Food · Dairy and Egg Products

Whey nutrition facts

A typical portion of whey (1 cup; 246 g, acid, fluid) has 60 calories and 2g of protein (USDA FoodData Central). USDA lists 2 descriptions of it: per 100 g they range from 24 calories (acid, fluid) to 339 (acid, dried).

Nutrition Facts

Serving size1 cup (246g)

AmountPortion

Amount per serving

Calories60

% Daily Value*

Total Fat 0g0%

Saturated Fat 0g1%

Trans Fat not declared

Cholesterol <5mg1%

Sodium 120mg5%

Total Carbohydrate 13g5%

Dietary Fiber 0g0%

Total Sugars 13g

Includes Added Sugars not declared

Protein 2g4%

Vitamin D not declared

Calcium 250mg19%

Iron 0.2mg1%

Potassium 350mg7%

* The % Daily Value (DV) tells you how much a nutrient in a serving of food contributes to a daily diet. 2,000 calories a day is used for general nutrition advice. Protein % DV here is not corrected for protein quality.

USDA values per 100 g for Whey, acid, fluid, scaled to the portion. Check the USDA record.

Protein per 100 g: 0.8g; more than 13% of 8,218 USDA reference foods
Calories per 100 g: 24; more than 5% of reference foods
Sodium per 100 g: 48mg; more than 32% of reference foods

1 cup weighs 246 g in USDA's record for Whey, acid, fluid (FDC 170885); across 2 records of whey USDA weighs it at 57 to 246 g, so a linked record can show a different gram weight for the same measure.

Where the calories come from: 84% carbohydrate, 3% fat and 12% protein (4 calories a gram of protein or carbohydrate, 9 of fat).

Also rich in

Riboflavin0.3 mg in 1 cup (246 g), 26% of the Daily Value
Vitamin B120.4 µg in 1 cup (246 g), 18% of the Daily Value
Phosphorus192 mg in 1 cup (246 g), 15% of the Daily Value

Source: USDA FoodData Central (FDC 170885), every nutrient the record reports; FDA Daily Values, 21 CFR 101.9.

Every form of whey USDA describes

Acid, dried has the most calories per 100 g (339); the fewest: Acid, fluid (24)

Per 100 g, USDA FoodData Central. The violet bar is the form on the label at left.

All 2 USDA descriptions of whey, per 100 g
USDA description	Calories	Protein	Fat	Sodium
Whey, acid, fluid	24	0.8 g	0.1 g	48 mg
Whey, acid, dried	339	11.7 g	0.5 g	968 mg

Every nutrient in this record (83)

The portion is 1 cup (246 g); % DV is for that portion.

Energy, macronutrients and sugars (13)

Nutrient	Per portion	Per 100 g	% DV
Protein	1.87 g	0.76 g	4%
Total lipid (fat)	0.22 g	0.090 g	0%
Carbohydrate, by difference	12.6 g	5.12 g	5%
Ash	1.50 g	0.61 g
Energy	59.0 kcal	24.0 kcal
Alcohol, ethyl	0 g	0 g
Water	230 g	93.4 g
Total Sugars	12.6 g	5.12 g
Fiber, total dietary	0 g	0 g	0%
Cholesterol	2.46 mg	1.00 mg	1%
Fatty acids, total saturated	0.14 g	0.057 g	1%
Fatty acids, total monounsaturated	0.062 g	0.025 g
Fatty acids, total polyunsaturated	0.0098 g	0.0040 g

Minerals (10)

Nutrient	Per portion	Per 100 g	% DV
Calcium, Ca	253 mg	103 mg	19%
Iron, Fe	0.20 mg	0.080 mg	1%
Magnesium, Mg	24.6 mg	10.0 mg	6%
Phosphorus, P	192 mg	78.0 mg	15%
Potassium, K	352 mg	143 mg	7%
Sodium, Na	118 mg	48.0 mg	5%
Zinc, Zn	1.06 mg	0.43 mg	10%
Copper, Cu	0.0074 mg	0.0030 mg	1%
Manganese, Mn	0.0049 mg	0.0020 mg	0%
Selenium, Se	4.43 µg	1.80 µg	8%

Vitamins (21)

