Tablespoons to Grams Conversion Calculator

Enter the volume in tablespoons below to calculate the weight in grams.

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1 tbsp = 14.786764782056 g

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How to Convert Tablespoons to Grams

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Since tablespoons are a unit of volume and grams 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 tablespoons and grams of an ingredient or substance, we must either multiply or divide by its density, depending on which direction we are performing the conversion.

Tablespoons to Grams Formula

To convert a measurement in tablespoons to grams, multiply the volume by the density of the ingredient or material. Note that in order for this to work, the density must be in grams per tablespoon (g/tbsp).

If the density is given in grams per milliliter (g/mL), then first multiply the density by 14.7868 to convert to g/tbsp.

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

grams = tablespoons × 14.7868 × density

Thus, the weight in grams is equal to the volume in tablespoons multiplied by 14.7868 times the density (in g/mL) of the ingredient, substance, or material.

For example, here's how to convert 5 tablespoons to grams for an ingredient with a density of 0.7 g/mL.
grams = 5 tbsp × 14.7868 × 0.7 g/mL = 51.7537 g

When to Convert Tablespoons to Grams

Tablespoons and grams 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.

For cooking and baking ingredients, you can get more specific results using our butter, flour, and sugar conversion calculators.

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 Grams Are in a Tablespoon?

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

Tablespoon measurements converted to grams for commonly used cooking and baking ingredients.
Volume in Tablespoons: Weight in Grams of:
Water Milk Cooking Oil All Purpose Flour Granulated Sugar
1/8 tbsp 1.8483 g 1.9038 g 1.6265 g 0.977775 g 1.5625 g
1/4 tbsp 3.6967 g 3.8076 g 3.2531 g 1.9556 g 3.125 g
1/3 tbsp 4.9289 g 5.0768 g 4.3375 g 2.6074 g 4.1667 g
1/2 tbsp 7.3934 g 7.6152 g 6.5062 g 3.9111 g 6.25 g
2/3 tbsp 9.8578 g 10.15 g 8.6749 g 5.2148 g 8.3333 g
3/4 tbsp 11.09 g 11.42 g 9.7593 g 5.8666 g 9.375 g
1 tbsp 14.79 g 15.23 g 13.01 g 7.8222 g 12.5 g

What Is a Tablespoon?

A tablespoon is a unit of volume equal to three teaspoons or ½ fluid ounce.[3] One tablespoon is equal to 14.7868 milliliters, but for nutrition labeling, one tablespoon is rounded to 15 milliliters.[4]

The tablespoon is a US customary unit of volume. Tablespoons can be abbreviated as tbsp, and are also sometimes abbreviated as T, Tbls, or Tb. For example, 1 tablespoon can be written as 1 tbsp, 1 T, 1 Tbls, or 1 Tb.

Learn more about tablespoons.

What Is a Gram?

A gram is a unit of mass equal to 1/1,000 of a kilogram or 0.035274 ounces, and is equivalent to the mass of one cubic centimeter, or one milliliter, of water.

The gram, or gramme, is an SI unit of mass in the metric system. Grams can be abbreviated as g; for example, 1 gram can be written as 1 g.

A gram is also frequently referred to as a unit of weight. While technically, a gram 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 gram weighs 1 gram on Earth, but only weighs one-sixth of that on the moon, yet still has the same mass.

Learn more about grams.

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. Merriam-Webster, tablespoon, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/tablespoon
  4. 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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