Teaspoon to Grams Calculator — Salt, Sugar, Spices & More
A teaspoon is a fixed volume — about 5 mL — but its weight in grams changes dramatically depending on what's inside it. One teaspoon of fine table salt weighs 6 g, while the same spoon filled with dried oregano weighs only 1 g. That's a 6× difference from the same measuring tool. This converter uses real bulk-density values for 20 common kitchen ingredients sourced from USDA FoodData Central. Select your ingredient, enter the number of flat teaspoons, and get the gram equivalent instantly — no guesswork, no generic '1 tsp = 5 g' approximation that's only accurate for water. Useful when scaling recipes from US imperial (tsp, cups) to metric grams, when following a low-sodium diet with a salt-gram limit, or when a recipe asks for an unusual fraction of a teaspoon that's easier to weigh on a kitchen scale.
1 flat teaspoon of fine table salt = 6 g. White granulated sugar = 4 g/tsp. Baking soda = 4.8 g/tsp. Baking powder = 4 g/tsp. Dried oregano = 1 g/tsp. Ground cinnamon = 2.6 g/tsp. All-purpose flour = 3 g/tsp. The formula: grams = teaspoons × grams-per-teaspoon (ingredient-specific, NOT a flat 5 g).
When to use this calculator
- A bread recipe calls for 10 g of fine salt for 500 g of flour — the converter tells you that's exactly 1.67 teaspoons.
- A low-sodium diet with a 5 g/day salt limit: find out how many teaspoons of each salt type that represents.
- A US recipe says '2 tsp baking soda' — convert to 9.6 g for accurate scale measurement instead of trusting the spoon.
- Halving a cake recipe that calls for 1 tsp baking powder: you need 0.5 tsp = 2 g, easy to weigh without fractions.
Example: 2 tsp of baking soda
- Ingredient selected: Baking soda → 4.8 g per flat teaspoon (USDA FoodData Central density)
- Teaspoons entered: 2
- Calculation: 2 × 4.8 g/tsp = 9.6 g of baking soda
- Tablespoon equivalent: 2 tsp ÷ 3 = 0.67 tablespoons
How it works
2 min readHow many grams is a teaspoon? It depends on the ingredient
The most common mistake is assuming 1 tsp = 5 g for everything. That's only true if the density equals water (1 g/mL). Most kitchen ingredients are denser or lighter. The correct formula:
Grams = teaspoons × grams-per-teaspoon (ingredient-specific)One flat teaspoon = 5 mL of volume (metric and US culinary standard). The gram value depends on the bulk density of the specific ingredient.
Teaspoon to grams conversion table (flat/leveled tsp = 5 mL)
| Ingredient | 1 tsp (g) | 1 tbsp = 3 tsp (g) | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Fine table salt | 6.0 | 18.0 | Small crystals, highest density |
| Coarse / sea salt | 4.5 | 13.5 | Large crystals, more air gaps |
| Flake salt (Maldon) | 2.8 | 8.4 | Voluminous thin flakes |
| White granulated sugar | 4.0 | 12.0 | Standard reference |
| Powdered / icing sugar | 3.0 | 9.0 | Finer, traps more air |
| Brown sugar | 4.5 | 13.5 | Moist, more compact |
| All-purpose flour | 3.0 | 9.0 | Unsifted, unpacked |
| Baking soda | 4.8 | 14.4 | Very fine, packs well |
| Baking powder | 4.0 | 12.0 | Baking soda + cream of tartar |
| Active dry yeast | 3.0 | 9.0 | Medium granules |
| Ground black pepper | 2.0 | 6.0 | Medium grind |
| Ground cinnamon | 2.6 | 7.8 | |
| Dried oregano | 1.0 | 3.0 | Leaf form, very light |
| Ground coffee | 2.0 | 6.0 | Medium grind |
| Cocoa powder | 2.6 | 7.8 | Unsweetened |
| Cornstarch | 2.5 | 7.5 | |
| Ground turmeric | 3.0 | 9.0 | |
| Ground cumin | 2.5 | 7.5 | |
| Paprika | 2.5 | 7.5 | |
| Chili flakes | 2.0 | 6.0 |
Quick reference: most-searched conversions
Common mistakes to avoid
Frequently asked questions
How many grams is 1 teaspoon of salt?
1 flat teaspoon of fine table salt = 6 g. This varies by type: coarse or sea salt = 4.5 g/tsp (larger crystals with more air gaps), and flake salt like Maldon = about 2.8 g/tsp (voluminous thin layers). Using coarse salt at the same teaspoon count as fine salt results in noticeably less salty bread — about 25% less sodium by weight.
