How Many Calories In Protein Powder (Average Values)

The calorie count in a protein shake is determined by its contents.

Whether you want to bulk up or slim down, you should always track your calorie intake.

One scoop (around 32 grams) of typical lower-calorie protein powder has 113 calories, 4.5 percent of which come from fat.

Below are the average nutrition facts of protein powders per scoop:

• Overall fat composition is 0.5 grams, amounting to 0.3 grams of saturated fat. There is no trans fat.
• 0.01 grams of polyunsaturated fat, as well as monounsaturated fat.
• Cholesterol is 5.1 milligrams, which is 2 percent of the daily requirement.
• The sodium content is 50 milligrams, which accounts for 2 percent of the daily dietary value.
• 160 milligrams of potassium on average; therefore, it will meet 5 percent of your daily potassium needs.
• The carbohydrate content is 2 grams, with dietary fiber accounting for 1 percent.
• 25 grams of protein. The given quantity of protein powder contains 2 percent iron and 12 percent calcium [1].

"Protein shakes are a great source of the nutrient because they're often low in fat, portable, easy to access, and can be added to whatever you want for a big protein boost."

-  Kristen Gradney, R.D.N.

Commercially manufactured protein powders, such as vanilla protein powder, may comprise ingredients that add more calories to protein shakes.

These ingredients include:

• Artificial flavors/sweeteners: Sucralose, aspartame, corn syrup, and saccharin are common artificial sweeteners used in protein powders. Some individuals may have unfavorable responses to these sweeteners, which can include headaches, gastrointestinal irritation, and weight gain.
• Powdered skim milk/milk solids: Skim milk powders and solids are frequently employed as a low-cost bulking ingredient in lower-quality protein powders. They contain a lot of lactose sugars that add more calories to the protein shake and potentially increase blood sugar [4].
• Vegetable fats and oils: Many fat-loss and protein shakes use these substances to improve richness, thus making them taste creamy. They contain trans fat, which adds a significant number of calories to the protein shake.
• Fillers: Fillers are commonly used to bulk up proteins and save expenses for the producer. Coconut flour, prebiotic fiber, sugar, and other substances are examples of fillers contained in protein powders.

Although these additives provide calories, most of them come from concentrated protein content.

When you make a shake, the additions are more likely to be whole-food components such as fruits, nut butter, honey, and cocoa powder that can make you gain weight.

Here’s the nutritional information about the whole food components you can expect in protein shakes:

• A midsize banana provides around 105 calories to the shake.
• A teaspoon of nut butter has around 94 calories.
• A teaspoon of honey contains 64 calories.
• A teaspoon of cocoa powder contains 12 calories [5].

I usually mix my protein powder with water to avoid added sugar that will lead to weight gain by increasing my fat mass instead of muscle mass.