Grams and ounces are both means of measuring small quantities, especially in recipes and grocery supply.
To give you an idea of just how small the amounts are, there are 453.6 grams in a pound or approximately 16 ounces in a pound (liquid measurements change slightly by substance).
Obviously, this makes a gram a considerably smaller unit of measurement than an ounce.
Though grams and ounces do the same basic thing – measure small amounts – it can be hard to convert between the two because they stem from different systems of measurement.
Understanding Grams
A gram is a measure from the metric system or International System of Units.
Like all measurements in the metric system, the gram is based on tens and equal to 1/1000th of a kilogram (the base unit for mass in the metric system).
Since most of the world uses the metric system, the gram is the most widely used measurement for dry food ingredients in the world.
Understanding Ounces
An ounce is a measure from the imperial system of measurements, which has been abandoned and replaced by the metric system throughout most of the world.
The United States is one of only three countries to still use the imperial system officially (the other two being Liberia and Myanmar), and the ounce is used in many applications in the U.S., including to measure both dry and liquid foods and to weigh small objects.
Gram to Oz – Oz to Gram
Since grams and ounces are part of separate systems of measurement, there is no simple conversion between the two.
One ounce is the equivalent of 28.35 grams (rounded to the second decimal place), or in numerical terms:
1 oz = 28.35g*
*For cooking conversions, this is typically simplified to 1 oz = 28g
One gram is the equivalent of 0.035 ounces (rounded to the third decimal place), or in numerical terms:
1 g = 0.035 oz
Like other metric to imperial and imperial to metric conversions, the conversion between grams and ounces is a memorization game.
If you want to convert between grams and ounces without having to look it up each time, you must memorize the equivalents.
Converting Grams to Ounces (Grams to Ounces Formula)
While there is no easy way to remember how many grams are in an ounce or how many ounces are in a gram, once you know the equivalents, the math itself is simple.
To convert grams to ounces, simply divide the total number of grams by 28.35 (or 28 for the rough equivalent), or in numerical terms:
X(g) / 28.35 = m (oz)
- X = weight in grams
- m = weight in ounces
For example:
100g / 28.35 = 3.5 oz (rounded to the first decimal place), or:
100 g = 3.5 oz
Grams to Ounces Quick Conversion Chart
When it comes to converting grams to ounces, memorizing how many grams are in an ounce (28.35) and dividing by that number is the simplest means of making regular conversions.
It can also be beneficial, however, to memorize a few basic grams to ounces conversions if you need to use them regularly.
Here are a few to help you get started:
Happy converting!