Tier 1 source11 answers cite this
USDA FoodData Central
One teaspoon of table salt weighs 6 g — but the same teaspoon of Diamond Crystal kosher salt weighs 3 g, and of Morton kosher salt 5 g. That two-fold spread at identical volume is why teaspoon-to-gram conversion is ingredient-specific and brand-specific. The full chart is below.
USDA FoodData Central is a tier 1 source on AskedWell, cited in 11 cooking, fermentation, and baking answers. Those answers are listed under the table.
Teaspoon-to-gram conversion table
A US teaspoon is 5 mL of volume everywhere — the US, the UK, Australia and metric recipes all agree. What that volume weighs depends entirely on what is in the spoon. Measured, leveled, not heaped.
| Ingredient | 1 tsp in grams | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Salt — where brand matters most | ||
| Table salt (fine) | 6 g | Densest of the common salts — fine, regular crystals |
| Kosher salt — Diamond Crystal | 3 g | Hollow, light crystals. Half the weight of table salt |
| Kosher salt — Morton | 5 g | Flat, denser crystals. Not interchangeable with Diamond Crystal |
| Sea salt (fine) | 6 g | — |
| Sea salt (coarse) | 4–5 g | Depends on the grind |
| Pink Himalayan salt (fine) | 6 g | — |
| Leaveners — where precision matters most | ||
| Baking powder | 4 g | Some references say 4.6 g; close enough at this scale |
| Baking soda | 4.6 g | — |
| Active dry yeast | 3 g | — |
| Instant yeast | 3 g | — |
| Cream of tartar | 3 g | — |
| Liquids | ||
| Water | 5 g | The reference point: 1 tsp = 5 mL = 5 g |
| Whole milk | 5 g | — |
| Heavy cream | 5 g | — |
| Olive oil | 4.5 g | — |
| Vegetable oil | 4.5 g | — |
| Honey | 7 g | Denser than water |
| Maple syrup | 6.7 g | — |
| Vanilla extract | 4 g | — |
| Sugars | ||
| Granulated white sugar | 4 g | — |
| Brown sugar (firmly packed) | 4.5 g | — |
| Powdered sugar | 2.5 g | — |
| Caster sugar | 4 g | — |
| Flours and powders (spooned and leveled) | ||
| All-purpose flour | 2.5 g | — |
| Bread flour | 2.5–3 g | — |
| Cake flour | 2.3 g | — |
| Whole wheat flour | 2.7 g | — |
| Almond flour | 2 g | — |
| Cocoa powder | 2 g | — |
| Cornstarch | 2.5 g | — |
| Ground spices | ||
| Black pepper (ground) | 2 g | — |
| Cinnamon (ground) | 2.7 g | — |
| Cumin (ground) | 2 g | — |
| Paprika | 2.2 g | — |
| Garlic powder | 3 g | — |
| Onion powder | 2.3 g | — |
| Turmeric | 3 g | — |
| Dried oregano | 1 g | — |
Every figure above is the same number AskedWell publishes in its teaspoon-to-gram answer, which cites USDA FoodData Central — the US Department of Agriculture’s food composition database — alongside NIST mass standards and the King Arthur Baking ingredient weight chart. Nothing here is estimated or converted from another unit. One tablespoon is three teaspoons; the tablespoon chart is kept separately because its figures are rounded to the tablespoon.
Every answer citing this source
Each card below shows the question, the direct answer, and the note explaining WHY this source was cited in that specific context.
how to convert… · baking
How do I convert cups to grams?
Cups-to-grams conversion depends entirely on the ingredient — there's no universal rate. Water/milk: 1 cup = 240g. All-purpose flour: 1 cup = 120-125g. Granulated sugar: 1 cup = 200g. Brown sugar (packed): 1 cup = 220g. Butter: 1 cup = 227g. Always check ingredient-specific charts.
Why we cite it here: Official US food composition database with weights
how to convert… · baking
How do I convert ounces to grams?
