10 Common Items That Weigh About 50 Grams

Fifty grams is not a lot of weight. It’s less than a 1/4 of a pound and just under 2 ounces of weight. Finding common items that weigh this much or little, can be a little difficult, but we were able to come up with some items and establish commonalities among them.

We’ve grouped them in the following categories: Food, Coins, and Household Items.

Food Items That Weigh About 50 Grams

Slices of Bread

One of the most important pieces of information on a nutrition label is the serving size. That unit is measured based on the food item. For instance, for beverages, it’s measured by the cups. When it comes to bread, the serving size is measured by the slices of bread. The type of bread will determine the number of slices needed to make up that serving size.

The Reference Amounts Customarily Consumed (RACC) is a reference of measurement for food items that determines the serving size for each food. This measurement is in grams. The RACC for bread is 50 grams.

Since some breads are denser than others, depending on the type of bread; it may take two slices to weigh in at 50 grams. In addition, healthier breads tend to be more dense, and weigh closer to 50 grams per slice.

Butter/Margarine

Butter or margarine is another food item that is inclusive in a long list of ingredients we use for everyday cooking. It’s a necessity for baking.

Let’s take a look at how much or little of this ingredient it would take to get us to 50 grams of it. Most recipes that call for butter or margarine, will ask for a measurement in the form of grams. However, some recipes may require it in cups, teaspoons, or tablespoons. We’ll look at cups and tablespoons.

As you can see from the chart, 2 tablespoons (not shown) of butter/margarine would weigh about 50 grams. And since 2 tablespoons is equal to 1/8 cup (not shown). 1/8 cup of butter/margarine weighs around 50 grams.

Consuming 50 Grams of Carbohydrates

Staying on the topic of food, let’s take a look at carbohydrates. Even though most dieters strive to stay away from carbohydrates, they do have a rightful place in our diets.

Carbohydrates offer numerous health benefits, and our bodies need carbs to function well. Most carbohydrates occur naturally in plant-based foods, such as fruits, vegetables, milk, nuts, grains, seeds, and legumes, and they help to make up the three types of carbs which consist of sugar, starch, and fiber.

The Dietary Guidelines for Americans recommends that carbohydrates should make up 45 to 65% of our daily calories. That translates to 225 – 325 grams of carbohydrates if we look at an average diet of 2,000 calories. Here are some options for getting 15% of our recommended carbs, each individually weighing about 50 grams:

• 2 slices of bread
• 1 Cup of Pasta (cooked)
• 1 Cup of Rice (cooked)
• 3 potatoes (peeled)
• A plate of veggies (tomatoes, peppers, zucchini)
• A plate of berries
• A plate of raw nuts

Coins That Weight 50 Grams

Pennies

U.S. pennies weigh either 2.5 grams or 3.11 grams each. The pennies that weigh 2.5 grams are known as the Lincoln Penny and is composed of brass (95% copper, 5% zinc), and the pennies that weigh 3.11 are composed of copper-plated zinc (97.5% zinc, 2.5%copper). They have a diameter of 19.05 mm, and a thickness of 1.52 mm. Assuming the penny is the Lincoln Penny, twenty of them would weigh 50 grams.

Nickels

U.S. nickels weigh 5.000 grams each. They are composed of 75% copper and 25% nickel. They have a diameter of 21.21 mm, and a thickness of 1.95 mm. Ten nickels would weigh 50grams.

Dimes

U.S. dimes weigh 2.268 grams each, and are composed of copper (91.67%) and nickel (8.33%). They have a diameter of 17.91 mm, and a thickness of 1.35 mm. Twenty-two dimes would weigh around 50 grams.

Quarters

U.S. Quarters weigh 5.670 grams each, and are primarily composed of copper (91.67%) on the inside. The outside is composed of 8.33% nickel plating. They have a diameter of 24.66 mm, and a thickness of 1.75 mm. Nine quarters would weigh around 50 grams.

Household Items That Weigh Around 50 Grams

There are some random items that we use on a daily basis that also weigh around 50 grams. From AA batteries to a standard letter, here are a some items that we can easily find in our home that fit this weight class:

• Two alkaline AA batteries weigh approximately 46 grams.
• A CD case can weigh anywhere from 1.5 to 2.5 ounces depending on whether it’s a standard size or a slim case. Fifty grams is 1.7 ounces, which makes a CD case a high candidate for weighing around 50 grams.
• The Mel Pardue 530 series Benchmade brand pocketknife packs a lot of blade into a light package. The incredibly light knife only weighs 1.88 ounces, just a little over 50 grams (1.7 oz.)
• A standard envelope measures 4.125 x 9.5 inches, and a typical envelope weighs 6.75 grams. Since a sheet of paper weighs 4.5 grams, a typical letter weighs at least 11.25 grams. Four standard letters would weigh close to 50 grams.
• The average fountain pen will weigh anywhere from 18 to 25 grams. Putting two of them together can weigh around 50 grams.