How many grams is 1 teaspoon of sugar?
1 flat teaspoon of white granulated sugar = 4 g. Powdered / icing sugar = 3 g/tsp (finer, more air trapped). Brown sugar = 4.5 g/tsp (moist and more compact). In caloric terms, 1 tsp of white sugar = 16 kcal. The WHO recommends fewer than 25 g of free sugars per day for adults — that's just 6 flat teaspoons.
How many grams is 1 teaspoon of baking soda?
1 flat teaspoon of baking soda = 4.8 g. Baking powder = 4 g/tsp. These are not interchangeable: baking soda is approximately 3× more potent as a leavener. A recipe calling for '1 tsp baking soda' cannot be swapped for 1 tsp baking powder with the same result — the correct substitution is 1 tsp baking soda = 3 tsp baking powder.
How many grams is half a teaspoon (½ tsp) of common ingredients?
Half a teaspoon equals: salt (fine) = 3 g, sugar = 2 g, baking soda = 2.4 g, baking powder = 2 g, cinnamon = 1.3 g, black pepper = 1 g, oregano = 0.5 g, flour = 1.5 g. For precision baking with leaveners, it's easier to weigh these amounts on a kitchen scale than to measure ½ tsp accurately.
Why do spices like oregano weigh so little per teaspoon?
Dried spices have a very low bulk density — most of the teaspoon volume is air between particles or leaf fragments. Dried oregano weighs only 1 g/tsp, ground cinnamon 2.6 g/tsp, ground black pepper 2 g/tsp. Compare that to salt (6 g/tsp) or sugar (4 g/tsp). The active flavor compounds in spices are concentrated, so even 1 g of oregano packs significant flavor.
What is 1 tablespoon in grams for common ingredients?
1 tablespoon = 3 teaspoons = 15 mL. So: fine salt = 18 g/tbsp, white sugar = 12 g/tbsp, all-purpose flour = 9 g/tbsp, baking soda = 14.4 g/tbsp, dried oregano = 3 g/tbsp, ground cinnamon = 7.8 g/tbsp. For liquids: olive oil ≈ 13.6 g/tbsp (density ~0.91 g/mL), honey ≈ 21 g/tbsp (density ~1.4 g/mL).
Flat vs heaped teaspoon — how much does it matter?
Flat (leveled) teaspoon: pass the straight edge of a knife across the top. This is the standard in all written recipes unless otherwise specified. Heaped teaspoon: a mound on top, weighing 1.5–2× more. For salt: flat = 6 g, heaped ≈ 9–10 g. For sugar: flat = 4 g, heaped ≈ 6–7 g. In baking, using a heaped teaspoon of baking powder instead of flat can cause a cake to over-rise and then collapse.
Is the generic '1 tsp = 5 g' conversion accurate?
No — it's only accurate for water (density 1 g/mL). Most kitchen ingredients are denser or lighter: salt = 6 g/tsp, sugar = 4 g/tsp, baking soda = 4.8 g/tsp, oregano = 1 g/tsp. Using 5 g as a universal estimate creates errors of 16–500% depending on the ingredient. Always use ingredient-specific densities for baking.
What's the difference between US teaspoon and UK teaspoon in grams?
US teaspoon: 4.93 mL — less than 2% difference from 5 mL, negligible for cooking. UK teaspoon: 5.9 mL — 18% larger than the metric teaspoon. For potent leaveners: 1 UK tsp of baking soda = about 7.1 g vs 4.8 g for the US/metric version. Always check which system a recipe originates from.
How accurate is this teaspoon to grams calculator?
The densities used are standard reference values from USDA FoodData Central, accurate within ±5–10% for typical home kitchen conditions. Real variation comes from: how tightly the ingredient is packed, humidity (moist brown sugar is denser), grind size (coarse vs fine pepper), and whether the spoon is leveled. For critical baking ratios, a kitchen scale is always more reliable than volume measures.
Can I use this for measuring liquid ingredients?
This converter is designed for dry/powdered ingredients. For liquids, 1 tsp = 5 mL by definition, and then multiply by the liquid's density: water = 1 g/mL (5 g/tsp), olive oil ≈ 0.91 g/mL (4.5 g/tsp), honey ≈ 1.4 g/mL (7 g/tsp). Liquids generally measure well in teaspoons without density correction, since they self-level in the spoon.