Milk vs. Whey Protein Powder

Nutrition comparison of Milk and Whey Protein Powder


Ever wonder how your favorite foods stack up against each other in terms of nutrition?

We compared the nutritional contents of milk versus whey protein powder (100g each) below using 2020 USDA and NIH data[1].

For a quick recap of significant nutrients and differences in milk and whey protein powder:

  • Both milk and whey protein powder are high in calcium.
  • Whey protein powder has more thiamin, riboflavin, niacin, Vitamin B6, folate and Vitamin B12, however, milk contains more pantothenic acid.
  • Whey protein powder is an excellent source of dietary fiber, potassium and protein.
Detailed nutritional comparison of milk and whey protein powder is analyzed below. You can also visualize the nutritional comparison for a custom portion or serving size and see how the nutrition compares.

USDA sources for nutritional information: Milk (Milk, reduced fat, fluid, 2% milkfat, with added vitamin A and vitamin D) and Whey Protein Powder (Protein powder, whey based, NFS) . Have a correction or suggestions? Shoot us an email.


Calories and Carbs

calories

Whey protein powder is high in calories and milk has 86% less calories than whey protein powder - milk has 50 calories per 100 grams and whey protein powder has 352 calories.

For macronutrient ratios, milk is much lighter in protein, much heavier in carbs and much heavier in fat compared to whey protein powder per calorie. Milk has a macronutrient ratio of 27:38:35 and for whey protein powder, 89:7:4 for protein, carbohydrates and fat from calories.

Macro Ratios from Calories:

Milk Whey Protein Powder
Protein 27% 89%
Carbohydrates 38% 7%
Fat 35% 4%
Alcohol ~ ~

carbohydrates

Milk and whey protein powder contain similar amounts of carbs - milk has 4.8g of total carbs per 100 grams and whey protein powder has 6.3g of carbohydrates.

dietary fiber

Whey protein powder is an excellent source of dietary fiber and it has more dietary fiber than milk - whey protein powder has 3.1g of dietary fiber per 100 grams and milk does not contain significant amounts.

sugar

Whey protein powder has less sugar than milk - milk has 5.1g of sugar per 100 grams and whey protein powder does not contain significant amounts.

Protein

protein

Whey protein powder is an excellent source of protein and it has 22 times more protein than milk - milk has 3.3g of protein per 100 grams and whey protein powder has 78.1g of protein.

Fat

saturated fat

Milk and whey protein powder contain similar amounts of saturated fat - milk has 1.3g of saturated fat per 100 grams and whey protein powder has 0.78g of saturated fat.

trans fat

Both milk and whey protein powder are low in trans fat - milk has 0.09g of trans fat per 100 grams and whey protein powder does not contain significant amounts.

cholesterol

Milk and whey protein powder contain similar amounts of cholesterol - milk has 8mg of cholesterol per 100 grams and whey protein powder has 16mg of cholesterol.

Vitamins

Vitamin C

Milk and whey protein powder contain similar amounts of Vitamin C - milk has 0.2mg of Vitamin C per 100 grams and whey protein powder does not contain significant amounts.

Vitamin A

Milk has more Vitamin A than whey protein powder - milk has 55ug of Vitamin A per 100 grams and whey protein powder does not contain significant amounts.

Vitamin D

Milk has more Vitamin D than whey protein powder - milk has 49iu of Vitamin D per 100 grams and whey protein powder does not contain significant amounts.

Vitamin E

Milk and whey protein powder contain similar amounts of Vitamin E - milk has 0.03mg of Vitamin E per 100 grams and whey protein powder does not contain significant amounts.

Vitamin K

Milk and whey protein powder contain similar amounts of Vitamin K - milk has 0.2ug of Vitamin K per 100 grams and whey protein powder does not contain significant amounts.

The B Vitamins

Whey protein powder has more thiamin, riboflavin, niacin, Vitamin B6, folate and Vitamin B12, however, milk contains more pantothenic acid.

Milk Whey Protein Powder
Thiamin 0.039 MG 0.609 MG
Riboflavin 0.185 MG 2.017 MG
Niacin 0.092 MG 1.136 MG
Pantothenic acid 0.356 MG ~
Vitamin B6 0.038 MG 0.607 MG
Folate 5 UG 33 UG
Vitamin B12 0.53 UG 2.45 UG

Minerals

calcium

Both milk and whey protein powder are high in calcium. Whey protein powder has 291% more calcium than milk - milk has 120mg of calcium per 100 grams and whey protein powder has 469mg of calcium.

iron

Whey protein powder has 55 times more iron than milk - milk has 0.02mg of iron per 100 grams and whey protein powder has 1.1mg of iron.

potassium

Whey protein powder is an excellent source of potassium and it has 257% more potassium than milk - milk has 140mg of potassium per 100 grams and whey protein powder has 500mg of potassium.

Omega-3 and Omega-6

omega 3s

For omega-3 fatty acids, whey protein powder has more alpha linoleic acid (ALA) than milk per 100 grams.

Milk Whey Protein Powder
alpha linoleic acid 0.008 G 0.034 G
Total 0.008 G 0.034 G

omega 6s

Comparing omega-6 fatty acids, whey protein powder has more linoleic acid than milk per 100 grams.

Milk Whey Protein Powder
other omega 6 0.004 G ~
linoleic acid 0.062 G 0.264 G
Total 0.066 G 0.264 G



Customize your serving size


The comparison below is by common portions, e.g. cups, packages. You can also see a more concrete comparison by weight at equal weight (by grams) comparison.

Note: The specific food items compared are: Milk (Milk, reduced fat, fluid, 2% milkfat, with added vitamin A and vitamin D) and Whey Protein Powder (Protein powder, whey based, NFS) .

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FAQ

Does milk or whey protein powder contain more calories in 100 grams?
Whey protein powder is high in calories and milk has 90% less calories than whey protein powder - milk has 50 calories in 100g and whey protein powder has 352 calories.

Is milk or whey protein powder better for protein?
Whey protein powder is a fantastic source of protein and it has 22 times more protein than milk - milk has 3.3g of protein per 100 grams and whey protein powder has 78.1g of protein.

Does milk or whey protein powder have more carbohydrates?
By weight, milk and whey protein powder contain similar amounts of carbs - milk has 4.8g of carbs for 100g and whey protein powder has 6.3g of carbohydrates.

Does milk or whey protein powder contain more calcium?
Both milk and whey protein powder are high in calcium. Whey protein powder has 290% more calcium than milk - milk has 120mg of calcium in 100 grams and whey protein powder has 469mg of calcium.

Does milk or whey protein powder contain more potassium?
Whey protein powder is a rich source of potassium and it has 260% more potassium than milk - milk has 140mg of potassium in 100 grams and whey protein powder has 500mg of potassium.

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