cup (USDA FoodData Central, fdcId 168894). Amount: 50 g. Tablespoon: US customary, 14.8 mL.
The converter divides the grams by the weight of one tablespoon of the ingredient. That weight comes from the USDA cup weight. A US tablespoon is 1/16 of the US cup, so grams per tablespoon = grams per cup / 16. For the 15 mL spoon, grams per tablespoon = grams per cup x 15 / 236.588. With the Units switch on US, the ounces become grams first, at 28.349523125 g per ounce.
Sources
- USDA FoodData Central, SR Legacy foods, "foodPortions" field, read through the API (read 8 October 2026). These are the same 109 cup weights as our grams to cups converter. The test record is fdcId 168894, "Wheat flour, white, all-purpose, enriched, bleached", portion "1 cup" = 125.0 g.
- NIST Special Publication 811, Appendix B.8 (read 8 October 2026). The US customary cup is 0.236 588 2 L and the tablespoon 0.014 786 76 L, so 16 tablespoons fill a cup. The teaspoon is 0.004 928 922 L, a third of a tablespoon.
- 21 CFR 101.9(b)(5)(viii), the FDA nutrition labeling rule, on the eCFR (read 8 October 2026). It sets the tablespoon at 15 mL and the teaspoon at 5 mL for labels.
Limits
Each USDA weight assumes the usual way of filling the measure, level and not packed, except packed brown sugar, which has its own entry. A heaped tablespoon holds more than a level one, so level each spoon with a straight edge. Our guide on how to measure flour without a scale shows the method. Baking powder, baking soda, yeast and cinnamon have no USDA cup portion, so their weights come from the USDA half teaspoon, teaspoon or tablespoon entry. The converter shows two decimals and rounds the teaspoon part to the nearest quarter teaspoon.
Video: How many Grams in One Tablespoon
Grams to tablespoons chart for flour, sugar, butter and salt
| Grams | All-purpose flour | Granulated sugar | Butter | Table salt |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 5 g | 0.64 tbsp (2 tsp) | 0.40 tbsp (1 1/4 tsp) | 0.35 tbsp (1 tsp) | 0.27 tbsp (3/4 tsp) |
| 10 g | 1.28 tbsp (1 tbsp plus 3/4 tsp) | 0.80 tbsp (2 1/2 tsp) | 0.70 tbsp (2 tsp) | 0.55 tbsp (1 3/4 tsp) |
| 15 g | 1.92 tbsp (1 tbsp plus 2 3/4 tsp) | 1.20 tbsp (1 tbsp plus 1/2 tsp) | 1.06 tbsp (1 tbsp plus 1/4 tsp) | 0.82 tbsp (2 1/2 tsp) |
| 20 g | 2.56 tbsp (2 tbsp plus 1 3/4 tsp) | 1.60 tbsp (1 tbsp plus 1 3/4 tsp) | 1.41 tbsp (1 tbsp plus 1 1/4 tsp) | 1.10 tbsp (1 tbsp plus 1/4 tsp) |
| 25 g | 3.20 tbsp (3 tbsp plus 1/2 tsp) | 2.00 tbsp (2 tbsp) | 1.76 tbsp (1 tbsp plus 2 1/4 tsp) | 1.37 tbsp (1 tbsp plus 1 tsp) |
| 30 g | 3.84 tbsp (3 tbsp plus 2 1/2 tsp) | 2.40 tbsp (2 tbsp plus 1 1/4 tsp) | 2.11 tbsp (2 tbsp plus 1/4 tsp) | 1.64 tbsp (1 tbsp plus 2 tsp) |
| 40 g | 5.12 tbsp (5 tbsp plus 1/4 tsp) | 3.20 tbsp (3 tbsp plus 1/2 tsp) | 2.82 tbsp (2 tbsp plus 2 1/2 tsp) | 2.19 tbsp (2 tbsp plus 1/2 tsp) |
| 50 g | 6.40 tbsp (6 tbsp plus 1 1/4 tsp) | 4.00 tbsp (4 tbsp) | 3.52 tbsp (3 tbsp plus 1 1/2 tsp) | 2.74 tbsp (2 tbsp plus 2 1/4 tsp) |
| 75 g | 9.60 tbsp (9 tbsp plus 1 3/4 tsp) | 6.00 tbsp (6 tbsp) | 5.29 tbsp (5 tbsp plus 3/4 tsp) | 4.11 tbsp (4 tbsp plus 1/4 tsp) |
| 100 g | 12.80 tbsp (12 tbsp plus 2 1/2 tsp) | 8.00 tbsp (8 tbsp) | 7.05 tbsp (7 tbsp plus 1/4 tsp) | 5.48 tbsp (5 tbsp plus 1 1/2 tsp) |
How many grams in a tablespoon
It depends on the ingredient, because a tablespoon measures volume and foods differ in how much they weigh for the same space. A US tablespoon of water weighs 14.8 g, but the same spoon holds 7.8 g of flour and 18.3 g of table salt.
