How to Calculate Edible Potency with Real Examples

Written by Lorien Strydom

November 21st, 2025

You mix up a batch of brownies, cut them into 24 pieces, and take a bite. Nothing happens for an hour, so you eat another. Suddenly, you're overwhelmed for the next six hours.

The next day, you try a different piece from the same batch and barely feel anything.

This inconsistency ruins homemade edibles for most people.

We're fixing that today with a three-step calculation method that accounts for real losses, a weight-based portioning technique that ensures every piece has identical strength, and clear guidance on reading labels so you know exactly what you're consuming.

Table of Contents

• The Three-Step Method to Get Milligrams Per Piece

• Worked Example: 3.5g at 20% THC Making 24 Cookies

• Reading Store-Bought Labels: Total mg vs mg Per Piece

• Why Not All THC Makes It Into Your Butter

• Calculate With 70% or 80% Transfer

• Measuring Micro Amounts: Milligrams Per Teaspoon

• Getting Accurate THC Percentages From Labels

• THCa vs THC: What the Heating Step Does

• Make Every Piece the Same Strength

• Weight-Based Portioning After Baking

• Adjust Strength by Diluting or Adding Concentrates

• Three Calculation Mistakes That Ruin Batches

• Why Edibles Feel Stronger and Last Longer

• Onset Windows and the Two-Hour Rule

• THC Amount Ranges for Different Experience Levels

• What to Do If You Feel Uncomfortable

• Using Calculators as a Cross-Check

• Skip the Math with Lab-Tested Products

• Storage and Timing for Consistent Potency

• Choose Your Path: Calculate, Verify, or Skip

The Three-Step Method to Get Milligrams Per Piece

Every edible potency calculation follows the same basic path. Convert your flower weight from grams to milligrams by multiplying by 1,000. Multiply that number by your THC percentage expressed as a decimal.

Divide the result by how many servings you're making.

Here's the formula: (grams × 1,000 × THC%) ÷ number of servings = mg per piece. With 3.5g of 20% THC flower making 24 cookies, that's (3.5 × 1,000 × 0.20) ÷ 24 = 29mg per cookie before we account for losses.

The Mental Math Shortcut

Your THC percentage times 10 equals milligrams per gram. Flower testing at 17.7% THC contains 177mg per gram. Multiply that by your total grams to get your batch potential.

This quick calculation helps you estimate on the fly. One gram of 25% flower? That's 250mg total THC to work with.

Worked Example: 3.5g at 20% THC Making 24 Cookies

Let's walk through every step with common numbers. You've got 3.5 grams of flower testing at 20% THC, and you're making 24 cookies.

Step one: 3.5 grams × 1,000 = 3,500 milligrams of flower total. Step two: 3,500mg × 0.20 = 700mg of potential THC. Step three: 700mg ÷ 24 cookies = 29mg per cookie.

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The Reality Check

That 29mg calculation assumes perfect transfer from flower to butter to cookies. In reality, cannabinoids stick to plant material during infusion, some THC degrades from heat, and you lose volume as moisture evaporates.

Before you portion your batch, we need to apply transfer efficiency.

Otherwise, you'll think you have 29mg cookies when you actually have 20mg cookies, and that mismatch creates confusion about your tolerance.

Reading Store-Bought Labels: Total mg vs mg Per Piece

The biggest confusion happens when packages show total THC versus per-piece amounts. If a package says "300mg THC total" and contains 10 pieces, that's 300 ÷ 10 = 30mg per piece.

Labels show two critical numbers: mg per piece and mg per package.

A package might say "5mg per gummy, 50mg total" — that means 10 individual gummies, each containing 5mg. Mixing up these numbers is the second most common confusion point.

Cutting Pieces for Precise Amounts

To get a 5mg starter amount from a 30mg piece, you'd cut it into six equal parts.

If the package states "500mg total" with 10 gummies, that's 50mg per gummy.

You'd need to cut one gummy into 10 pieces for 5mg portions.

 Mood Microdose THC Gummies display exact milligram amounts on every package. You'll see "5mg Delta-9 THC" clearly marked, eliminating the need for mental math or guessing.