1 ounce (oz) = 28.35 grams. Quick mental math: 1 oz ≈ 28g. Common: 1 lb = 16 oz = 453.6g. 1 fluid oz = ~29.6 mL = 30g (water). Weight oz and fluid oz are different — don't confuse them.
Why we cite it here: Official US food weight + measurement standards
how to convert… · baking
How do I convert tablespoons to grams?
Varies by ingredient. Water: 1 Tbsp = 15g. Butter: 14g. Sugar: 12g. Brown sugar (packed): 13g. Flour: 8g. Honey/syrup: 21g. Olive oil: 13.5g. 1 US Tablespoon = 15 mL = 3 teaspoons.
Why we cite it here: Official US food composition database with weights
how to convert… · baking
How do I convert teaspoons to grams?
Varies by ingredient. Water: 1 tsp = 5g. Table salt: 6g. Diamond Crystal kosher salt: 3g. Sugar: 4g. Flour: 2.5g. Baking soda: 4.6g. Baking powder: 4g. Vanilla extract: 4g. 1 US teaspoon = 5 mL volume.
Why we cite it here: Official US food composition database with weights
how to convert… · baking
How do I convert milliliters to cups?
US: 1 cup = 240 mL. Metric cup: 250 mL. Quick: 60 mL = 1/4 cup · 120 mL = 1/2 cup · 240 mL = 1 cup · 480 mL = 2 cups · 1 L = 4.2 cups. Use a scale for precision.
Why we cite it here: Official US food composition database with weights + volumes
what substitute for… · baking
What can I substitute for heavy cream?
For richness: 3/4 cup whole milk + 1/4 cup melted butter. For whipping: chilled coconut cream or 2/3 cup Greek yogurt + 1/3 cup milk. For cooking only (no whip): evaporated milk 1:1, half-and-half 1:1, or 3/4 cup milk + 1/4 cup butter.
Why we cite it here: Authoritative fat content (36.08g per 100g)
what substitute for… · baking
What can I substitute for cornstarch?
Best 1:1 sub: arrowroot OR potato starch. For thickening sauces: 2 tbsp flour per 1 tbsp cornstarch (less translucent). For gluten-free: tapioca starch 1:1. For baking: 2 tbsp flour OR 2 tbsp arrowroot per 1 tbsp cornstarch.
Why we cite it here: Composition + thickening properties of starches
what substitute for… · baking
What can I substitute for buttermilk?
Best DIY 1:1: 1 cup milk + 1 Tbsp lemon juice or white vinegar, rest 5-10 min until curdled. Other 1:1 subs: full-fat yogurt thinned with milk (3/4 + 1/4), kefir straight. Vegan: 1 cup soy milk + 1 Tbsp lemon juice.
Why we cite it here: Composition reference for buttermilk vs. substitute pH values
what temperature for… · cooking
What internal temperature for beef?
Steak medium-rare (canonical): 130-135°F (54-57°C). Rare: 120-125°F. Medium: 140-145°F. Well-done: 160°F+. Ground beef minimum (USDA): 160°F (71°C). Brisket + pulled beef: 195-205°F (90-96°C). Always pull 5°F below target; rest 5-10 minutes for carryover.
Why we cite it here: Beef composition + nutritional reference
how to convert… · cooking
How do I convert pounds to grams?
1 pound (lb) = 453.59 grams (g). Most home recipes round to 1 lb = 454 g or 450 g. For 1 ounce = 28.35 g (commonly rounded to 28 g). Multiply pounds × 453.59 for exact gram conversion.
Why we cite it here: Standard recipe weights in both US and metric units
how to convert… · cooking
How do I convert kilograms to pounds?
1 kilogram (kg) = 2.20462 pounds (lb). For cooking, round to 1 kg = 2.2 lb (within 0.2%). To convert: multiply kg × 2.205. To reverse: 1 lb = 0.4536 kg, or divide lb by 2.205.
Why we cite it here: Standard recipe weights in both kg and lb
More like this
See the full citation graph → · How we tier sources · Browse every answer