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Whey Protein

Protein ingredient derived from whey.

Whey Protein — illustrative ingredient image

About Whey Protein

Whey protein is a protein ingredient separated and concentrated from whey, then commonly dried into a powder. Commercial forms include whey protein concentrate, isolate, and hydrolysed whey protein, which differ in processing, composition, solubility, and flavour.

The powder is generally cream to pale yellow and may taste milky, mildly sweet, or savoury. Mixing behaviour varies by processing and formulation; flavourings, sweeteners, emulsifiers, and other blend components can change the sensory result and texture of the finished food.

Whey protein is sold as a dry powder for shakes, drink powders, nutrition bars, baked goods, desserts, and other formulated foods. Hydration disperses or dissolves it to varying degrees, while baking or incorporation into a mixture changes the powder into a set, aerated, or otherwise prepared product.

Ingredient type
derived ingredient
Form
protein

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Where whey protein appears

0 linked foods

Find foods to recognise by country and type. Recipes and products vary; these are recorded ingredient connections.

Food connections are still being added.

No linked foods are available for this ingredient yet.

Name examples awaiting language review. Confirm the specific food or product.

Local names for whey protein

Names and romanised forms to recognise on menus and labels.

English

Whey Protein

English

Whey protein (as part-nature)

Search alias · Not a confirmed translation

Available names only. Languages may be spoken in other countries; a name alone does not identify every ingredient in a dish.

Whey Protein nutrition & diet

Whey Protein nutritional value

Reference: Protein powder, whey based, protein >70%, unfortified

Per 100 g of the edible portion of the stated reference food.

Calories
374.8kcal
Protein
85.0g
Carbs
1.6g
Fat
2.2g

Reference example for the named food and preparation, per 100 g edible portion. This is not a universal value for every recipe or brand; packaged products should be compared with their own label. © Food Standards Australia New Zealand. AFCD Release 3, food F007493. Available carbohydrate excludes sugar alcohols; energy converted from kJ to kcal (÷4.184). Australian data may not be appropriate for use in other countries. There are limitations associated with food composition databases. Food composition data used in the database or databases may represent an average of the nutrient content of a particular sample of foods and ingredients, determined at a particular time. The nutrient composition of foods and ingredients can vary substantially between batches and brands because of a number of factors, including changes in season, processing practices and ingredient source, and methods of calculation. Data licensed under the FSANZ Data User Licence Agreement, based on CC BY-SA 3.0 AU: https://www.foodstandards.gov.au/science-data/monitoringnutrients/afcd/datauserlicenceagreement.

Portions & preparation

Identify the product type—concentrate, isolate, hydrolysate, or blended powder—and use the prepared or dry portion specified by the product. Flavorings, sweeteners, gums, oils, and cereal carriers affect the complete formulation. Do not apply a plain whey reference to a multi-ingredient supplement or food.

Compare the right form: Match the exact whey protein form—concentrate, isolate, hydrolysate, or blend—and the same dry powder or prepared serving.

Diet considerations

Whey protein is animal-derived from milk. Compatibility changes with lactose-containing fractions, flavorings, sweeteners, dairy additions, cereal ingredients, and processing aids; brand formulation matters. The portion-dependent carbohydrate pattern varies among concentrates, isolates, and blended products, so the ingredient list must be reviewed for composite powders.

AI-authored reading notes · Awaiting editorial review. Measured values, where available, have a separate source above.

Dietary compatibility

  • Vegan
    Typically incompatible
  • Vegetarian
    Depends on the version
  • Pescatarian
    Depends on the version
  • Keto
    Not established
  • Paleo
    Typically incompatible
  • Low-carb
    Not established
  • Halal
    Not established
  • Kosher
    Not established
What these diet assessments mean
Vegan · Typically incompatible
The ingredient profile identifies an animal-derived food or derivative.
Vegetarian · Depends on the version
Check the coagulant or rennet source: animal rennet and vegetarian alternatives are both relevant to this category.
Pescatarian · Depends on the version
Check the coagulant or rennet source: animal rennet and vegetarian alternatives are both relevant to this category.
Keto · Not established
A defined serving and sourced carbohydrate data are needed before assessing this dietary pattern.
Paleo · Typically incompatible
This profile falls outside the conventional paleo pattern used here (grains and pseudograins, legumes, dairy or refined sugar).
Low-carb · Not established
A defined serving and sourced carbohydrate data are needed before assessing this dietary pattern.
Halal · Not established
Sourcing, processing and any applicable certification have not been verified. A food name alone does not establish halal status.
Kosher · Not established
Sourcing, processing and any applicable certification have not been verified. A food name alone does not establish kosher status.

For the plain ingredient · Awaiting review. Diet compatibility is not allergy suitability or halal/kosher certification. Keto and low-carb depend on the portion.

Reviewed ingredient entryIngredient reference · Preparations vary

AI-generated illustration for visual context. It does not identify a particular product or establish allergen content.

Sources & review

Nutrition reference: Australian Food Composition Database, Release 3, 2025 — Protein powder, whey based, protein >70%, unfortified ↗. Values are scaled from 100 g of the recorded edible form. Individual portions have no assumed fixed weight.

Expanded overview, name examples and nutrition notes are database drafts awaiting editorial review. Numeric nutrition values, where shown, have their own source and food-form reference.

The ingredient description and dish connections come from the draft catalogue and may change after review.

Last recorded verification: .