Why Not All THC Makes It Into Your Butter

Cannabinoids bind strongly to plant material during infusion. Even after hours of slow cooking, a significant portion stays trapped in the flower you'll strain out and discard.

Heat also causes some cannabinoid degradation. The same heating process that makes THCa more potent simultaneously breaks down a small percentage of active compounds.

Your infusion loses volume too as water evaporates, concentrating what remains but representing lost material.

The Lipophilic Nature of Cannabinoids

THC and other cannabinoids prefer fats over water. This is why we use butter or oil for infusions rather than plain water.

Time, temperature, and fat type all affect how efficiently cannabinoids transfer.

Longer infusion times at lower temperatures generally preserve more THC than quick, hot methods, though the differences might only shift your efficiency from 75% to 80%.

Calculate With 70% or 80% Transfer

Most home infusion methods achieve between 70% and 80% cannabinoid transfer. We're not picking one "correct" number because your actual results depend on technique, equipment, and ingredients.

Let's apply both to our example.

Starting with 700mg potential THC: 700mg × 0.70 = 490mg actual THC at 70% efficiency. 700mg × 0.80 = 560mg actual THC at 80% efficiency.

Per-Cookie Strength at Each Efficiency

With 24 cookies from the 70% scenario: 490mg ÷ 24 = 20.4mg per cookie. With 24 cookies from the 80% scenario: 560mg ÷ 24 = 23.3mg per cookie.

That's a 3mg difference per cookie — significant when you're targeting a specific experience. Conservative bakers use 70% to avoid accidentally making edibles too strong.

Measuring Micro Amounts: Milligrams Per Teaspoon

Once you know your total batch potency, converting to teaspoon measurements helps with recipes that call for small amounts of infused oil.

Divide your batch total by how many teaspoons of oil you made.

Example: You infused 240mg total THC into 12 teaspoons of coconut oil. That's 240mg ÷ 12 = 20mg per teaspoon.

Quarter and Half Teaspoon Calculations

With 20mg per teaspoon, a half teaspoon contains 10mg and a quarter teaspoon contains 5mg.

These micro measurements let you add precise amounts to individual servings.

When a recipe calls for 2 tablespoons of oil (6 teaspoons), you can calculate exactly how much THC goes into the entire batch, then divide by servings for per-piece potency.

Getting Accurate THC Percentages From Labels

Flower from legal sources comes with lab testing that shows THC percentage or mg per gram.

These numbers give you the starting point for all calculations.

Homegrown flower requires strain research for estimates.

Online sources list average ranges for popular strains, but understand these estimates carry wider error margins than lab testing.

COA Verification Eliminates Guesswork

 Mood includes Certificates of Analysis from third-party testing labs for every product.

Each COA shows the exact cannabinoid breakdown, confirming what's actually in your flower or edibles.

When you see 28% THCa on a lab report, you know precisely what you're working with. No guessing, no averaging across strain types.

THCa vs THC: What the Heating Step Does

Raw flower contains mostly THCa, not THC. THCa becomes more potent when heated, yielding about 87.7% of its weight as active THC through a chemical reaction.

The math: THCa percentage × 0.877 + existing THC percentage = total potential THC percentage.

A flower testing at 25% THCa and 1% THC calculates as (25 × 0.877) + 1 = 22.9% + 1% = 23.9% total potential THC.

Why 0.877 Specifically

During the heating process, the THCa molecule loses some weight as carbon dioxide escapes. The 0.877 conversion factor represents this molecular weight change.

You don't need to understand the chemistry deeply.

Just know that multiplying THCa by 0.877 gives you the active THC amount after heating.

Make Every Piece the Same Strength

Hot spots ruin batches. THC concentrates in corners and edges while center pieces contain almost nothing.

One bite delivers 5mg, the next hits you with 50mg.

Thorough mixing is the first defense. After combining your infused butter with other ingredients, mix longer than feels necessary. Scrape the sides and bottom of your bowl. Mix again.

The Weight-Based Solution

Even perfectly mixed batter can bake unevenly. Weight-based portioning after baking solves this completely.

Once your batch cools, weigh the entire thing. Divide your total mg by total grams.

