Egg Yolk vs. Whey Protein Powder

Nutrition comparison of Egg Yolk 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 egg yolk versus whey protein powder (100g each) below using 2020 USDA and NIH data[1].

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

  • Both egg yolk and whey protein powder are high in calcium, calories and protein.
  • Egg yolk is a great source of iron.
  • Egg yolk is an excellent source of Vitamin A and Vitamin D.
  • Whey protein powder has more thiamin, riboflavin and niacin, however, egg yolk contains more pantothenic acid and folate.
  • Whey protein powder is an excellent source of dietary fiber and potassium.
Detailed nutritional comparison of egg yolk 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: Egg Yolk (Egg, yolk, raw, fresh) and Whey Protein Powder (Protein powder, whey based, NFS) . Have a correction or suggestions? Shoot us an email.


Calories and Carbs

calories

Both egg yolk and whey protein powder are high in calories. Whey protein powder has a little more calories (9%) than egg yolk by weight - egg yolk has 322 calories per 100 grams and whey protein powder has 352 calories.

For macronutrient ratios, egg yolk is much lighter in protein, much heavier in fat and similar to whey protein powder for carbs. Egg yolk has a macronutrient ratio of 20:5:75 and for whey protein powder, 89:7:4 for protein, carbohydrates and fat from calories.

Macro Ratios from Calories:

Egg Yolk Whey Protein Powder
Protein 20% 89%
Carbohydrates 5% 7%
Fat 75% 4%
Alcohol ~ ~

carbohydrates

Egg yolk and whey protein powder contain similar amounts of carbs - egg yolk has 3.6g 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 more dietary fiber than egg yolk - whey protein powder has 3.1g of dietary fiber per 100 grams and egg yolk does not contain significant amounts.

sugar

Egg yolk and whey protein powder contain similar amounts of sugar - egg yolk has 0.56g of sugar per 100 grams and whey protein powder does not contain significant amounts.

Protein

protein

Both egg yolk and whey protein powder are high in protein. Whey protein powder has 393% more protein than egg yolk - egg yolk has 15.9g of protein per 100 grams and whey protein powder has 78.1g of protein.

Fat

saturated fat

Egg yolk is high in saturated fat and whey protein powder has 92% less saturated fat than egg yolk - egg yolk has 9.6g of saturated fat per 100 grams and whey protein powder has 0.78g of saturated fat.

cholesterol

Egg yolk is high in cholesterol and whey protein powder has 99% less cholesterol than egg yolk - egg yolk has 1085mg of cholesterol per 100 grams and whey protein powder has 16mg of cholesterol.

Vitamins

Vitamin A

Egg yolk is an excellent source of Vitamin A and it has more Vitamin A than whey protein powder - egg yolk has 381ug of Vitamin A per 100 grams and whey protein powder does not contain significant amounts.

Vitamin D

Egg yolk is an excellent source of Vitamin D and it has more Vitamin D than whey protein powder - egg yolk has 218iu of Vitamin D per 100 grams and whey protein powder does not contain significant amounts.

Vitamin E

Egg yolk has more Vitamin E than whey protein powder - egg yolk has 2.6mg of Vitamin E per 100 grams and whey protein powder does not contain significant amounts.

Vitamin K

Egg yolk and whey protein powder contain similar amounts of Vitamin K - egg yolk has 0.7ug 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 and niacin, however, egg yolk contains more pantothenic acid and folate. Both egg yolk and whey protein powder contain significant amounts of Vitamin B6 and Vitamin B12.

Egg Yolk Whey Protein Powder
Thiamin 0.176 MG 0.609 MG
Riboflavin 0.528 MG 2.017 MG
Niacin 0.024 MG 1.136 MG
Pantothenic acid 2.99 MG ~
Vitamin B6 0.35 MG 0.607 MG
Folate 146 UG 33 UG
Vitamin B12 1.95 UG 2.45 UG

Minerals

calcium

Both egg yolk and whey protein powder are high in calcium. Whey protein powder has 264% more calcium than egg yolk - egg yolk has 129mg of calcium per 100 grams and whey protein powder has 469mg of calcium.

iron

Egg yolk is a great source of iron and it has 142% more iron than whey protein powder - egg yolk has 2.7mg 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 359% more potassium than egg yolk - egg yolk has 109mg 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, egg yolk has more alpha linoleic acid (ALA), DHA and EPA than whey protein powder per 100 grams.

Egg Yolk Whey Protein Powder
alpha linoleic acid 0.103 G 0.034 G
DHA 0.114 G ~
EPA 0.011 G ~
Total 0.228 G 0.034 G

omega 6s

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

Egg Yolk Whey Protein Powder
other omega 6 0.438 G ~
linoleic acid 3.538 G 0.264 G
Total 3.976 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 Egg Yolk or Whey Protein Powder .

Note: The specific food items compared are: Egg Yolk (Egg, yolk, raw, fresh) and Whey Protein Powder (Protein powder, whey based, NFS) .

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FAQ

Does egg yolk or whey protein powder contain more calories in 100 grams?
Both egg yolk and whey protein powder are high in calories. Whey protein powder has a little more calories ( 10%) than egg yolk by weight - egg yolk has 322 calories in 100g and whey protein powder has 352 calories.

Is egg yolk or whey protein powder better for protein?
Both egg yolk and whey protein powder are high in protein. Whey protein powder has 390% more protein than egg yolk - egg yolk has 15.9g of protein per 100 grams and whey protein powder has 78.1g of protein.

Does egg yolk or whey protein powder contain more calcium?
Both egg yolk and whey protein powder are high in calcium. Whey protein powder has 260% more calcium than egg yolk - egg yolk has 129mg of calcium in 100 grams and whey protein powder has 469mg of calcium.

Does egg yolk or whey protein powder contain more potassium?
Whey protein powder is a rich source of potassium and it has 360% more potassium than egg yolk - egg yolk has 109mg of potassium in 100 grams and whey protein powder has 500mg of potassium.