1 cup = 125g to 240g depending on the ingredient. There's no single conversion because different ingredients have different densities. Water weighs 240g per cup, while flour weighs only 125g per cup.
If you're following a recipe from the US, you've probably seen measurements in "cups" instead of grams. In the UK, we use grams and millilitres, which are more accurate for cooking and nutrition tracking.
This guide shows you exactly how many grams are in 1 cup for common ingredients, so you can convert any American recipe to UK measurements.
A cup is a volume measurement (how much space something takes up), while grams measure weight. Different ingredients have different densities:
This is why 1 cup of water = 240g but 1 cup of flour = 125g.
| Ingredient | 1 Cup (g) | 1/2 Cup (g) | 1/4 Cup (g) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Water | 240g | 120g | 60g |
| Milk | 245g | 123g | 61g |
| Oil (vegetable/olive) | 220g | 110g | 55g |
| Honey | 340g | 170g | 85g |
| Ingredient | 1 Cup (g) | 1/2 Cup (g) | 1/4 Cup (g) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Plain flour | 125g | 63g | 31g |
| Self-raising flour | 125g | 63g | 31g |
| Wholemeal flour | 120g | 60g | 30g |
| Rolled oats | 90g | 45g | 23g |
| Rice (uncooked) | 185g | 93g | 46g |
| Ingredient | 1 Cup (g) | 1/2 Cup (g) | 1/4 Cup (g) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Granulated sugar | 200g | 100g | 50g |
| Caster sugar | 200g | 100g | 50g |
| Brown sugar (packed) | 220g | 110g | 55g |
| Icing sugar | 120g | 60g | 30g |
| Ingredient | 1 Cup (g) | 1/2 Cup (g) | 1/4 Cup (g) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Butter | 227g | 113g | 57g |
| Greek yogurt | 245g | 123g | 61g |
| Cream cheese | 225g | 113g | 56g |
| Grated cheese | 100g | 50g | 25g |
| Ingredient | 1 Cup (g) | 1/2 Cup (g) | 1/4 Cup (g) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Almonds (whole) | 140g | 70g | 35g |
| Walnuts (chopped) | 120g | 60g | 30g |
| Peanut butter | 250g | 125g | 63g |
| Cocoa powder | 85g | 43g | 21g |
| Breadcrumbs | 100g | 50g | 25g |
Follow these steps to convert any cup measurement:
Example: A recipe calls for 1.5 cups of flour
In the UK, we typically use:
Quick conversions:
Professional bakers and nutritionists prefer grams because:
If you're tracking calories with an app like NutraSafe, weighing ingredients in grams gives you accurate nutrition data.
For liquids, yes — 1 US cup = 240ml. But the UK imperial cup is 284ml. Most modern recipes use US cups (240ml).
Because it depends on how the ingredient is measured (sifted vs unsifted flour, packed vs loose brown sugar). Our values are based on standard measuring techniques.
No — a standard US cup is exactly 240ml. Most mugs are 250-350ml, which will throw off your recipe. Use proper measuring cups or kitchen scales.
Only if the recipe says "1 cup sifted flour." If it says "1 cup flour, sifted," measure first, then sift. For grams, it doesn't matter — 125g is 125g whether sifted or not.
If you're counting calories or tracking macros, measuring ingredients in grams makes nutrition tracking much easier. UK food labels show nutrition per 100g, so you can calculate exactly what you're eating.
Use a food scanner app like NutraSafe to:
Example: If you eat 50g of oats (½ cup), scan the barcode and enter "50g" to see exact calories and macros.
The answer to "how many grams is 1 cup" depends entirely on what you're measuring. Use the conversion tables above for accurate results, or better yet — invest in digital kitchen scales and measure everything in grams for perfect recipes every time.
Save this page for quick reference when converting American recipes to UK measurements!
← Back to BlogLast updated: February 2026