Whey protein powder scoop vs. food scale?!

BrittanyGQ
BrittanyGQ Posts: 92 Member
in Food and Nutrition
Hi everyone! I've been trying to get more protein in my diet, so I've found a protein shake or 2 helps tremendously. I've also been trying to be a stickler for "exact" calorie counts, so I use a food scale religiously. I was using the Body Fortress protein brand since it's so inexpensive, which had 1 serving/scoop at 34g. Using the scale, that was about right (I sometimes had to add a little more to get the 34g, though). I ran out of that and decided to "upgrade" proteins to Optimum Nutrition, which has 1 scoop at 31g. However, when I measured the scoop, my scale said it was at, like, 18g. I added about half a scoop more, and since it's so much fluffier, it was only at 22g. So I was wondering if anyone else has ever noticed that discrepancy?? I'm sure my scale might be a little off, especially for an amount that little, but that's a little over half the "actual" serving size, which seems a bit significant to me. I'm not too too concerned (esp if my broke self can extend the life of my tub a bit - haha!), but was just curious if anyone else cared/noticed!

Replies

  • Chrisgrz
    Chrisgrz Posts: 18 Member
    I don't really have an answer for this, I just do my two scoops and let it work itself out.

    I will say that up to this point I've tried the expensive wheys and I've tried the cheaper wheys and so long as my nutrition and workout were in place, I never noticed a difference. In high school I was around 9-10% bf and drank body fortress every morning and after every workout and never had a problem. Got to college and started using the more expensive whey isolates from GNC or Optimum nutrition and they tasted better, but didn't do anything magical like the gym rats told me it would =\.

    Just some food for thought.
  • BrittanyGQ
    BrittanyGQ Posts: 92 Member
    I don't really have an answer for this, I just do my two scoops and let it work itself out.

    I will say that up to this point I've tried the expensive wheys and I've tried the cheaper wheys and so long as my nutrition and workout were in place, I never noticed a difference. In high school I was around 9-10% bf and drank body fortress every morning and after every workout and never had a problem. Got to college and started using the more expensive whey isolates from GNC or Optimum nutrition and they tasted better, but didn't do anything magical like the gym rats told me it would =\.

    Just some food for thought.

    Yeah, I asked my marine, weightlifting master of a brother his opinion, and he recommended a higher quality product. Just figured I'd try it and see a difference - it's not TOO much more $$ but mixes better and tastes good. It's so much fluffier and lighter than the cheaper one, so the scoop seems off. Thanks for the reply!
  • sejor23
    sejor23 Posts: 9
    i use optimum nutrition protein, i think its great but you do have to get a little over a scoop to get 31g out of it. but thats how alot of protein powders are, it just depends how hard you scoop it, if that makes sense lol
  • CreativeFedora
    CreativeFedora Posts: 32
    I also use OP, 100% Whey. The label says a rounded scoop is one portion, 30.4 grams to be exact. My protein shakes use two scoops and I use a scale to measure it out to 61g.

    I simply put the glass portion of the blender on the scale, tare, add milk, tare, add protein powder, and so on.

    My typical post work out shake is this:
    8oz 1% milk
    61g protein powder
    1Tsp natural peanut butter
    Banana (usually 120g)
  • AndrewO1
    AndrewO1 Posts: 1
    Most of the scale don't have much variation in measurement of anything. But some time a scale don't have low precision level so that you get different results or wrong results with that scale. So i think you must try a new scale that provide you accurate result of your diet.
  • togmo
    togmo Posts: 257
    There definitely is a difference in how much the package says is in a scoop and how much is in a scoop.

    I have used many and generally there is a few grams difference, typically I have found over estimating the size of the scoop, i.e. if it says 30g it is probably only 25g. The biggest offender I have come across was the WPI international protein powder I had. It said one scoop was 40g I think and that was an over-heaped watch some doesn't fall in transit scoop.
  • 10manda86
    10manda86 Posts: 229 Member
    i agree, scoop and weight are not the same... i use one scoop it weighs less and i get more than 17 serves from the container... stuffs the macros around though!

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