Grams to Teaspoons Converter
Enter a weight in grams and pick your ingredient to get the exact number of teaspoons. The result changes instantly because every ingredient has a different density - a gram of table salt takes up far less space than a gram of flour. Choose US (4.93 mL), metric (5 mL), or imperial (5.92 mL) teaspoons, and flip to reverse mode to convert teaspoons back to grams.
Why grams and teaspoons are not the same thing
Grams measure mass - how much matter an ingredient contains. Teaspoons measure volume - how much space it takes up. The two are linked by density: dense ingredients like salt and honey need fewer teaspoons to reach the same gram count as light, airy ones like flour or powdered sugar. A single teaspoon of table salt weighs about 6 grams, while a teaspoon of cake flour weighs just over 2 grams. This is why you cannot use a fixed conversion factor for all ingredients, and why this calculator asks you to choose the ingredient before calculating.
US, metric, and imperial teaspoons - what is the difference?
A US teaspoon holds exactly 4.92892 mL (one-sixth of a US fluid ounce). A metric teaspoon holds exactly 5 mL, making it slightly larger. An imperial teaspoon, still used in some older British recipes, holds 5.91939 mL, making it about 20% larger than a US teaspoon. For most everyday cooking the difference is small, but in baking - where salt, baking powder, and baking soda must be measured precisely - switching between standards can noticeably change a recipe. If your recipe does not specify, assume US teaspoons for American sources and metric teaspoons for most modern international sources.
How the conversion formula works
The formula has two steps. First, convert grams to millilitres by dividing the weight by the ingredient density: volume (mL) = weight (g) / density (g/mL). Second, convert millilitres to teaspoons by dividing by the teaspoon volume: teaspoons = volume (mL) / teaspoon size (mL). For example, 10 grams of granulated sugar (density 0.85 g/mL) gives 10 / 0.85 = 11.76 mL, then 11.76 / 4.929 = 2.39 US teaspoons. To go in reverse, multiply teaspoons by the teaspoon volume to get mL, then multiply by density to get grams.
Tips for accurate measuring in the kitchen
For baking, a digital kitchen scale is always more accurate than volume measures. Flour in particular varies widely: sifted flour can weigh 30% less per teaspoon than flour scooped directly from a bag and packed. If you must use teaspoon measures, spoon the ingredient gently into the measuring spoon and level it off with a straight edge. For liquids, the US and metric teaspoon are close enough that the difference is negligible in most recipes. For sticky ingredients like honey or maple syrup, lightly coat the spoon with cooking spray so the full amount slides out cleanly.
Common ingredient conversions (US teaspoons)
| Ingredient | Density (g/mL) | tsp per gram | grams per tsp |
|---|---|---|---|
| Water | 1.000 | 0.20 | 4.93 |
| Table salt | 1.217 | 0.17 | 5.99 |
| White (granulated) sugar | 0.850 | 0.24 | 4.19 |
| Brown sugar (packed) | 0.720 | 0.28 | 3.55 |
| Powdered / icing sugar | 0.560 | 0.36 | 2.76 |
| All-purpose flour | 0.529 | 0.38 | 2.61 |
| Cake flour | 0.450 | 0.45 | 2.22 |
| Cocoa powder | 0.520 | 0.39 | 2.56 |
| Baking powder | 0.900 | 0.23 | 4.43 |
| Baking soda | 1.150 | 0.18 | 5.67 |
| Butter (melted) | 0.911 | 0.22 | 4.49 |
| Vegetable oil | 0.920 | 0.22 | 4.54 |
| Honey | 1.420 | 0.14 | 7.00 |
| Maple syrup | 1.320 | 0.15 | 6.51 |
| Cornstarch | 0.600 | 0.34 | 2.96 |
| Active dry yeast | 0.633 | 0.32 | 3.12 |
| Ground cinnamon | 0.560 | 0.36 | 2.76 |
How many US teaspoons equal one gram for common cooking and baking ingredients. Values are rounded to 2 decimal places.
Frequently asked questions
How many teaspoons is 1 gram of sugar?
One gram of granulated white sugar equals approximately 0.24 US teaspoons (about 1/4 teaspoon). This is because white sugar has a density of about 0.85 g/mL. Brown sugar is less dense when loosely packed but similar when firmly packed, while powdered sugar is significantly lighter at around 0.56 g/mL.
How many teaspoons is 1 gram of salt?
One gram of table salt equals approximately 0.17 US teaspoons. Salt is much denser than most cooking ingredients at about 1.217 g/mL, so you need very few teaspoons to reach even small gram amounts. A full US teaspoon of table salt weighs about 6 grams.
How many teaspoons is 5 grams of flour?
Five grams of all-purpose flour equals approximately 1.92 US teaspoons - just under 2 teaspoons. Flour is quite light and airy at around 0.529 g/mL. The exact amount depends on whether the flour is sifted or packed, which can change the effective density by 20-30%.
Can I use this calculator for spices?
Yes, for common ground spices like cinnamon and garlic powder this calculator provides a solid estimate. Ground spices tend to have densities between 0.50 and 0.65 g/mL. If your specific spice is not in the list, you can use the garlic powder or ground cinnamon preset as a close approximation for most dry ground spices, or enter a custom density if you know it.
Is a teaspoon the same as a metric teaspoon?
A US teaspoon is 4.92892 mL, while a metric teaspoon is exactly 5 mL - a difference of less than 1.5%. For most everyday cooking this is negligible. In precise baking (measuring small amounts of baking powder or salt) the 1.5% difference is still minor. The imperial teaspoon used in some old British recipes is notably larger at 5.92 mL, so that distinction matters more.
Why does the density of an ingredient matter for this conversion?
Teaspoons measure volume, and grams measure mass. The link between them is density (mass per unit volume). A denser ingredient packs more grams into the same teaspoon. Table salt (density 1.217 g/mL) weighs about twice as much per teaspoon as all-purpose flour (density 0.529 g/mL). Using a single universal conversion factor for all ingredients would give large errors for anything that is not water.
How do I convert teaspoons back to grams?
Switch the calculator to "Teaspoons to grams" mode and enter the number of teaspoons. The formula is: grams = teaspoons x teaspoon volume (mL) x density (g/mL). For example, 2 US teaspoons of honey: 2 x 4.929 mL x 1.42 g/mL = 14.0 grams.