This gives you mg per gram, which lets you cut portions by target weight for identical strength every time.

Weight-Based Portioning After Baking

Let's say your 24 cookies came out weighing 960 grams total, and you calculated 490mg total THC at 70% efficiency. That's 490mg ÷ 960g = 0.51mg per gram.

To create 20mg servings, divide your target amount by mg per gram: 20mg ÷ 0.51 = 39g pieces. Cut portions weighing 39 grams each for consistent 20mg servings.

Recalculating After Cutting

You might end up with 23 portions instead of 24. That's fine — your weight-based method ensures each piece contains the target amount.

This technique works for brownies, cereal bars, or any sliceable edible.

It eliminates the guessing and guarantees consistency.

Adjust Strength by Diluting or Adding Concentrates

Realized your batch is too strong? Replace half your infused butter with regular butter in future batches.

If you made 1 cup infused butter at 400mg, mixing it with 1 cup regular butter gives you 2 cups at 200mg total.

To increase strength, add measured kief or hash oil.

If you're adding 100mg of kief to a 400mg batch, update your batch total to 500mg before portioning.

Always Recalculate

Any time you dilute or strengthen, run the numbers again. Your per-piece calculation must reflect the new batch total.

This adjustment flexibility means you're never stuck with edibles that are too weak or too strong. You can fix it for the next batch.

Three Calculation Mistakes That Ruin Batches

Assuming 100% transfer: Using 700mg calculated vs 490mg actual (70% efficiency) creates a 9mg per cookie error. You think you have 29mg cookies when they're really 20mg.

Confusing total batch THC with per-piece: A 300mg batch split into 12 brownies is 25mg per brownie, not 300mg per brownie. This mistake leads to severe underdosing expectations.

Not Accounting for Volume Loss

When 16 ounces of butter reduces to 14 ounces during infusion, your concentration increases. If you calculated based on 16 ounces but only have 14, your per-teaspoon potency is higher than expected.

Measure your finished infusion volume, not your starting volume. Use the actual amount for all teaspoon and serving calculations.

Why Edibles Feel Stronger and Last Longer

When you eat THC, your liver converts it into 11-hydroxy-THC.

This compound crosses into your brain more easily than smoked THC, explaining why edibles feel stronger and last longer than other consumption methods.

The community rule of thumb holds true: 10mg eaten feels substantially stronger than inhaling the same amount. Your digestive system and liver transform THC into something more potent.

Different Paths, Different Effects

Inhaled THC travels from lungs to bloodstream to brain in minutes. Eaten THC must pass through your digestive system, get metabolized by your liver, then enter your bloodstream.

This longer path creates delayed onset but produces effects that last 4-8 hours instead of 2-3 hours from smoking. The tradeoff is patience for duration.

Onset Windows and the Two-Hour Rule

Edibles typically produce first effects within 30-90 minutes.

Effects continue building for another hour after you initially feel them. This gradual climb tricks many first-timers into thinking nothing's happening.

Set a timer for at least two hours before even considering another piece. The full peak often arrives 90-120 minutes after consumption.

What Actually Happens

10mg on an empty stomach typically onsets in 45 minutes, peaks around 2 hours, and tapers off over 5 hours total. Add a meal to that equation and everything shifts.

Those same 10mg after a burger might take 90 minutes to onset but last an extra hour. Fatty foods like avocado or cheese accelerate THC absorption by helping cannabinoids cross into your bloodstream faster.

THC Amount Ranges for Different Experience Levels

Beginners: Community guidelines commonly suggest starting with 2.5-5mg, though individual responses vary. This provides valuable data about your onset time and peak intensity without risking discomfort.

The Canadian government recommends 2.5mg as the starting amount based on extensive first-time user research.

Regular users: Many experienced users report 10-15mg as a typical range for those familiar with cannabis effects, though personal tolerance varies widely. If you already know how smoking makes you feel, this range may help translate your tolerance to edibles.

Experienced Users

High tolerance: Seasoned cannabis users commonly report using 20-30mg for intense effects. Mood's 15mg Delta-9 THC gummies can be taken as a single dose or combined with a second gummy after the two-hour wait for this range.

