Collagen vs Whey Protein Labels: Grams, % Daily Value and Scoop Size

Collagen powder and whey protein powder both put a protein number on the front of the tub, but the panels on the back are built differently. This guide reads three labels side by side: Vital Proteins Collagen Peptides, Unflavored, Optimum Nutrition Gold Standard 100% Whey, Double Rich Chocolate and Transparent Labs Grass-Fed Whey Protein Isolate, Milk Chocolate. We used each brand’s own label image and product page, read in October 2026, plus the FDA labeling rule at 21 CFR 101.9. We did not test these powders, and your tub may carry a newer label.

The short answer

Read four things in this order: the panel title, the grams of protein, the % Daily Value next to them, and the serving size in grams. The protein grams are the easiest number to compare. The % Daily Value is not simply grams divided by 50, because the FDA rule bases it on a corrected amount of protein, so two powders with similar grams can print very different percents. Serving sizes differ too, so compare protein per container or per gram of powder, not per scoop.

The three labels at a glance

Label line	Vital Proteins collagen	Optimum Nutrition whey	Transparent Labs whey isolate
Panel title	Supplement Facts	Nutrition Facts	Nutrition Facts
Serving size	4 Tbsp (20 g)	31 g (about 1 scoop)	1 scoop (34.9 g)
Servings per container	About 28 (19.3 oz tub)	74 (5 lb size)	30 (2 lb size)
Calories	70	120	130
Protein	18 g, 0% DV	24 g, 48% DV	28 g, 49% DV
Sodium	110 mg	130 mg	210 mg
Source as printed	Collagen peptides (from bovine)	Whey protein isolate, concentrate and hydrolyzed whey; contains milk	Grass-fed whey protein isolate

Sources: Vital Proteins label image and product page; Optimum Nutrition label image and product page; Transparent Labs label image and product page.

Step 1: Supplement Facts or Nutrition Facts

The panel title tells you how the maker sells the product. Vital Proteins prints a Supplement Facts panel, the format FDA sets for dietary supplements in 21 CFR 101.36. Both whey powders print a Nutrition Facts panel, the format for conventional foods under 21 CFR 101.9. That is why the whey panels list fat, cholesterol, carbohydrate and sugars line by line, while the collagen panel lists only calories, protein, sodium and the collagen peptides.

A short panel does not tell you that other nutrients are absent from the scoop. If a line you care about is missing, check the maker’s product page or ask the maker.

Step 2: Protein grams per serving

The protein line in grams is the number to compare first. Vital Proteins lists 18 g, Optimum Nutrition 24 g and Transparent Labs 28 g per serving.

The collagen label has a second number that can confuse: 20 g of collagen peptides next to 18 g of protein. These are two separate lines. The collagen peptides line is the ingredient amount, and the protein line is the nutrient amount. Our collagen peptides label guide goes through that panel line by line, so we do not repeat it here.

Step 3: Why the % Daily Value differs (the PDCAAS rule)

This is a labeling rule, not a ranking of products. Under 21 CFR 101.9(c)(7), the protein % Daily Value is calculated from the “corrected amount of protein”: the grams of protein multiplied by a protein digestibility-corrected amino acid score (PDCAAS), capped at 1.00, then compared with the Daily Value of 50 g. The rule also says the percent is optional for most foods, and becomes required when the product makes a protein claim.

Here is how the three labels read under that rule:

• Optimum Nutrition: 24 g and 48%. By our arithmetic, 24 divided by 50 is 48%, so the panel’s percent matches the grams as printed.
• Transparent Labs: 28 g and 49%. By our arithmetic, 28 divided by 50 would be 56%. The panel prints 49%, and the label does not show how the corrected amount was worked out, so we do not guess at it.
• Vital Proteins: 18 g and 0%. The label does not print a score. It does print its own note: “Collagen peptides are an incomplete protein that include a combination of 18 essential and non-essential amino acids, including glycine, hydroxyproline, proline and leucine.”

So the percent tells you how the maker applied the FDA formula, and the grams tell you how much protein is in the serving. Read both, and read them as label lines.

What about the words “complete protein”? We use them only where a brand prints them. Vital Proteins prints “incomplete protein” on its label. Optimum Nutrition’s product page says the powder is “crafted to be a complete” protein. On the Transparent Labs label and product page we read, we did not find the phrase, so we do not apply it.

