Whey
Last updated 4 Nov 2026
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Whey is the liquid separated from milk during cheese-making. The figures here describe sweet whey used as a commercial ingredient, rather than whey protein powder. It consists mainly of water and provides carbohydrate, with smaller amounts of protein and fat. Per 100g, it contains 5.1g of carbohydrate, all of which is sugars, 1g of protein, 0.2g of fat and 55mg of calcium.
Calcium helps maintain bones and teeth and supports normal muscle function. The sugars in sweet whey are mainly lactose, the naturally occurring sugar in milk, which can cause digestive symptoms in people with lactose intolerance. Whey also contains milk proteins, which are relevant to people with a milk allergy. Full nutrient figures are in the tables below.
Nutrition per 100g
Nutrient | Per 100g |
|---|---|
Energy | 25 kcal |
Energy | 106 kJ |
Fat | 0.2g |
of which saturates | 0.1g |
Carbohydrate | 5.1g |
of which sugars | 5.1g |
1g | |
Salt | 0.13g |
Water | 93g |
Cholesterol | Trace |
Vitamins and minerals per 100g
Nutrient | Per 100g |
|---|---|
4µg | |
Trace | |
Trace | |
1mg | |
0.04mg | |
0.13mg | |
0.1mg | |
0.05mg | |
0.2µg | |
4µg | |
55mg | |
0.08mg | |
8mg | |
50mg | |
140mg | |
Sodium | 50mg |
0.1mg | |
Trace |
Other types of whey
Food | Calories per 100g | Protein per 100g | Fat per 100g | Fibre per 100g |
|---|---|---|---|---|
353 kcal | 12g | 1.3g | – |
About these figures
Values are per 100g of the food as described (Commercial ingredient, sweet whey, literature sources). "Trace" means only a very small amount was found. Nutrients that were not measured are not shown. Salt is calculated from sodium.
These figures come from an older part of the dataset that is no longer updated. Original source: Milk Products and Eggs Supplement, 1989.