Fats & oils
Vegetable shortening: US tablespoon to gram
1 US tablespoon of Vegetable shortening = 13 gram — based on a density of 0.865 g/ml.
| US tablespoon | gram |
|---|---|
| 0.25 | 3 |
| 0.5 | 6.5 |
| 1 | 13 |
| 2 | 26 |
| 3 | 38 |
| 4 | 51 |
| 6 | 77 |
| 8 | 102 |
| 12 | 153 |
| 16 | 205 |
Why the ingredient matters
A cup is a volume, not a weight. Vegetable shortening has a density of 0.865 g/ml — different ingredients give different weights for the same cup. That's why generic « cup to gram » charts are wrong by 10–30 %.
How precise is this?
The density used here is sourced and cross-checked. Real-world measures still vary by about ±4% depending on how the cup is filled — sifted, scooped or packed.
Data sources
- USDA FoodData Central — Public domain (US government work)
Frequently asked questions
How many gram is 1 US tablespoon of Vegetable shortening?
1 US tablespoon of Vegetable shortening equals about 13 gram, using a density of 0.865 g/ml.
Is a US cup the same as a metric cup?
No — a US cup is 236.6 ml, a metric cup 250 ml, an imperial cup 284 ml. This page uses the US cup; the converter lets you switch conventions.
Why do different sites give different answers?
Most charts use one generic density for every ingredient. We use the measured density of Vegetable shortening itself — that is the physically correct conversion.
Should I weigh ingredients instead of using cups?
Yes, whenever possible — a scale removes fill-density error entirely, especially for flour and powders.