Step 4: Source animal wording

Each label names its source differently, and we only repeat what is printed:

• Vital Proteins lists “Collagen peptides (from bovine)” on the panel.
• Optimum Nutrition lists whey protein isolate, whey protein concentrate and hydrolyzed whey protein, with a “Contains: milk, soy” statement. The panel does not name a farming practice.
• Transparent Labs says on its product page that the whey is “sourced exclusively from grass-fed American dairy cattle” and that the cattle are raised without growth hormone, growth factors or anabolic steroids. Those are the maker’s words.

Whey is a milk protein, so both whey powders are made from milk. The Vital Proteins label says its facility also processes milk, fish and tree nuts.

Step 5: Scoop size and servings per container

The three serving sizes are 20 g, 31 g and 34.9 g, and the collagen one is measured in tablespoons rather than a scoop. That makes per-scoop comparisons uneven. Two quick checks help.

Protein per gram of powder. By our arithmetic, 18 g of 20 g is 90% for Vital Proteins, 24 g of 31 g is about 77% for Optimum Nutrition, and 28 g of 34.9 g is about 80% for this Transparent Labs flavor. Transparent Labs’ product page gives a protein percentage of 87.5% and notes that it “may vary slightly by flavor”, so read the panel for the flavor you buy.

Protein per container. By our arithmetic, about 28 servings of 18 g is roughly 504 g for the 19.3 oz Vital Proteins tub, 74 servings of 24 g is 1,776 g for the 5 lb Optimum Nutrition size, and 30 servings of 28 g is 840 g for the 2 lb Transparent Labs size. These are label numbers multiplied out, not measurements. To turn them into cost per gram, follow our protein cost per gram guide.

Step 6: Flavor, sweeteners and other lines

Vital Proteins Unflavored lists collagen peptides as its only ingredient. Optimum Nutrition Double Rich Chocolate lists cocoa, lecithin, natural and artificial flavor and acesulfame potassium, and the front says “artificially flavored”. Transparent Labs says its whey isolate has no artificial sweeteners, fillers, food dyes, gluten or preservatives; see our product page for the full Milk Chocolate ingredient list.

The two whey panels also list sugars: Optimum Nutrition prints 1 g total sugars and “not a significant source of” added sugars, and Transparent Labs prints 1 g total sugars including 0 g added sugars.

Step 7: Seals printed on the label

The Vital Proteins label image shows a Gluten Free mark and a Certified B Corporation mark. The Optimum Nutrition label shows Gluten Free and Informed Choice, which it describes as “regularly tested for banned substances”. Transparent Labs says on its product page that the powder is certified by Informed Choice and Informed Protein and that each batch is tested by a third-party lab. A seal tells you who checked what; it is not a verdict on whether a powder suits you.

A quick checklist

1. Note the panel title: Supplement Facts or Nutrition Facts.
2. Compare protein in grams first.
3. Read the % Daily Value as the maker’s use of the FDA formula.
4. Use “complete protein” only if the brand prints it.
5. Check the source line and the allergen statement.
6. Compare protein per container, not per scoop.

FAQ

Why does the collagen label show 0% for 18 g of protein?

The percent comes from the corrected amount of protein under 21 CFR 101.9(c)(7), not from the grams alone. Our collagen peptides label guide explains that line in detail.

Why is the Transparent Labs percent lower than 28 divided by 50?

The panel prints 49% for 28 g. The label does not show the corrected amount behind it, so we report the printed number only.

Is collagen a whey substitute?

The labels describe different products: Vital Proteins calls its collagen peptides an incomplete protein, and Optimum Nutrition describes its whey as complete. Which one fits your diet is a question for your doctor or a dietitian.

Which has the most protein per serving?

Of these three labels, Transparent Labs prints the most per serving at 28 g, but it also has the largest serving at 34.9 g.

Where to go next

Compare protein types in our protein powder buying guide and our whey isolate vs concentrate vs plant protein explainer, or go back to the basics in how to read a supplement label. Browse all protein powders and shakes.

Talk to your doctor or pharmacist before starting a new supplement or protein powder, especially if you are pregnant, nursing, take medication, have a health condition or have a food allergy.

These statements have not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration. This product is not intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any disease.