These ranges reflect commonly reported experiences, not medical recommendations, and your ideal amount depends on your unique physiology.

Remember that edible tolerance differs from smoking tolerance — someone who comfortably smokes an entire joint might find 10mg of edibles plenty strong.

What to Do If You Feel Uncomfortable

First, remember that no one has ever experienced lasting harm from THC alone. What you're feeling is temporary and will pass, typically within a few hours.

Hydrate with water, find a comfortable environment, and rest. Distracting yourself with calming activities helps — watching familiar shows, listening to music, or talking with a trusted friend.

CBD Can Help

CBD can counterbalance some THC effects. If you have CBD products available, taking some may help you feel more comfortable.

Time is the ultimate solution. Your body will metabolize the THC, and you'll return to baseline. This temporary discomfort is why starting with lower amounts matters.

Educational Disclaimer

We're not medical professionals and can't provide medical advice.

If you have concerns about how THC might interact with medications or health conditions, consult with a licensed healthcare provider. Everyone's reaction to cannabis is unique based on their physiology.

Using Calculators as a Cross-Check

Online edible potency calculators automate the same math we've covered. You input your flower weight, THC percentage, efficiency estimate, and serving count.

The calculator returns mg per piece.

These tools work as verification. After running your calculations manually, check your work with a calculator. If the numbers match, you can proceed confidently.

Estimate-Only Accuracy

Calculators provide estimates based on the information you give them.

They can't account for your specific infusion technique, how thoroughly you mixed, or actual vs theoretical efficiency.

Some calculators offer specialized inputs for distillate or RSO, metric unit conversion, or different infusion methods. These features help with non-standard scenarios but don't change the fundamental limitation — estimates depend on accurate inputs.

Skip the Math with Lab-Tested Products

Not everyone wants to calculate potency. Some readers prefer convenience and predictability over DIY complexity.

 Mood's edibles display exact mg per piece, verified by third-party lab testing.

A package labeled "15mg Delta-9 THC" contains precisely that amount, with Certificates of Analysis confirming accuracy.

Cutting Pre-Portioned Pieces

You can still customize strength with pre-made edibles.

A 30mg gummy cut into sixths produces 5mg portions. Half of a 15mg gummy gives you 7.5mg.

This approach combines the precision of lab testing with the flexibility of adjusting amounts to match your needs. No infusion time, no calculation uncertainty, no hot spot worries.

Storage and Timing for Consistent Potency

Cool, dark, airtight storage preserves THC potency over time. Heat and light degrade cannabinoids, slowly converting THC into less potent compounds.

For Mood gummies , optimal potency and flavor last up to 8 months from purchase date. After that, you might notice weakening effects as natural degradation occurs.

Taking Edibles With Meals

Fatty foods improve cannabinoid absorption. Taking your edible with or after a meal containing fats helps your body process the THC more effectively.

This doesn't make edibles stronger in total potency, but it can make onset more reliable and complete. An empty stomach creates more variable absorption patterns.

Choose Your Path: Calculate, Verify, or Skip

The DIY path: Use the three-step method with 70-80% efficiency adjustment and weight-based portioning for complete control over your edibles. You'll know exactly what's in every piece.

The verification path: Run your calculations through an online calculator for confidence. This double-checking catches math errors and confirms your logic.

The Convenience Path

The convenience path: Choose lab-tested products with clear mg per piece. Skip the infusion time, calculation complexity, and consistency concerns entirely.

Each path is valid. Some readers enjoy the process and customization of making edibles. Others value their time and prefer reliable, ready-to-use products. The right choice depends on your priorities.

Additional Resources

Curious about different types of edibles?

We've covered everything from gummies to baked goods. If you're new to cannabis entirely, start with our guide to the best edibles for beginners.

For those interested in flower, understanding THC content in joints helps you compare different consumption methods. Our storage guide covers keeping all cannabis products fresh.

Mood offers millions of users hemp-derived THC, which is 100% legal and fully compliant cannabis.

You may have heard that the legality of hemp-derived THC is currently under attack, which could threaten the wellness of so many.

Read here to learn how to join the fight, and help us keep hemp cannabis accessible to all for a long time to come.