Food database · Protein supplements
Protein content
A 1 scoop serving of whey protein powder contains 20.3 g of protein - a very good source of protein, about 41% of the 50 g Daily Value.
Share of this food's calories that come from protein - it is extremely protein-dense.
| Serving | 1 scoop (26 g) |
|---|---|
| Protein per serving | 20.3 g |
| Protein per 100 g | 78.1 g |
| Calories per serving | 92 kcal |
| Protein density | 89% of calories |
| Share of 50 g Daily Value | 41% |
| Protein quality | Complete protein |
| Category | Protein supplements |
| Food type | Prepared / processed |
| USDA record | FoodData Central #2710742 |
A typical 1 scoop serving of whey protein powder contains 20.3 grams of protein (78.1 g per 100 g), which makes it a very good source of protein. That covers roughly 41% of the 50 g reference Daily Value, so it can anchor a high-protein meal for the day.
About 89% of the calories in whey protein powder come from protein, which makes it extremely protein-dense - close to the practical ceiling for a whole food. Foods in this band are the ones that let you raise your protein intake without raising your calorie intake much at all.
Among the 11 protein supplements in the database, whey protein powder ranks 4th by protein per serving, and 146th out of all 796 foods on the site. Set against soy protein concentrate, another protein supplement entry in the database, a serving carries about 2.5 g more protein (soy protein concentrate has 17.8 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 counted by piece at 26 g. Because pieces vary, the per-100 g figure is the one to use when comparing this against a food measured a different way.
Rich in leucine, the amino acid that most strongly triggers muscle-protein synthesis. Whey is fast-digesting and among the highest-quality proteins available.
Source: USDA FoodData Central #2710742 - "Nutritional powder mix, whey based, NFS" (Survey (FNDDS), published 10/31/2024). Values are the published reference figures for that record, not lab measurements for a specific brand or batch.
Quick answers
Whey protein powder has 78.1 g of protein per 100 g. A typical 1 scoop serving (26 g) provides 20.3 g.
Yes. Whey protein powder 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 scoop serving of whey protein powder contains 20.3 g of protein, about 41% of the 50 g reference Daily Value.
Whey protein powder is a very good source of protein, and about 89% of its calories come from protein, which makes it extremely protein-dense. Set against soy protein concentrate, another protein supplement entry in the database, a serving carries about 2.5 g more protein (soy protein concentrate has 17.8 g per 1 oz).
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