Salmon vs. Whey Protein Powder

Nutrition comparison of Salmon 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 salmon versus whey protein powder (100g each) below using 2020 USDA and NIH data[1].

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

  • Both salmon and whey protein powder are high in calories, potassium and protein.
  • For omega-3 fatty acids, salmon has more dha, epa and dpa than whey protein powder.
  • Salmon is an excellent source of Vitamin D.
  • Whey protein powder has more thiamin, riboflavin and folate, however, salmon contains more niacin and pantothenic acid.
  • Whey protein powder is an excellent source of calcium and dietary fiber.
Detailed nutritional comparison of salmon 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: Salmon (Fish, salmon, pink, raw) and Whey Protein Powder (Protein powder, whey based, NFS) . Have a correction or suggestions? Shoot us an email.


Calories and Carbs

calories

Both salmon and whey protein powder are high in calories. Whey protein powder has 177% more calories than salmon - salmon has 127 calories per 100 grams and whey protein powder has 352 calories.

For macronutrient ratios, salmon is much lighter in protein, lighter in carbs and much heavier in fat compared to whey protein powder per calorie. Salmon has a macronutrient ratio of 67:0:33 and for whey protein powder, 89:7:4 for protein, carbohydrates and fat from calories.

Macro Ratios from Calories:

Salmon Whey Protein Powder
Protein 67% 89%
Carbohydrates ~ 7%
Fat 33% 4%
Alcohol ~ ~

carbohydrates

Salmon has less carbohydrates than whey protein powder - whey protein powder has 6.3g of total carbs per 100 grams and salmon does not contain significant amounts.

dietary fiber

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

Protein

protein

Both salmon and whey protein powder are high in protein. Whey protein powder has 281% more protein than salmon - salmon has 20.5g of protein per 100 grams and whey protein powder has 78.1g of protein.

Fat

saturated fat

Both salmon and whey protein powder are low in saturated fat - salmon has 0.81g of saturated fat per 100 grams and whey protein powder has 0.78g of saturated fat.

trans fat

Both salmon and whey protein powder are low in trans fat - salmon has 0.03g of trans fat per 100 grams and whey protein powder does not contain significant amounts.

cholesterol

Salmon and whey protein powder contain similar amounts of cholesterol - salmon has 46mg of cholesterol per 100 grams and whey protein powder has 16mg of cholesterol.

Vitamins

Vitamin A

Salmon has more Vitamin A than whey protein powder - salmon has 35ug of Vitamin A per 100 grams and whey protein powder does not contain significant amounts.

Vitamin D

Salmon is an excellent source of Vitamin D and it has more Vitamin D than whey protein powder - salmon has 435iu of Vitamin D per 100 grams and whey protein powder does not contain significant amounts.

Vitamin E

Salmon has more Vitamin E than whey protein powder - salmon has 0.4mg of Vitamin E per 100 grams and whey protein powder does not contain significant amounts.

Vitamin K

Salmon and whey protein powder contain similar amounts of Vitamin K - salmon has 0.4ug 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 and folate, however, salmon contains more niacin and pantothenic acid. Both salmon and whey protein powder contain significant amounts of Vitamin B6 and Vitamin B12.

Salmon Whey Protein Powder
Thiamin 0.08 MG 0.609 MG
Riboflavin 0.105 MG 2.017 MG
Niacin 7.995 MG 1.136 MG
Pantothenic acid 1.03 MG ~
Vitamin B6 0.611 MG 0.607 MG
Folate 4 UG 33 UG
Vitamin B12 4.15 UG 2.45 UG

Minerals

calcium

Whey protein powder is an excellent source of calcium and it has 66 times more calcium than salmon - salmon has 7mg of calcium per 100 grams and whey protein powder has 469mg of calcium.

iron

Whey protein powder has 197% more iron than salmon - salmon has 0.38mg of iron per 100 grams and whey protein powder has 1.1mg of iron.

potassium

Both salmon and whey protein powder are high in potassium. Whey protein powder has 37% more potassium than salmon - salmon has 366mg 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, salmon has more DHA, EPA and DPA than whey protein powder per 100 grams. Both salmon and whey protein powder contain significant amounts of alpha linoleic acid (ALA).

Salmon Whey Protein Powder
alpha linoleic acid 0.047 G 0.034 G
DHA 0.333 G ~
EPA 0.182 G ~
DPA 0.047 G ~
Total 0.609 G 0.034 G

omega 6s

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

Salmon Whey Protein Powder
other omega 6 0.004 G ~
linoleic acid 0.081 G 0.264 G
Total 0.085 G 0.264 G



Customize your serving size


The comparison below is by weight, but sometimes 100g isn't that intuitive of a measurement for food. View a custom portion comparison (e.g. cups, oz, package).

You can try adding or subtracting the amount of either Salmon or Whey Protein Powder .

Note: The specific food items compared are: Salmon (Fish, salmon, pink, raw) and Whey Protein Powder (Protein powder, whey based, NFS) .

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FAQ

Does salmon or whey protein powder contain more calories in 100 grams?
Both salmon and whey protein powder are high in calories. Whey protein powder has 180% more calories than salmon - salmon has 127 calories in 100g and whey protein powder has 352 calories.

Is salmon or whey protein powder better for protein?
Both salmon and whey protein powder are high in protein. Whey protein powder has 280% more protein than salmon - salmon has 20.5g of protein per 100 grams and whey protein powder has 78.1g of protein.

Does salmon or whey protein powder contain more calcium?
Whey protein powder is a rich source of calcium and it has 66 times more calcium than salmon - salmon has 7mg of calcium in 100 grams and whey protein powder has 469mg of calcium.

Does salmon or whey protein powder contain more potassium?
Both salmon and whey protein powder are high in potassium. Whey protein powder has 40% more potassium than salmon - salmon has 366mg of potassium in 100 grams and whey protein powder has 500mg of potassium.