US vs UK spoons

AMC110
AMC110 Posts: 188 Member
in Food and Nutrition
I just discovered that the capacity for teaspoons and tablespoons is different in the UK and US. I have been using 15 ml as my measurement for 1 tablespoon but apparently a tablespoon would be considered 18 ml here in the UK. It doesn't seem like much difference but when you're trying to log cooking oil the extra calories add up! Are there any other variances I should be wary of?

Replies

  • VintageFeline
    VintageFeline Posts: 6,771 Member
    Use UK database entries?
  • livingleanlivingclean
    livingleanlivingclean Posts: 11,751 Member
    edited January 2018
    US vs UK pints are different...
    aus tablespoons are 20 mL

    You could use entries in mL rather than tablespoons, or weigh as much as possible
  • AMC110
    AMC110 Posts: 188 Member
    edited January 2018
    livingleanlivingclean wrote: »
    US vs UK pints are different...
    aus tablespoons are 20 mL

    You could use entries in mL rather than tablespoons, or weigh as much as possible

    So far I have been measuring out a tablespoon using a measuring spoon, but the label doesn't state how many mls that is - I assumed 15. I am going to pour some water from the spoon into a measuring jug to find out, so I know for future reference.
  • VintageFeline
    VintageFeline Posts: 6,771 Member
    AMC110 wrote: »
    livingleanlivingclean wrote: »
    US vs UK pints are different...
    aus tablespoons are 20 mL

    You could use entries in mL rather than tablespoons, or weigh as much as possible

    So far I have been measuring out a tablespoon using a measuring spoon, but the label doesn't state how many mls that is - I assumed 15. I am going to pour some water from the spoon into a measuring jug to find out, so I know for future reference.

    If it's a UK label, which even imported products have a UK appropriate label on them, then it is a UK tablespoon and you should use a UK entry?
  • KNoceros
    KNoceros Posts: 326 Member
    My UK tablespoon measure is marked 15ml. That ties in with what I was taught years ago that 1tbs = 3tsp and 1 teaspoon is 5ml.
  • HaggisWhisperer
    HaggisWhisperer Posts: 125 Member
    edited January 2018
    kathrynhoward84 wrote: »
    My UK tablespoon measure is marked 15ml. That ties in with what I was taught years ago that 1tbs = 3tsp and 1 teaspoon is 5ml.

    This. I have bought a few sets of measuring spons in the UK and they appear to follow this. 1tsp = 5ml, 1 dsp = 10ml, 1 tbsp = 15 ml. The imperial UK tablespoon is ~17.5mL but I don't think I have ever seen that used - although would probably be correct for an old recipe book. A quick Wiki check puts the US tablespoon at 14.8ml - even if you are super accurate about logging I wouldn't get too excited about that vs a UK metric tablespoon. Cup measurements I think are slightly different, but then you run into an "imperial cup - same as the US at 240 ml" versus a "metric cup = 250 ml" even in the UK. I pretty much weigh everything and really only use my cups when I am following a US recipe for something.
  • Loug1983
    Loug1983 Posts: 89 Member
    kathrynhoward84 wrote: »
    My UK tablespoon measure is marked 15ml. That ties in with what I was taught years ago that 1tbs = 3tsp and 1 teaspoon is 5ml.

    This has been my experience too.
  • scarlett_k
    scarlett_k Posts: 812 Member
    I'm in the UK and a tablespoon is 15 ml, teaspoon 5 ml.
  • Bry_Fitness70
    Bry_Fitness70 Posts: 2,480 Member
    I have phased out volume measures like teaspoons, tablespoons, cups, scoops, etc., and converted to grams and ounces for everything I possibly can. I bet if you take 10 separate teaspoons of sugar from a bag and weigh each one individually you would find a different grams measurement for each one.

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