In this article, we analyzed the amount of Calories and Protein on the top selling whey powder brands on Amazon. On average, 1 serving of whey protein has:
- 133 calories
- 24 grams of protein
On average, one gram of whey powder has:
- 3.77 calories.
- 0.71 grams of protein.
Whey Protein calories per scoop
For top selling brands, 1 serving of whey protein has 133 calories per scoop on average.
In the table below are listed the best 75 sellers under the whey protein powders category. It includes the following info:
- Calories: calories per serving (stated on the nutrition facts label).
- Protein (g): grams of protein per serving (stated on the nutrition facts label).
- Serving (g): serving size in grams (stated on the nutrition facts label).
- Calories/g: calories per serving gram. It’s calculated by dividing Calories / Serving (g).
- Example: Optimum Nutrition Gold Standard 100% Whey Protein Powder has 130 calories per serving, and the serving size is 33g. So 130 calories / 33 grams per serving = 3.94 calories per serving gram.
- Protein/g: protein per serving ratio. It’s calculated by dividing Protein(g) / Serving (g).
- Example: Optimum Nutrition Gold Standard 100% Whey Protein Powder has 24 grams of protein per serving, and the serving size is 33g. So 24 grams of protein / 33 grams per serving = 0.73 grams of protein per serving gram. You could also say that its protein per serving ratio is 73%.
See below details for the best 75 selling whey proteins (you can click on any column header to sort the table).
If you use any kind of whey protein powder, chances are you are trying to build muscle and/or lose weight. There are many brands of whey protein out there in the market, so how can one differentiate between all of them? What makes one product stand out from the others, aside from price or brand awareness? Two of the factors you should be looking for when choosing a whey protein product are Calories and Protein amount.
For muscle gain, a whey product needs to have the most protein per scoop as possible. Protein is the most essential factor for building muscle since the body uses it to repair any damage caused by exercise, which in turn makes the muscle grow bigger and stronger. So if your goal is gaining muscle, it would make sense to choose whey products with the highest protein per serving ratio since you will get the most protein for your buck.
What is the best whey protein for muscle gain?
The best whey protein for muscle gain is: Opportuniteas Grass Fed Whey Protein Powder Isolate. It has a 90% protein per serving ratio (0.9 grams of protein per gram of whey).
| Name | Protein (g) | Serving (g) | Protein/g |
| Opportuniteas Grass Fed Whey Protein Powder Isolate | 27 | 30 | 90.00% |
If you are looking to lose weight, calories is the most important factor you should be aware of. Your body has a set amount of calories needed to function normally, this is called your “maintenance” level. According to the U.S Department of Health, in order to maintain their bodyweight men need around 2000 to 3000 calories per day, and women need around 1600 to 2400 calories. Of course this amount depends on activity levels, and people that exercise frequently have higher maintenance levels than sedentary people.
For a more accurate calculation of your calories maintenance level, you can use this calorie calculator.
If you are consuming calories above your maintenance level, you will gain weight. So in order to lose weight, you should be consuming calories below your maintenance level. This is commonly known as “calories in, calories out”.
If you are using whey protein and also trying to lose weight, it would be wise to choose a whey product with the lowest amount of calories per gram of whey as possible. This makes it easier to stick to your daily caloric goals.
Whey protein calories per scoop
The whey protein with the lowest amount of calories per gram is: MRM Natural Egg White Protein Powder (3.03 Calories/g).
| Name | Calories | Serving (g) | Calories/g |
| MRM Natural Egg White Protein Powder | 100 | 33 | 3.03 |
Now that we’ve covered both muscle gain and weight loss individually, we can also try to find out what would be the best protein for both muscle gain AND weight loss at the same time. The best whey protein should have both a high protein per serving ratio, and a low amount of calories per gram. It’s not enough to have a high rating in just one of the two aspects to be considered the best.
For example, Opportuniteas Grass Fed Whey Protein Powder Isolate has the highest protein per serving ratio at 90%, but its amount of calories per gram is 3.83 (higher than the 3.77 average). In a similar way, MRM Natural Egg White Protein Powder has the lowest amount of calories per gram at 3.03, however its protein per serving ratio is only 69.70% (lower than the 71.20% average). So neither of these whey products can be considered the best for both muscle gain and weight loss.
Whey protein for muscle gain and weight loss
The best whey protein for muscle gain and weight loss is: Isopure – in many of its presentations, including: Naturally Flavored, Carb Unflavored, Zero Carb and Low Carb. Overall, they have an above average rating for calories per gram and protein per serving ratio, so they will give you the most bang for your buck if you’re trying to gain muscle and lose weight at the same time.
| Name | Calories | Protein (g) | Serving (g) | Calories/g | Protein/g |
| Isopure Naturally Flavored | 100 | 25 | 30 | 3.33 | 83.33% |
| Isopure Zero Carb Unflavored | 100 | 25 | 29 | 3.45 | 86.21% |
| Isopure Zero Carb | 100 | 25 | 31 | 3.23 | 80.65% |
| Isopure Low Carb | 100 | 25 | 32 | 3.13 | 78.13% |
If you are looking to gain muscle and lose weight, our folks at garagegymreviews.com have put together an awesome guide for bulking and cutting with the help of Dr. Mike Masi (physical therapist and certified sports nutritionist). Here they explain the common misconceptions around weight loss, so we recommend you go check it out.
On the other hand, with this research, we can also determine what are the worst whey powders when it comes to calories and protein amount.
Whey protein with most calories
The whey protein with most calories per gram is Redcon1 MRE Lite (Banana Nut Bread), with 4.62 calories per gram. Definitely avoid this one if your goal is losing weight.
| Name | Calories | Protein (g) | Serving (g) | Calories/g |
| Redcon1 MRE Lite (Banana Nut Bread) | 134 | 24 | 29 | 4.62 |
Whey powder with lowest protein per serving ratio
The whey with the lowest protein per serving ratio is Muscle Milk Genuine Protein Powder, only 45.71% of the serving is protein. It’s not as effective in building muscle as the other brands.
| Name | Calories | Protein (g) | Serving (g) | Calories/g | Protein/g |
| Muscle Milk Genuine Protein Powder | 280 | 32 | 70 | 4.00 | 45.71% |
Want to know more?
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In conclusion, you should choose a whey protein based on your needs. The best known, “go-to” brands might not always be the best option for you. We have presented you with all the information and real statistics of these whey products, to help you in your decision making process. If there’s any whey product not listed in this article that you would like to see, please contact us!
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