Whey is a water-like liquid that is a by-product of the process that is used to create cheese from milk. There are two main types of whey, known as sweet whey and acid whey, depending on what type of cheese was being created that generated the whey. Sweet whey is generally produced from the creation of cottage cheese, while acid whey is generally produced from the creation of hard cheeses.
Calories, Fat, Cholesterol and Sodium
One cup of acid whey contains 59 calories, while 1 cup of sweet whey contains 66.4 calories. The acid whey only contains 0.2 g of total fat and 0.1 g of saturated fat; the sweet whey is slightly higher, with 0.9 g of total fat and 0.6 g of saturated fat. The sweet whey also contains slightly more sodium content -- 132.8 mg compared to acid whey's 118.1 mg. According to the Mayo Clinic, consuming more than 1,500 mg of sodium per day may increase your risk of heart disease.
Carbohydrates and Protein
There are 12.6 g total carbohydrates in a cup of either type of whey, with no dietary fiber. The acid whey contains 1.9 g of protein; the sweet whey contains 2.1 g of protein. According to Medline Plus by the National Institutes of Health, your muscles and skin are two of the primary systems that need protein for your body to maintain them. However, all of your body's cells -- including those from other systems -- also contain protein.
Vitamins
A cup of acid whey contains 17.2 IU of vitamin A and 0.2 mg of vitamin C, 0.1 mg of vitamin B1, 0.3 mg of vitamin B2, 0.2 mg of vitamin B3, 0.9 mg of vitamin B5, 0.1 mg of vitamin B6, 4.9 mcg of folate and 0.4 mcg of vitamin B12. A cup of sweet whey contains 29.5 IU of vitamin A, 0.2 mg of vitamin C, 0.1 mg of vitamin B1, 0.4 mg of vitamin B2, 0.2 mg of vitamin B3, 0.9 mg of vitamin B5, 0.1 mg of vitamin B6, 2.5 mcg of folate and 0.7 mcg of vitamin B12.
Minerals
There are 253.4 mg of calcium, 191.9 mg of phosphorus and 351.8 mg of potassium in each 1-cup serving of acid whey. The same amount of sweet whey, however, contains 115.6 mg of calcium, 113.2 mg of phosphorus and 396.1 mg of potassium.
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