Cream, Sour, Reduced Fat, Cultured: How Many Grams in a Tablespoon?
Reduced-fat cultured sour cream is produced the same way as full-fat sour cream but with a lower fat content — typically around 8–10% rather than 18–20%. Removing fat replaces it proportionally with water, which is denser, pushing the density to 1.023 g/ml — actually heavier than full-fat sour cream (0.972 g/ml) and close to half-and-half. A cup weighs approximately 242 g; a tablespoon weighs about 15.1 g, versus 14.4 g for the full-fat version. The consistency is slightly thinner and less stable in high-heat applications. Used as a lighter substitute in dips, dressings, and baked goods.
Quick convert
- US cup = 236.588 mL
- 1 tbsp = 14.787 mL
- 1 tsp = 4.929 mL
Reference table
| tbsp | g |
|---|---|
| 1 | 15 |
| 2 | 30 |
| 3 | 45 |
| 4 | 61 |
| 5 | 76 |
FAQ
- Does reduced-fat sour cream weigh more or less than regular sour cream per cup?
- More. Reduced-fat sour cream (1.023 g/ml, ~242 g/cup) weighs about 12 g more per cup than regular full-fat sour cream (0.972 g/ml, ~230 g/cup). Removing fat — which has a density of ~0.9 g/ml — and replacing it with water (~1.0 g/ml) increases the overall density of the product.
- Can I substitute reduced-fat for full-fat sour cream by volume in baking?
- By volume, yes — 1 cup is 1 cup. The weight difference is about 12 g per cup, which is not significant for most baking recipes. The bigger issue is texture: reduced-fat sour cream is slightly thinner and may affect moisture balance in dense cakes or cheesecakes. Adjust expectations for richness, not for volume-to-weight calculations.