how much is a tablespoon

saintsteffers1
saintsteffers1 Posts: 27
edited September 21 in Health and Weight Loss
I'm from UK and our tablespoons are quite big! Because of this I think I've been underestimating, for example if I spread some marg on toast, I was figuring it was about 0.3 of a tablespoon, but I'm a bit worried that I'm wrong, is a tablespoon on MFP actually what we would call a dessert spoon? I.e. about 3 teaspoon worth. In which case it would be about half a tablespoons worth to spread one peice of toast. And does it mean a 'flat' tablespoon or rounded? Aaargg
The other thing that confuses me a bit is a cup? its just not exact enough for me and I don't want to under or over estimate!!
Can anyone give me some tips?

How much of a tablespoon would you say to spread a peice of toast with marg? How about for jam?
Thanks!
Steph

Replies

  • Simplicity
    Simplicity Posts: 383 Member
    I go by about a teaspoon full rounded of butter is about 10grams which is what I use per slice of toast. Possible to get two slices out of 15 gramms too. Table spoon i always use 3 teaspoon I am also in the UK and understand the dilema. one cup is 8oz or 250 ml but a cup of vegetables??? whats that ha ha!
    Good luck.
    ps I bought some mini scales which is where I get my weight measurement for the butter. If you are worried use 15grams for a teaspoon and then you will be OK

    Hope that helps
    Ben
  • absofsteel
    absofsteel Posts: 48
    I go by the little white spoon that comes with calpol...the small side is a tea spoon and the big side is a table spoon
  • bekylouisex3
    bekylouisex3 Posts: 242 Member
    :huh: I hear you on this! I'm so confused about all of these measurements...
  • Stella_Does
    Stella_Does Posts: 25
    I bought myself a set of measuring spoons and have been using measuring cups a lot more too. I figure they will be pretty standard and safe! Usually though I prefer to go by weight as it's more accurate. I'm also in the UK so a lot of the measurements don't mean a lot to me, I usually end up clicking through a few option until I find one that has a grams option! And I do make a lot of my own entries if I can't find a very UK version of what I'm looking for.
    But generally I find the database to be fine, it's only the odd item that causes a problem
  • sharonuk10
    sharonuk10 Posts: 277
    I am an American in the UK ... and I have thought of the Tablespoon dilemma. Is it an actual TABLESPOON (what my husband who is British calls a desert spoon) or is it the MEASURING TABLESPOON??? Last week I weighed Bertolli margarine, for mashed potatoes, on the scale and it came to 20 grams. So I guess it would vary by how much you put on the spoon. Since I never eat ALL my calories I figure the few that are left over at the end of the day makes up for any discrepancies. I do find weighing more acurate than measuring though.

    Confused by it all really!!!

    Sharon
  • Stella_Does
    Stella_Does Posts: 25
    See it sounds like just in the UK different people call a different spoon a table spoon! I've always had teaspoons, desert spoons and tablespoons.
    A tablespoon would only really be used for measuring stuff or serving foods - though my mum also has a couple of scarily enormous serving spoons too.
  • misty589
    misty589 Posts: 319 Member
    1 tablespoon= 15ml or 3 teaspoons
    1 cup = 250 ml or 8 oz
  • navstar
    navstar Posts: 113 Member
    I assume most references to tablespoon mean the measuring type, which is 15ml (the big side of a medicine spoon is 5ml), but to figure how much spread I use on toast I measured the dry toast, put my spread on and remeasured it! so I now know that when i put spread on my toast its 5g for 1 slice I weigh everything and If i can't find the correct measurement in the database I Google the ingredient and work it out per gram. I know this seems a bit obsessive but it works for me.

    I have invested on a set of measuring spoons they only cost about £2 from Asda and my scales were about £13 from Asda. I strongly recommend weighing rather then using cups as it is more accurate as you can "stuff" quite a lot in a cup but if you measure it you know exactly how much you're getting and as my problem was portion control it has really helped me.
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