Tofu vs. Whey Protein Powder

Nutrition comparison of Tofu and Whey Protein Powder

Ever wonder how your favorite foods stack up against each other in terms of nutrition?

We compared the nutritional contents of tofu versus whey protein powder (100g each) below using 2020 USDA and NIH data[1].

For a quick recap of significant nutrients and differences in tofu and whey protein powder:

  • Both tofu and whey protein powder are high in calcium and protein.
  • Tofu is an excellent source of iron.
  • Whey protein powder has more thiamin, riboflavin, niacin, Vitamin B6 and Vitamin B12, however, tofu contains more pantothenic acid.
  • Whey protein powder is an excellent source of dietary fiber and potassium.
Detailed nutritional comparison of tofu and whey protein powder is analyzed below. You can also visualize the nutritional comparison for a custom portion or serving size and see how the nutrition compares.

USDA sources for nutritional information: Tofu (Tofu, raw, regular, prepared with calcium sulfate) and Whey Protein Powder (Protein powder, whey based, NFS) . Have a correction or suggestions? Shoot us an email.

Calories and Carbs

calories

Whey protein powder is high in calories and tofu has 78% less calories than whey protein powder - tofu has 76 calories per 100 grams and whey protein powder has 352 calories.

For macronutrient ratios, tofu is much lighter in protein, much heavier in fat and similar to whey protein powder for carbs. Tofu has a macronutrient ratio of 39:9:52 and for whey protein powder, 89:7:4 for protein, carbohydrates and fat from calories.

Macro Ratios from Calories:

Tofu Whey Protein Powder
Protein 39% 89%
Carbohydrates 9% 7%
Fat 52% 4%
Alcohol ~ ~

carbohydrates

Tofu and whey protein powder contain similar amounts of carbs - tofu has 1.9g of total carbs per 100 grams and whey protein powder has 6.3g of carbohydrates.

dietary fiber

Whey protein powder is an excellent source of dietary fiber and it has 933% more dietary fiber than tofu - tofu has 0.3g of dietary fiber per 100 grams and whey protein powder has 3.1g of dietary fiber.

sugar

Tofu and whey protein powder contain similar amounts of sugar - tofu has 0.62g of sugar per 100 grams and whey protein powder does not contain significant amounts.

Protein

protein

Both tofu and whey protein powder are high in protein. Whey protein powder has 867% more protein than tofu - tofu has 8.1g of protein per 100 grams and whey protein powder has 78.1g of protein.

Fat

saturated fat

Both tofu and whey protein powder are low in saturated fat - tofu has 0.69g of saturated fat per 100 grams and whey protein powder has 0.78g of saturated fat.

cholesterol

Tofu has less cholesterol than whey protein powder - whey protein powder has 16mg of cholesterol per 100 grams and tofu does not contain significant amounts.

Vitamins

Vitamin C

Tofu and whey protein powder contain similar amounts of Vitamin C - tofu has 0.1mg of Vitamin C per 100 grams and whey protein powder does not contain significant amounts.

Vitamin A

Tofu has more Vitamin A than whey protein powder - tofu has 25.5ug of Vitamin A per 100 grams and whey protein powder does not contain significant amounts.

Vitamin E

Tofu and whey protein powder contain similar amounts of Vitamin E - tofu has 0.01mg of Vitamin E per 100 grams and whey protein powder does not contain significant amounts.

Vitamin K

Tofu and whey protein powder contain similar amounts of Vitamin K - tofu has 2.4ug of Vitamin K per 100 grams and whey protein powder does not contain significant amounts.

The B Vitamins

Whey protein powder has more thiamin, riboflavin, niacin, Vitamin B6 and Vitamin B12, however, tofu contains more pantothenic acid. Both tofu and whey protein powder contain significant amounts of folate.

Tofu Whey Protein Powder
Thiamin 0.081 MG 0.609 MG
Riboflavin 0.052 MG 2.017 MG
Niacin 0.195 MG 1.136 MG
Pantothenic acid 0.068 MG ~
Vitamin B6 0.047 MG 0.607 MG
Folate 15 UG 33 UG
Vitamin B12 ~ 2.45 UG

Minerals

calcium

Both tofu and whey protein powder are high in calcium. Whey protein powder has 34% more calcium than tofu - tofu has 350mg of calcium per 100 grams and whey protein powder has 469mg of calcium.

iron

Tofu is an excellent source of iron and it has 374% more iron than whey protein powder - tofu has 5.4mg of iron per 100 grams and whey protein powder has 1.1mg of iron.

potassium

Whey protein powder is an excellent source of potassium and it has 313% more potassium than tofu - tofu has 121mg of potassium per 100 grams and whey protein powder has 500mg of potassium.

