Baking soda teaspoons to grams
Baking soda is powerful stuff, so recipes rarely call for more than a teaspoon or two. Here are the usual amounts in grams.
| Teaspoons | Grams |
|---|---|
| ⅛ tsp | 0.6 g |
| ¼ tsp | 1.2 g |
| ½ tsp | 2.3 g |
| ¾ tsp | 3.5 g |
| 1 tsp | 4.6 g |
| 1 ¼ tsp | 5.8 g |
| 1 ½ tsp | 6.9 g |
| 2 tsp | 9.2 g |
| 2 ½ tsp | 12 g |
| 1 tbsp | 14 g |
Why charts disagree on baking soda
Look up "1 teaspoon baking soda in grams" and you'll find answers anywhere from 4 to 6 grams. We checked: USDA nutrition data puts a level teaspoon at about 4.5 grams, and Arm & Hammer's own label (0.6 g per ⅛ teaspoon) works out to about 4.8 grams. We use 4.6 grams, the middle of those two. Figures of 6 grams usually come from rounding half a teaspoon up to 3 grams. Since a recipe rarely uses more than a teaspoon, the difference is a gram at most, but if you're weighing on a precise scale, 4.6 g is the number to trust.
Grams of baking soda to teaspoons
| Grams | Teaspoons | With measuring spoons |
|---|---|---|
| 1 g | ¼ tsp | ¼ tsp |
| 2 g | ⅜ tsp | ¼ + ⅛ tsp |
| 3 g | ⅝ tsp | ½ + ⅛ tsp |
| 4 g | ⅞ tsp | ¾ + ⅛ tsp |
| 5 g | 1 ⅛ tsp | 1 ⅛ tsp |
| 6 g | 1 ¼ tsp | 1 ¼ tsp |
| 8 g | 1 ¾ tsp | 1 ¾ tsp |
| 10 g | 2 ⅛ tsp | 2 ⅛ tsp |
How baking soda works
Baking soda (sodium bicarbonate) is a base. When it meets an acid in a wet batter, it releases carbon dioxide, and those bubbles expand in the oven to lift your cookies, cakes and quick breads. Common acids in recipes include buttermilk, yogurt, sour cream, lemon juice, vinegar, brown sugar, honey, molasses and natural cocoa powder.
It also helps with browning, which is why a pinch goes into many cookie recipes even when they don't need much lift. Too much, though, leaves a soapy, metallic aftertaste and can turn baked goods an odd greenish-brown. A typical amount is about ¼ teaspoon per cup of flour, as long as there's enough acid to react with.
Bicarbonate of soda and bicarb
In the UK, Ireland, Australia and New Zealand, baking soda is usually sold as bicarbonate of soda, or just bicarb. It's exactly the same product, and the weights on this page apply. Don't confuse it with soda crystals (washing soda), which are a cleaning product.
Swapping baking soda and baking powder
- Baking powder instead of baking soda: use about three times as much. For ½ teaspoon of baking soda, use 1½ teaspoons of baking powder. The result may be a little less browned and slightly more cakey.
- Baking soda instead of baking powder: for each teaspoon of baking powder, use ¼ teaspoon of baking soda plus ½ teaspoon of cream of tartar. See our baking powder page for more.
Test before you bake
An open box can lose strength, especially if it has been absorbing fridge odors. Drop ¼ teaspoon into a couple of tablespoons of vinegar. Lots of immediate fizzing means it's good. A few lazy bubbles mean it's time for a new box, and the old one can go to cleaning duty.
Frequently asked questions
How many grams is 1 teaspoon of baking soda?
One level teaspoon of baking soda weighs about 4.6 grams. USDA data puts it at about 4.5 g and Arm & Hammer's label at about 4.8 g.
How many grams is ½ teaspoon of baking soda?
Half a teaspoon of baking soda is about 2.3 grams.
How many grams is ¼ teaspoon of baking soda?
A quarter teaspoon of baking soda weighs about 1.2 grams.
How many grams is ⅛ teaspoon of baking soda?
An eighth of a teaspoon of baking soda is about 0.6 grams, the same as the serving size on a box of Arm & Hammer.
How many teaspoons is 1 gram of baking soda?
1 gram of baking soda is a little under ¼ teaspoon (about 0.22 teaspoons).
Is bicarbonate of soda the same as baking soda?
Yes. Bicarbonate of soda, bicarb and baking soda are all names for sodium bicarbonate, and they convert the same way.