Every 100 kcal of milk (whole) brings 5.2 g of protein. On that measure it ranks 64th of the 81 dairy foods in this database and 461st of all 796 foods on the site. Measured by weight instead, its 3.15 g per 100 g ranks 76th in its group.
Around 21% of the calories in milk (whole) come from protein, so it is moderately protein-dense. It contributes to a day's protein total, but the bulk of what it delivers is energy rather than amino acids - treat it as a contributor alongside a denser source, not as the protein in a meal.
Weight for weight, milk (whole) has 1 g of protein for each gram of fat (3.15 g against 3.25 g per 100 g).
Set against fontina cheese, another dairy food entry in the database, a serving carries about 0.5 g more protein (fontina cheese has 7.2 g per 1 oz).
It is a complete protein - it supplies all nine essential amino acids in adequate amounts, so it can carry a meal's protein on its own. The serving quoted here is measured by volume at 244 g, and it covers about 15% of the 50 g FDA Daily Value for protein.
Serving sizes
Protein in common portions of milk (whole)
Protein and calories in Milk (whole) for 100 g, the site serving and USDA household portions.
Portion
Weight
Protein
Calories
100 g
100 g
3.15 g
61 kcal
1 cup (serving used here)
244 g
7.7 g
149 kcal
1 fl oz
30.5 g
1 g
19 kcal
1 tbsp
15 g
0.5 g
9 kcal
1 quart
976 g
30.7 g
595 kcal
Portion weights are the household measures listed on the USDA record; protein and calories scale from the per-100 g figures.
Amino acids
Essential amino acids in milk (whole)
The nine essential amino acids in Milk (whole), per 100 g, per serving and per gram of protein.
Amino acid
Per 100 g
Per serving
mg per g protein
leucine
0.299 g
0.73 g
95
lysine
0.264 g
0.64 g
84
valine
0.206 g
0.5 g
65
isoleucine
0.163 g
0.4 g
52
threonine
0.134 g
0.33 g
43
phenylalanine
0.163 g
0.4 g
52
methionine
0.083 g
0.2 g
26
histidine
0.095 g
0.23 g
30
tryptophan
0.04 g
0.1 g
13
Per-100 g values are the amino acid analysis on the USDA record. The serving and per-gram-of-protein columns are arithmetic on those values; they are not a protein quality score.
SampleWhat goal trends look like after a week
109 g
Average per logged day
4 of 7
Days goal met
71%
Complete-protein share
Mon
Tue
Wed
Thu
Fri
Sat
Sun
Sample figures for one made-up week against a 110 g goal, not your data. Red bars met the goal. Your own log fills this in with Premium.
3.15 g. The 1 cup serving used on this page weighs 244 g and so carries 7.7 g.
How much protein do you get per 100 calories of milk (whole)?
5.2 g. That figure divides its 3.15 g of protein per 100 g by its 61 kcal per 100 g, so it does not depend on serving size.
Is the protein in milk (whole) complete?
Yes. The protein in milk (whole) supplies all nine essential amino acids in adequate amounts, so it can carry a meal's protein on its own.
What share of the protein Daily Value is one serving of milk (whole)?
About 15%. One 1 cup serving has 7.7 g, and the FDA Daily Value for protein is 50 g.
Figures from USDA FoodData Central record #171265 (Milk, whole, 3.25% milkfat, with added vitamin D), SR Legacy data. USDA data is in the public domain. Values are the published reference figures for that record, not lab measurements for a specific brand or batch.