Omega-3 and Omega-6

omega 3s

For omega-3 fatty acids, tofu has more alpha linoleic acid (ALA) than whey protein powder per 100 grams.

Tofu Whey Protein Powder
alpha linoleic acid 0.319 G 0.034 G
Total 0.319 G 0.034 G

omega 6s

Comparing omega-6 fatty acids, tofu has more linoleic acid than whey protein powder per 100 grams.

Tofu Whey Protein Powder
linoleic acid 2.38 G 0.264 G
Total 2.38 G 0.264 G


Customize your serving size


The comparison below is by weight, but sometimes 100g isn't that intuitive of a measurement for food. View a custom portion comparison (e.g. cups, oz, package).

You can try adding or subtracting the amount of either Tofu or Whey Protein Powder .

Note: The specific food items compared are: Tofu (Tofu, raw, regular, prepared with calcium sulfate) and Whey Protein Powder (Protein powder, whey based, NFS) .

Tofu 100g

( 100 g )
Daily Values (%)

Whey Protein Powder 100g

( 100 g )
76KCAL 4%
calories 363%
352KCAL 18%
1.9G 1%
carbohydrates 232%
6.3G 3%
0.3G 1%
dietary fiber 933%
3.1G 12%
0.62G >999% sugar
4.8G 8%
200% total fat
1.6G 2%
0.69G 4%
saturated fat 13%
0.78G 4%
1.1G 587% monounsaturated fat 0.16G
2.7G 800% polyunsaturated fat 0.3G
cholesterol >999% 16MG
7MG 1%
sodium >999%
156MG 10%
Vitamins and Minerals
26UG 4%
>999% Vitamin A
0.1MG 0.1%
>999% Vitamin C
350MG 35%
calcium 34%
469MG 47%
5.4MG 30%
391% iron
1.1MG 6%
30MG 10%
magnesium 550%
195MG 63%
121MG 5%
potassium 313%
500MG 22%
0.08MG 7%
thiamin (Vit B1) 662%
0.61MG 55%
0.05MG 5%
riboflavin (Vit B2) >999%
2MG 183%
0.2MG 1%
niacin (Vit B3) 450%
1.1MG 8%
0.05MG 4%
Vitamin B6 >999%
0.61MG 47%
0.07MG 1%
>999% pantothenic acid (Vit B5)
15UG 4%
folate (Vit B9) 120%
33UG 8%
Vitamin B12 >999%
2.5UG 102%
0.01MG 0.1%
>999% Vitamin E
2.4UG 3%
>999% Vitamin K
8.1G 16%
protein 863%
78G 156%
29MG 7%
choline 672%
224MG 53%
0.19MG 16%
279% copper
0.05MG 4%
0.61MG 34%
>999% manganese
97MG 14%
phosphorus >999%
1321MG 189%
8.9UG 16%
selenium 203%
27UG 49%
0.8MG 10%
zinc 675%
6.2MG 77%
85G >999% Water 3.4G


NO SIGNIFICANT AMOUNTS (either food): Starch, Alcohol, chlorine, chromium, fluoride, iodine, molybdenum, Vitamin D, biotin (Vit B7), trans fat.

FAQ

Does tofu or whey protein powder contain more calories in 100 grams?
Whey protein powder is high in calories and tofu has 80% less calories than whey protein powder - tofu has 76 calories in 100g and whey protein powder has 352 calories.

Is tofu or whey protein powder better for protein?
Both tofu and whey protein powder are high in protein. Whey protein powder has 870% more protein than tofu - tofu has 8.1g of protein per 100 grams and whey protein powder has 78.1g of protein.

Does tofu or whey protein powder contain more calcium?
Both tofu and whey protein powder are high in calcium. Whey protein powder has 30% more calcium than tofu - tofu has 350mg of calcium in 100 grams and whey protein powder has 469mg of calcium.

Does tofu or whey protein powder contain more iron?
Tofu is an abundant source of iron and it has 370% more iron than whey protein powder - tofu has 5.4mg of iron in 100 grams and whey protein powder has 1.1mg of iron.

Does tofu or whey protein powder contain more potassium?
Whey protein powder is a rich source of potassium and it has 310% more potassium than tofu - tofu has 121mg of potassium in 100 grams and whey protein powder has 500mg of potassium.