Cups to Milligrams Conversion Calculator

Enter the volume in cups below to calculate the weight in milligrams.

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Result in Milligrams:

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1 c = 236,588.23648491 mg
236.588236 g

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How to Convert Cups to Milligrams

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Since cups are a unit of volume and milligrams are a unit of mass, which are different physical quantities, we need to know one more physical quantity of the ingredient or substance to convert between them. In this case, we need to account for the density of the substance whenever we do a conversion.

Therefore, to convert between cups and milligrams of an ingredient or substance, we must either multiply or divide by its density, depending on which direction we are performing the conversion.

Cups to Milligrams Formula

To convert a measurement in cups to milligrams, multiply the volume by the density of the ingredient or material. Note that in order for this to work, the density must be in milligrams per cup (mg/c).

If the density is given in grams per milliliter (g/mL), then first multiply the density by 236,588.236 to convert to mg/c.

For a density given in g/mL, you can use this simple formula to convert:

milligrams = cups × 236,588.236 × density

Thus, the weight in milligrams is equal to the volume in cups multiplied by 236,588.236 times the density (in g/mL) of the ingredient, substance, or material.

For example, here's how to convert 5 cups to milligrams for an ingredient with a density of 0.7 g/mL.
milligrams = 5 c × 236,588.236 × 0.7 g/mL = 828,058.828 mg

When to Convert Cups to Milligrams

Cups and milligrams are both commonly used to measure cooking ingredients.

For cooking applications, most chefs suggest measuring dry ingredients by weight rather than volume to improve accuracy in the measurements.[1] The density of dry ingredients can vary for a variety of reasons, such as compaction and clumping.

The best way to ensure an accurate conversion is to use a scale. When a scale is not available, a calculator like the one above is a good way to estimate the volume to weight conversion.

Another useful application of weight and volume conversions is chemistry. When performing chemical reactions by combining separate chemicals to produce a new chemical, one must know the exact amount of each chemical to add in order to maximize the yield of the reaction.

It is common to mix powdered chemicals with liquid, or aqueous, chemicals, and this is where it becomes very useful to convert between weights and volumes.[2]

Keep reading to learn more about each unit of measure.

How Many Milligrams Are in a Cup?

The actual weight of a cup will vary depending on the density of the material. The table below shows how many milligrams of various wet and dry ingredients are in a cup.

Cup measurements converted to milligrams for commonly used cooking and baking ingredients.
Volume in Cups: Weight in Milligrams of:
Water Milk Cooking Oil All Purpose Flour Granulated Sugar
1/8 c 29,574 mg 30,461 mg 26,025 mg 15,644 mg 25,000 mg
1/4 c 59,147 mg 60,921 mg 52,049 mg 31,289 mg 50,000 mg
1/3 c 78,863 mg 81,229 mg 69,399 mg 41,718 mg 66,667 mg
1/2 c 118,294 mg 121,843 mg 104,099 mg 62,578 mg 100,000 mg
2/3 c 157,725 mg 162,457 mg 138,798 mg 83,437 mg 133,333 mg
3/4 c 177,441 mg 182,764 mg 156,148 mg 93,866 mg 150,000 mg
1 c 236,588 mg 243,686 mg 208,198 mg 125,155 mg 200,000 mg

What Is a Cup?

The cup is a unit of volume equal to 16 tablespoons or 8 fluid ounces. The cup should not be confused with the metric cup or the teacup, which are different units of volume.

One standard cup is equal to 236.588 milliliters, but for nutrition labeling, one cup is defined as 240 milliliters.[3] To further confuse things, a metric cup is equal to 250 mL, while in Japan, a cup is equivalent to only 200 mL.

The cup is a US customary unit of volume. Cups can be abbreviated as c, and are also sometimes abbreviated as C. For example, 1 cup can be written as 1 c or 1 C.

Learn more about cups.

What Is a Milligram?

The milligram is a unit of mass equal to 1/1,000 of a gram, or 0.0154 grains.

The milligram, or milligramme, is an SI unit of mass in the metric system. In the metric system, "milli" is the prefix for thousandths, or 10-3. Milligrams can be abbreviated as mg; for example, 1 milligram can be written as 1 mg.

A milligram is also frequently referred to as a unit of weight. While technically, a milligram is a measure of mass, and weight is actually a measure of force, the two are equivalent as long as we are performing our calculations on Earth.

For example, an object with a mass of 1 milligram weighs 1 milligram on Earth, but only weighs one-sixth of that on the moon, yet still has the same mass.

Learn more about milligrams.

References

  1. National Institute of Standards & Technology, Culinary Measurement Tips, https://www.nist.gov/pml/owm/culinary-measurement-tips
  2. CK-12 Foundation, Introductory Chemistry (CK-12) - 12.6: Mass-Volume Stoichiometry, https://chem.libretexts.org/Bookshelves/Introductory_Chemistry/Introductory_Chemistry_(CK-12)/12%3A_Stoichiometry/12.06%3A_Mass-Volume_Stoichiometry
  3. U.S. Food & Drug Administration, Guidance for Industry: Guidelines for Determining Metric Equivalents of Household Measures, https://www.fda.gov/regulatory-information/search-fda-guidance-documents/guidance-industry-guidelines-determining-metric-equivalents-household-measures

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