| Ingredient | Grams per US tablespoon | Grams per 15 mL tablespoon | Grams per teaspoon | USDA portion as listed | fdcId |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| All-purpose flour | 7.8 | 7.9 | 2.6 | 1 cup | 168894 |
| Bread flour | 8.6 | 8.7 | 2.9 | 1 cup | 168896 |
| Whole wheat flour | 7.5 | 7.6 | 2.5 | 1 cup | 168893 |
| Cornstarch | 8.0 | 8.1 | 2.7 | 1 cup | 169698 |
| Granulated sugar | 12.5 | 12.7 | 4.2 | 1 cup | 169655 |
| Brown sugar, packed | 13.8 | 13.9 | 4.6 | 1 cup packed | 168833 |
| Powdered sugar | 7.5 | 7.6 | 2.5 | 1 cup unsifted | 169656 |
| Honey | 21.2 | 21.5 | 7.1 | 1 cup | 169640 |
| Butter, salted | 14.2 | 14.4 | 4.7 | 1 cup | 173410 |
| Olive oil | 13.5 | 13.7 | 4.5 | 1 cup | 171413 |
| Milk, whole | 15.3 | 15.5 | 5.1 | 1 cup | 171265 |
| Water | 14.8 | 15.0 | 4.9 | 1 serving 8 fl oz | 173647 |
| Peanut butter, smooth | 16.1 | 16.4 | 5.4 | 1 cup | 172470 |
| Cocoa powder, unsweetened | 5.4 | 5.5 | 1.8 | 1 cup | 169593 |
| Rolled oats | 5.1 | 5.1 | 1.7 | 1 cup | 173904 |
| Table salt | 18.3 | 18.5 | 6.1 | 1 cup | 173468 |
| Baking powder | 13.8 | 14.0 | 4.6 | 0.5 tsp | 172803 |
| Baking soda | 13.8 | 14.0 | 4.6 | 0.5 tsp | 175040 |
| Active dry yeast | 12.0 | 12.2 | 4.0 | 1 tbsp | 175043 |
| Ground cinnamon | 7.8 | 7.9 | 2.6 | 1 tbsp | 171320 |
| Vanilla extract | 13.0 | 13.2 | 4.3 | 1 cup | 173471 |
| White rice, long grain, raw | 11.6 | 11.7 | 3.9 | 1 cup | 169756 |
| Parmesan, grated | 6.3 | 6.3 | 2.1 | 1 cup | 171247 |
| Yogurt, plain whole milk | 15.3 | 15.5 | 5.1 | 1 cup (8 fl oz) | 171284 |
How many grams is a tablespoon of butter?
14.2 g. USDA lists butter at 227 g per US cup, and 227 / 16 = 14.19 g. A stick marked 1/2 cup weighs about 113 g, which is 113 / 14.1875 = 7.96, so 8 tablespoons. For 100 g of butter, measure 7 tablespoons plus 1/4 teaspoon.
How many grams of sugar in a tablespoon?
Granulated sugar is 12.5 g per US tablespoon, from the USDA weight of 200 g per cup. Packed brown sugar is heavier at 13.8 g, because the USDA entry is for a packed cup of 220 g. Powdered sugar is lighter at 7.5 g, since its 120 g cup is unsifted and full of air. So 25 g of granulated sugar is 2 tablespoons, while 25 g of powdered sugar is 3.33.
Salt, baking powder and yeast in teaspoons
Small amounts read better in teaspoons. A teaspoon of table salt weighs 6.1 g, baking powder and baking soda 4.6 g, active dry yeast 4.0 g and ground cinnamon 2.6 g. So 5 g of baking powder is 1.09 teaspoons, or about 1 teaspoon, and 10 g of salt is 1 3/4 teaspoons. These weights are for table salt; our USDA list holds no coarse or flaked salt.
Is a tablespoon 15 grams?
Only for water and foods that weigh about the same as water. A US tablespoon of water weighs 14.8 g, and a 15 mL spoon of water weighs 15.0 g, which is where the shortcut comes from. It fails for most dry ingredients. A tablespoon of flour weighs 7.8 g, so treating it as 15 g would put in almost twice as much flour as the recipe means. Use the ingredient's own weight from the table above.
US tablespoon or 15 mL tablespoon
US recipes use the customary tablespoon, 1/16 of a cup, which NIST lists at 14.787 mL. Metric recipes and US nutrition labels use a 15 mL spoon, which is 1.4 percent larger. For one or two spoons you cannot measure the difference in a kitchen. It adds up over many spoons: 50 g of flour is 6.40 US tablespoons but 6.31 of the 15 mL kind. For the full spoon-to-cup math, see how many tablespoons in a cup.
Tablespoons to grams
Run the same math backward: multiply the tablespoons by the grams per tablespoon. 3 tablespoons of granulated sugar is 3 x 12.5 = 37.5 g, and 2 tablespoons of butter is 2 x 14.1875 = 28.4 g. For whole cups, the grams to cups converter and our ounces in a cup page cover the larger amounts.
Frequently asked questions
How many tablespoons is 100 grams of flour? 12.80 US tablespoons of all-purpose flour, which you can measure as 12 tablespoons plus 2 1/2 teaspoons.
How many tablespoons is 100 grams of sugar? Exactly 8 US tablespoons of granulated sugar, which is half a cup.
How many tablespoons is 100 grams of butter? 7.05 US tablespoons, just over 7. Measure 7 tablespoons plus 1/4 teaspoon.
How many grams is 1 tablespoon of honey? 21.2 g for a US tablespoon, from the USDA weight of 339 g per cup. A 15 mL spoon holds 21.5 g.
How many grams in a teaspoon? It depends on the ingredient. A teaspoon holds 2.6 g of all-purpose flour, 4.2 g of granulated sugar, 4.7 g of butter and 6.1 g of table salt.
How many tablespoons is 30 grams? 3.84 tablespoons of all-purpose flour, 2.40 of granulated sugar or 2.11 of butter.
Conclusion
Grams to tablespoons is one division by the ingredient's weight per tablespoon, and the converter holds that weight for all 109 USDA ingredients. Level each spoon, and use the teaspoon line for the part a tablespoon cannot hold. For recipes to measure out, browse the TheSawad cookbooks.