Protein Per Serving
Protein per serving is the most important single number on a protein-powder label: how many grams of actual protein are in one scoop. Quality powders deliver 20 to 30 grams per serving. Mass gainers, meal-replacements and some 'protein cereals' deliver surprisingly little protein per scoop.
Why It Matters
Per-serving protein is what your muscle protein synthesis cares about: did this meal hit the leucine threshold for triggering MPS. The practical target is 20 to 40g of complete protein per meal, three to five meals a day. Anything below 20g per serve is suboptimal for hitting that threshold.
How to Spot It on a Label
Read the Nutrition Facts panel: protein is listed in grams per serving. Then check the scoop size (in grams) and the protein-percent ratio (protein per serving divided by scoop weight). A 25g protein scoop in a 27g serving is 93 percent protein, very lean. A 25g protein scoop in a 50g serving is 50 percent, heavily fortified.
Examples from real products
Related Terms
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