Protein content
A 1 cup serving of liquid whey contains 2.1 g of protein - only a minor source of protein, about 4% of the 50 g Daily Value.
Share of this food's calories that come from protein - it is more of an energy food than a protein food.
| Serving | 1 cup (246 g) |
|---|---|
| Protein per serving | 2.1 g |
| Protein per 100 g | 0.85 g |
| Calories per serving | 66 kcal |
| Protein density | 13% of calories |
| Share of 50 g Daily Value | 4% |
| Protein quality | Complete protein |
| Category | Dairy |
| Food type | Whole food |
| USDA record | FoodData Central #171282 |
A typical 1 cup serving of liquid whey contains 2.1 grams of protein (0.85 g per 100 g), which makes it only a minor source of protein. That covers roughly 4% of the 50 g reference Daily Value, so it adds toward your protein total for the day.
Around 13% of the calories in liquid whey come from protein, so it is more of an energy food than a protein food. It contributes to a day's protein total, but the bulk of what it delivers is energy rather than amino acids - treat it as a contributor alongside a denser source, not as the protein in a meal.
Among the 81 dairy foods in the database, liquid whey ranks 75th by protein per serving, and 648th out of all 796 foods on the site. Set against neufchatel cheese, another dairy food entry in the database, a serving carries about 0.5 g less protein (neufchatel cheese has 2.6 g per 1 oz).
It is a complete protein - it supplies all nine essential amino acids in adequate amounts, so it can carry a meal's protein on its own. The serving above is measured by volume at 246 g. The per-100 g figure lets you compare it directly against any other food here, whatever its serving.
The watery liquid left after curds are strained off.
Source: USDA FoodData Central #171282 - "Whey, sweet, fluid" (SR Legacy, published 4/1/2019). Values are the published reference figures for that record, not lab measurements for a specific brand or batch.
Quick answers
Liquid whey has 0.85 g of protein per 100 g. A typical 1 cup serving (246 g) provides 2.1 g.
Yes. Liquid whey is a complete protein - it supplies all nine essential amino acids in adequate amounts, so it can carry a meal's protein on its own.
A 1 cup serving of liquid whey contains 2.1 g of protein, about 4% of the 50 g reference Daily Value.
Liquid whey is only a minor source of protein, and about 13% of its calories come from protein, which makes it more of an energy food than a protein food. Set against neufchatel cheese, another dairy food entry in the database, a serving carries about 0.5 g less protein (neufchatel cheese has 2.6 g per 1 oz).
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