Whey Protein Powder Nutritional Facts

Whey is the liquid byproduct of cheese production. Acid whey comes from ricotta and cottage cheese, while sweet whey comes from producing hard cheese, and it is more common than acid whey in the United States. To get whey protein powder, manufacturers extract and dry proteins from the liquid whey. The United States produces about 535,000 tons of whey protein powder per year, according to the U.S. Food and Drug Administration.

Calories

A serving size of 31g, or slightly over 1 oz., of 100 percent whey protein powder has 120 calories. It has 2g of fat and 1g of saturated fat. It has 4g of carbohydrates, including 2g of sugar. The natural sugar in whey is lactose, or milk sugar. Acid whey is slightly lower in lactose than sweet whey. This 31g serving has 21g of protein, or 42 percent of the daily recommended intake for protein.

Protein

Protein can be up to 90 percent of the weight of whey protein concentrate, notes the FDA. Athletes who want to bulk up or build strength commonly use whey protein powder as a dietary supplement because it provides such a high amount of protein. The Iowa State University Eat to Compete program states that strength training athletes need about 0.6 to 0.8g protein per 1 lb. of body weight per day. Because the average American consumes about 1.5g protein per 1 lb. of body weight per day, a whey protein powder supplement may not be beneficial for most athletes.

Amino Acids

The building blocks of proteins are amino acids. According to the Iowa State University Eat to Compete program, eight of the 20 dietary amino acids are essential, which means that you must get them from food. The amino acid composition determines the quality of proteins and a complete protein contains all eight of the essential amino acids. According to the McKinley Health Center at the University of Illinois, whey protein has the highest biological value of any protein and the body can absorb and use it efficiently.

Leucine

The Whey Protein Institute states that leucine is an essential amino acid in whey protein. Leucine, isoleucine and valine are the branched-chain amino acids. Muscles use these amino acids preferentially during exercise and resistance training, and other body tissues do not metabolize the branched-chain amino acids. Leucine supports muscle growth and may decrease body fat. Whey protein powder is better source of leucine than eggs, milk or soy protein powder.

Nutritional Uses

Whey protein powder has many nutraceutical and pharmaceutical applications, according to the FDA, . Athletes use whey protein powder as dietary supplements for muscle building. Baby formula can contain whey protein powder because of its protein content and high-quality amino acid composition. It is also a common ingredient in nutritional support supplements such as weight-gaining shakes because it is soluble in water and high in protein and calories. The food industry can also use whey protein powder as an ingredient to lower the fat content and increase the protein content in reduced-fat products.