Teaspoons to Milligrams Converter

How to Convert Teaspoons to Milligrams

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Since teaspoons are a unit of volume and milligrams are a unit of mass, which are different physical quantities, we need to know one more physical quantity of the ingredient or substance to convert between them. In this case, we need to account for the density of the substance whenever we do a conversion.

Therefore, to convert between teaspoons and milligrams of an ingredient or substance, we must either multiply or divide by its density, depending on which direction we are performing the conversion.

Teaspoons to Milligrams Formula

To convert a measurement in teaspoons to milligrams, multiply the volume by the density of the ingredient or material. Note that in order for this to work, the density must be in milligrams per teaspoon (mg/tsp).

If the density is given in grams per milliliter (g/mL), then first multiply the density by 4,928.922 to convert to mg/tsp.

For a density given in g/mL, you can use this simple formula to convert:

milligrams = teaspoons × 4,928.922 × density

Thus, the weight in milligrams is equal to the volume in teaspoons multiplied by 4,928.922 times the density (in g/mL) of the ingredient, substance, or material.

For example, here's how to convert 5 teaspoons to milligrams for an ingredient with a density of 0.7 g/mL.

milligrams = 5 tsp × 4,928.922 × 0.7 g/mL = 17,251.226 mg

When to Convert Teaspoons to Milligrams

Teaspoons and milligrams are both commonly used to measure cooking ingredients.

For cooking applications, most chefs suggest measuring dry ingredients by weight rather than volume to improve accuracy in the measurements.^[1] The density of dry ingredients can vary for a variety of reasons, such as compaction and clumping.

The best way to ensure an accurate conversion is to use a scale. When a scale is not available, a calculator like the one above is a good way to estimate the volume to weight conversion.

Another useful application of weight and volume conversions is chemistry. When performing chemical reactions by combining separate chemicals to produce a new chemical, one must know the exact amount of each chemical to add in order to maximize the yield of the reaction.

It is common to mix powdered chemicals with liquid, or aqueous, chemicals, and this is where it becomes very useful to convert between weights and volumes.^[2]

Keep reading to learn more about each unit of measure.

How Many Milligrams Are in a Teaspoon?

The actual weight of a teaspoon will vary depending on the density of the material. The table below shows how many milligrams of various wet and dry ingredients are in a teaspoon.

Teaspoon measurements converted to milligrams for commonly used cooking and baking ingredients.
Volume in Teaspoons:	Weight in Milligrams of:
Volume in Teaspoons:	Water	Milk	Cooking Oil	All Purpose Flour	Granulated Sugar
1/8 tsp	616.12 mg	634.6 mg	542.18 mg	325.92 mg	520.83 mg
1/4 tsp	1,232 mg	1,269 mg	1,084 mg	651.85 mg	1,042 mg
1/3 tsp	1,643 mg	1,692 mg	1,446 mg	869.13 mg	1,389 mg
1/2 tsp	2,464 mg	2,538 mg	2,169 mg	1,304 mg	2,083 mg
2/3 tsp	3,286 mg	3,385 mg	2,892 mg	1,738 mg	2,778 mg
3/4 tsp	3,697 mg	3,808 mg	3,253 mg	1,956 mg	3,125 mg
1 tsp	4,929 mg	5,077 mg	4,337 mg	2,607 mg	4,167 mg

What Is a Teaspoon?

The teaspoon is a unit of volume equal to 1/3 of a tablespoon or 1/6 of a fluid ounce.^[3] One teaspoon is equal to approximately 4.929 milliliters, but in nutrition labeling, one teaspoon is equal to exactly 5 milliliters.^[4]

The teaspoon is a US customary unit of volume. Teaspoons can be abbreviated as tsp, and are also sometimes abbreviated as t, ts, or tspn. For example, 1 teaspoon can be written as 1 tsp, 1 t, 1 ts, or 1 tspn.

Learn more about teaspoons.

What Is a Milligram?

The milligram is a unit of mass equal to 1/1,000 of a gram, or 0.0154 grains.

The milligram, or milligramme, is an SI unit of mass in the metric system. In the metric system, "milli" is the prefix for thousandths, or 10^-3. Milligrams can be abbreviated as mg; for example, 1 milligram can be written as 1 mg.

A milligram is also frequently referred to as a unit of weight. While technically, a milligram is a measure of mass, and weight is actually a measure of force, the two are equivalent as long as we are performing our calculations on Earth.

For example, an object with a mass of 1 milligram weighs 1 milligram on Earth, but only weighs one-sixth of that on the moon, yet still has the same mass.

Learn more about milligrams.

Teaspoons to Milligrams Conversion Calculator

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