Learning how much 1 cup of sugar weighs in grams is another proof of why you should always use a scale in the kitchen instead of measuring cups.
If you look around the internet, there is a general agreement that 1 cup of white sugar weighs 200 grams. But it turns out it doesn’t.
We conducted an experiment following our measurement guidelines to determine the exact cups-to-grams ratio of table sugar. Although we got different numbers in different measurements, further emphasizing how unreliable using measuring cups is, the most shocking fact was that the actual weight of 1 cup of sugar was much more than expected.
1 US cup of granulated sugar weighs 209 grams. And that’s a 5% difference from the number that you find on other websites.
Just to clarify a few things. Yes, we zeroed the scale with the measuring cup, weighing only the sugar. We leveled off the sugar with the straight back of a knife. A regular, 240 ml US cup was used for measuring. We made five different measurements, so the 209 grams for 1 cup of sugar is an average.
Sugar Conversion Tables And Formulas
Sugar is also called white sugar, granulated sugar, table sugar, refined sugar. All names refer to the same ingredient, so conversion rates shown below are valid for each of these.
Most Common Conversions for Sugar
- 1 teaspoon of sugar: 4 grams.
- 1 tablespoon of sugar: 13 grams.
- 1 US cup of sugar: 209 grams.
- 1 UK cup of sugar: 218 grams.
Sugar US Cups to Grams and Ounces
| US Cups of sugar (white sugar, granulated sugar, table sugar, refined sugar) | Amount in grams (g) | Amount in ounces (oz) |
|---|---|---|
| 1/8 cup | 26 g | 0.92 oz |
| 1/4 cup | 52 g | 1.85 oz |
| 1/3 cup | 70 g | 2.46 oz |
| 3/8 cup | 78 g | 2.77 oz |
| 1/2 cup | 105 g | 3.69 oz |
| 5/8 cup | 131 g | 4.61 oz |
| 2/3 cup | 140 g | 4.92 oz |
| 3/4 cup | 157 g | 5.54 oz |
| 7/8 cup | 183 g | 6.46 oz |
| 1 cup | 209 g | 7.38 oz |
| 2 cups | 419 g | 14.76 oz |
| 3 cups | 628 g | 22.15 oz |
| 4 cups | 837 g | 29.53 oz |
| 5 cups | 1046 g | 36.91 oz |
| 6 cups | 1256 g | 44.29 oz |
| 7 cups | 1465 g | 51.67 oz |
| 8 cups | 1674 g | 59.06 oz |
| 9 cups | 1884 g | 66.44 oz |
| 10 cups | 2093 g | 73.82 oz |
Sugar UK Cups to Grams and Ounces
| UK Cups of sugar (white sugar, granulated sugar, table sugar, refined sugar) | Amount in grams (g) | Amount in ounces (oz) |
|---|---|---|
| 1/8 cup | 27 g | 0.96 oz |
| 1/4 cup | 55 g | 1.92 oz |
| 1/3 cup | 73 g | 2.56 oz |
| 3/8 cup | 82 g | 2.88 oz |
| 1/2 cup | 109 g | 3.84 oz |
| 5/8 cup | 136 g | 4.81 oz |
| 2/3 cup | 145 g | 5.13 oz |
| 3/4 cup | 164 g | 5.77 oz |
| 7/8 cup | 191 g | 6.73 oz |
| 1 cup | 218 g | 7.69 oz |
| 2 cups | 436 g | 15.38 oz |
| 3 cups | 654 g | 23.07 oz |
| 4 cups | 872 g | 30.76 oz |
| 5 cups | 1090 g | 38.45 oz |
| 6 cups | 1308 g | 46.14 oz |
| 7 cups | 1526 g | 53.83 oz |
| 8 cups | 1744 g | 61.52 oz |
| 9 cups | 1962 g | 69.21 oz |
| 10 cups | 2180 g | 76.9 oz |
Sugar Tablespoons to Grams and Ounces
| Tbsp of sugar (white sugar, granulated sugar, table sugar, refined sugar) | Amount in grams (g) | Amount in ounces (oz) |
|---|---|---|
| 1/4 tbsp | 3 g | 0.12 oz |
| 1/3 tbsp | 4 g | 0.15 oz |
| 1/2 tbsp | 7 g | 0.23 oz |
| 1 tbsp | 13 g | 0.46 oz |
| 2 tbsp | 26 g | 0.92 oz |
| 3 tbsp | 39 g | 1.38 oz |
| 4 tbsp | 52 g | 1.85 oz |
| 5 tbsp | 65 g | 2.31 oz |
| 6 tbsp | 78 g | 2.77 oz |
| 7 tbsp | 92 g | 3.23 oz |
| 8 tbsp | 105 g | 3.69 oz |
| 9 tbsp | 118 g | 4.15 oz |
| 10 tbsp | 131 g | 4.61 oz |
Sugar Teaspoons to Grams and Ounces
| Tsp of sugar (white sugar, granulated sugar, table sugar, refined sugar) | Amount in grams (g) | Amount in ounces (oz) |
|---|---|---|
| 1 tsp | 4 g | 0.15 oz |
| 2 tsp | 9 g | 0.31 oz |
| 3 tsp | 13 g | 0.46 oz |
| 4 tsp | 17 g | 0.62 oz |
| 5 tsp | 22 g | 0.77 oz |
| 6 tsp | 26 g | 0.92 oz |
| 7 tsp | 31 g | 1.08 oz |
| 8 tsp | 35 g | 1.23 oz |
| 9 tsp | 39 g | 1.38 oz |
| 10 tsp | 44 g | 1.54 oz |
Metric vs. Imperial Conversions
When working with sugar in the kitchen, it's essential to be adept at converting between the metric and imperial systems of measurement. This skill ensures accuracy in following recipes from different culinary traditions around the world.
The metric system, commonly used around the world, measures sugar primarily in grams and kilograms. This system is favored for its simplicity and ease of scaling.
Predominantly used in the United States, the imperial system measures sugar in tablespoons and teaspoons. While not as straightforward as scaling, it is deeply integrated into many traditional American recipes.
Common Measurement Units for Sugar
Sugar can be measured by either volume or weight. Powdery ingredients, such as sugar, are best measured by weight (grams or kg), becase measuring them by volume is pretty unreliable.
Most typical volume measurements for sugar are:
- Teaspoons (tsp)
- Tablespoons (tbsp)
- Cups
Most typical weight measurements for sugar are:
- Ounces (oz)
- Grams (g)
- Kilograms (kg)
- Pounds (lbs)
How We Measure Sugar?
To make sure that our conversion rates are correct, we don't just copy data from other websites. We actually take at least 5 different measurements of 1 cup of sugar and use the average for calculations and conversion tables. Read more on our measurement methodology by clicking on this link.
