US Trends

how many grams is 1 cup

1 cup equals varying grams depending on the ingredient, as density affects the weight. No single conversion works universally—flour is much lighter than sugar, for instance.

Why It Varies

Cups measure volume, not weight, so grams depend on how tightly packed or dense the ingredient is. For water, it's straightforward at 237 grams per US cup. Dry goods like flour might only be 120-140 grams due to air pockets.

Common Conversions

Here's a table of popular ingredients (US cup = 240ml approx.) based on standard baking densities:

Ingredient1 Cup (grams)
All-purpose flour (sifted)120-125
Granulated sugar200
Brown sugar (packed)220
Butter227
Water or milk237
Powdered sugar (sifted)120
Rice (uncooked)185-200
Oats (rolled)90

Baking Tips

  • Spoon and level flour for accuracy; don't scoop directly from the bag to avoid compacting.
  • Use a kitchen scale for precision—it's the gold standard for consistent results, especially in 2026's trend toward metric baking on social media.
  • For liquids, conversions are reliable; solids vary by brand or freshness.

TL;DR: Check your ingredient—flour ~125g, sugar ~200g, water 237g. Information gathered from public forums or data available on the internet and portrayed here.