The only sugar converter that works both ways — tablespoons to grams and grams to tablespoons — for all 7 sugar types. Covers granulated, brown, powdered, caster, raw, and coconut sugar with US, UK and Australian tablespoon sizes.
| Sugar Type | 1 tsp (US) | 1 tbsp (US) | 1 tbsp (UK) | 1 tbsp (AU) | Calories/tbsp | Note |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Granulated White | 4.2g | 12.5g | 12.7g | 16.7g | 48 cal | Most common, level spoon |
| Caster / Superfine | 4.2g | 12.5g | 12.7g | 16.7g | 48 cal | Finer crystal, same density |
| Brown Sugar (packed) | 4.6g | 13.8g | 14.0g | 18.4g | 53 cal | Firmly pressed in spoon |
| Brown Sugar (loose) | 3.1g | 9.4g | 9.5g | 12.5g | 36 cal | Lightly scooped |
| Powdered / Icing | 2.5g | 7.5g | 8.0g | 10.0g | 29 cal | Sift before measuring |
| Raw / Turbinado | 4.0g | 12.0g | 12.2g | 16.1g | 46 cal | Coarse crystals |
| Coconut Sugar | 3.0g | 9.0g | 9.1g | 12.2g | 35 cal | Lower GI than white |
Tablespoons measure volume, not weight. The weight of how many grams of sugar in a tablespoon depends entirely on crystal size. Powdered sugar has microscopic particles that trap air — that's why 1 tablespoon weighs only 7.5g vs 12.5g for granulated. The crystals are there, but air fills the gaps.
Brown sugar is the most variable. A packed tablespoon can weigh 13.8g — nearly twice the 9.4g of a loosely scooped spoon. Most recipes specify "packed brown sugar" meaning you press it firmly into the spoon. Unless stated, packed is the default. A recipe scaling calculator won't fix a wrong sugar type — always check.
A US tablespoon holds 14.79ml. A UK/metric tablespoon is 15ml — nearly identical. But an Australian tablespoon is 20ml, meaning every "1 tablespoon" in an Australian recipe is 33% larger. If you're following an AU recipe, how many grams are in a tablespoon of sugar changes to 16.7g for granulated — not 12.5g. Always check the recipe's country of origin.