Nutrient	Per portion	Per 100 g	% DV
Retinol	4.92 µg	2.00 µg
Vitamin A, RAE	4.92 µg	2.00 µg	1%
Carotene, beta	0 µg	0 µg
Carotene, alpha	0 µg	0 µg
Vitamin E (alpha-tocopherol)	0 mg	0 mg	0%
Cryptoxanthin, beta	0 µg	0 µg
Lycopene	0 µg	0 µg
Lutein + zeaxanthin	0 µg	0 µg
Vitamin C, total ascorbic acid	0.25 mg	0.10 mg	0%
Thiamin	0.10 mg	0.042 mg	9%
Riboflavin	0.34 mg	0.14 mg	26%
Niacin	0.19 mg	0.079 mg	1%
Pantothenic acid	0.94 mg	0.38 mg
Vitamin B-6	0.10 mg	0.042 mg	6%
Folate, total	4.92 µg	2.00 µg
Vitamin B-12	0.44 µg	0.18 µg	18%
Choline, total	39.4 mg	16.0 mg	7%
Vitamin K (phylloquinone)	0 µg	0 µg	0%
Folic acid	0 µg	0 µg
Folate, food	4.92 µg	2.00 µg
Folate, DFE	4.92 µg	2.00 µg	1%

Amino acids (18)

Nutrient	Per portion	Per 100 g
Tryptophan	0.039 g	0.016 g
Threonine	0.093 g	0.038 g
Isoleucine	0.093 g	0.038 g
Leucine	0.18 g	0.072 g
Lysine	0.16 g	0.065 g
Methionine	0.034 g	0.014 g
Cystine	0.034 g	0.014 g
Phenylalanine	0.062 g	0.025 g
Tyrosine	0.047 g	0.019 g
Valine	0.093 g	0.038 g
Arginine	0.052 g	0.021 g
Histidine	0.037 g	0.015 g
Alanine	0.081 g	0.033 g
Aspartic acid	0.18 g	0.074 g
Glutamic acid	0.33 g	0.14 g
Glycine	0.034 g	0.014 g
Proline	0.11 g	0.045 g
Serine	0.086 g	0.035 g

Fatty acids (19)

Nutrient	Per portion	Per 100 g
SFA 4:0	0.0098 g	0.0040 g
SFA 6:0	0.0025 g	0.0010 g
SFA 8:0	0.0025 g	0.0010 g
SFA 10:0	0.0049 g	0.0020 g
SFA 12:0	0.0025 g	0.0010 g
SFA 14:0	0.020 g	0.0080 g
SFA 16:0	0.062 g	0.025 g
SFA 18:0	0.025 g	0.010 g
MUFA 18:1	0.047 g	0.019 g
PUFA 18:2	0.0074 g	0.0030 g
PUFA 18:3	0 g	0 g
PUFA 20:4	0 g	0 g
PUFA 22:6 n-3 (DHA)	0 g	0 g
MUFA 16:1	0.0098 g	0.0040 g
PUFA 18:4	0 g	0 g
MUFA 20:1	0 g	0 g
PUFA 20:5 n-3 (EPA)	0 g	0 g
MUFA 22:1	0 g	0 g
PUFA 22:5 n-3 (DPA)	0 g	0 g

Source: USDA FoodData Central, FDC 170885: every value the record reports, per 100 g as USDA gives it and scaled to the portion; Daily Values: 21 CFR 101.9.

Source: USDA FoodData Central (SR Legacy, Foundation Foods and Survey foods), April 30, 2026 release.

Questions

How many calories are in whey?

60 in 1 cup (246 g) of acid, fluid; 24 to 339 per 100 g across USDA's descriptions.

How much protein is in whey?

2g in 1 cup; 0.8 g per 100 g.

How much sodium is in whey?

120mg in 1 cup; 48 mg per 100 g. Salt added in cooking changes it: USDA lists salted and unsalted forms separately where it measured both.

Sources for this page

USDA FoodData Central: the food and product records, April 30, 2026 release. fdc.nal.usda.gov
FoodData Central documentation: what each data type is and how branded records are submitted. fdc.nal.usda.gov
USDA Food and Nutrient Database for Dietary Studies: the survey foods and their portions. ars.usda.gov
21 CFR 101.9, Nutrition labeling of food: the label format, rounding and Daily Values. ecfr.gov
FDA, How to Understand and Use the Nutrition Facts Label: the 5% and 20% Daily Value rule. fda.gov