Wait. Did somebody tell you there’s no protein in mayo?

“Do they even know what mayo is made of?” 

Yeah, I know this might be your reaction to them. Because I used to give the same reaction until I discovered I was wrong.

Here’s how I respond now to this question – does mayo have protein?

“Yes, mayo has protein but it’s almost non-existent in amount. You’ll only get about 2.1 grams of protein from one cup of mayo. Though it’s not a good source of protein, it has other nutritional values. Mayo keeps your inner and outer body healthy. But overeating mayo can have harmful effects.”

I hope you got the main idea. Want to know more? Keep reading to see how mayo has an effect on our body.  

Does Mayonnaise Have Protein?

You know mayonnaise is made from eggs. And eggs are the best source of protein. So, is mayonnaise a good source of protein?

Logically, this seems to be true. But unfortunately, it’s not! 

Mayonnaise doesn’t have any protein. 

Well, technically, it does. A cup of mayonnaise contains approximately 2.1 grams of protein. But this is negligent compared to the other nutritious values. 

That’s why I said mayo doesn’t have any protein. 

So, if you’re asking me, does mayo have a lot of protein? My answer is no. 

But there’s a reason why mayo doesn’t have protein despite having eggs in it. That’s what I’m going to describe in the next segment. So, stay tuned!  

Why Does Mayo Have No Protein?

Well, it’s true mayo is made from eggs. But it’s not made from a whole egg. We take only the yolk. Can you guess where we’re heading?

Yes, the egg yolk doesn’t contain much protein. The white part does. 

So, when you’re having mayo, you’re only getting a fraction of protein from the yolk. It’s too little in an amount that it doesn’t count at all. 

Then, with each tablespoon consumption, your protein intake becomes near zero grams. 

Again, mayo has a lot of oil in it. For example, if you use 18 grams of egg yolk, you’ll need 250 ml of oil. When oil mixes with egg, it dilutes the protein instantly. 

Add some liquid acid to the mixture like lemon juice or vinegar. The protein content will get diluted more. Eventually, your mayo will have almost no protein at all. 

So, now you know why mayo does not have protein. 

Well, you might be wondering, is mayo lipid then? Or, is mayonnaise a carbohydrate? 

You’ll get all of your questions answered in the next section. Here I’ll tell you about the mayonnaise calories in detail.   

What is Mayo Made of?

Mayo is basically a combination of lipid and fat. As I said earlier, mayo is made from a lot of oil. So, the lipid density is much higher.

If you look at a mayonnaise recipe, you’ll notice it’s made of very few ingredients. A basic mayo recipe goes like this:

• 3 egg yolks
• 3 ml oil
• 1 tbsp mustard
• 2 tbsp lemon juice (or, vinegar)
• Salt and pepper (to taste)

Just like calculating homemade almond milk calories, this calculation is also simple. Mixing up all these ingredients, it’ll create an emulsion. And you’ll receive the following nutritional values from a cup of mayonnaise:

• Protein – 2.1 g
• Fat – 165.3 g (saturated fat 25.8 g)
• Sugar –  1.3 g
• Cholesterol – 92.7 g
• Sodium – 1402.1 mg

These all add up to a total 1501 g calories in one cup of mayo. So, to answer: Is mayonnaise a protein or fat, you can see it’s mostly fat. 

Now, tell me does mayonnaise have carbohydrates?

It does have carbs but very little in content. You can get 0-1 grams of carbs in one serving. This means mayo is a good option for you if you’re on a keto diet.

Now, as we’re on the subject of the keto diet, here are some products I find useful. These products are awesome to maintain your diet excellently.

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Now, let’s get back to mayo again. 

You’ve probably seen different kinds of mayo in the store. Some are labeled imitation mayo, soybean mayo, and whatnot. 

Come on. Let me show you if there’s the protein content in these mayonnaise.  

Protein Ratio in Different Types of Mayonnaise

So, you’re already aware of the ratio of fat in mayo. The amount remains the same  more or less in different kinds of mayonnaise. But the protein in mayonnaise differs slightly. 

It’s actually wise to keep track of the grams you’re taking in. It’s like bodybuilders deciding between raw and boiled eggs for calorie intake. 

I’ve created a table below to show the protein per 1 tbsp serving in mayos:  

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You can see that protein in light mayo and protein in egg mayo is the same amount. However, mayonnaise made with tofu seems to be a high protein mayonnaise.

Now, this brings us to the question – is mayo healthy?

It is! Keep reading the following section to know why mayo is healthy.

Why is Mayo Good for You?

It is true mayonnaise has a low protein content. But it is enriched with other nutritional elements. You’ll find a good amount of amino acids in mayo that are healthy for your body. 

To be precise, mayo has 9 crucial amino acids. Along with vitamin K, these amino acids cover 19% of the dietary value. 

There are also other nutritional values in mayonnaise. These are vitamin B12, selenium,  lutein, zeaxanthin, and choline.

All of these make mayonnaise a healthy condiment for you. It doesn’t only nourish your body from the inside but also the outside. 

Here’s how mayonnaise can keep your outer body beautiful:

• Mayonnaise keeps your skin moisturized and works against aging.
• It is a good source of Vitamin K and E that helps in healing wounds.
• Enriched with natural oils, mayo helps to maintain shiny skin.
• Mayonnaise is extremely helpful for hair. It works as a natural conditioner.
• Applying mayo to your nails can increase the growth of strong nails. 

That’s right. Mayonnaise has a lot of benefits. But it isn’t harmless either. 

Take a look at when mayonnaise can be harmful to you. 

When Can Mayonnaise Have Bad Side Effects?

As mayonnaise is mostly made from oil, it can be dreadful for you at times. Having too much oil means mayo has excessive calories.

So, you should always limit your mayo serving every time. If you eat too much mayo at a time, it’ll be harmful to you. Excessive mayo increases the risk of high blood pressure. Also, it can cause different types of heart diseases. 

Another dreadful fact about mayonnaise is it contains a high amount of salt content. So, consuming too much mayo may cause kidney stones, osteoporosis, stroke, etc. 

Like mayo, there are also other foods that are bad for your health. 

That’s why it’s wise to count the calorie intake before each serving. Don’t let the creamy, delicious taste become the enemy of your life! 

FAQ’s:

• Is mayonnaise good for your diet?

Mayonnaise is good for your diet if you can limit your calorie intake. In fact, it’s pretty good for a keto diet. But, make sure you’re not consuming more than one tbsp per day. If you do, you might have the risk of developing different types of heart diseases. So, be careful while having mayo. 

• Are there any healthy substitutes for mayo?

Yes, there are many healthy substitutes for mayo. One good alternative is low-fat plain greek yogurt. It works awesome as a salad dressing. Olive oil, hummus, mustard, low-fat cottage cheese, and mashed avocado are also good substitutes. They help to enhance the taste of food in a healthy way. 

• Is there any protein in vegan mayo?

Well, yes there is a protein in vegan mayo. But it is almost negligible to notice. In 20 ml vegan mayo, there is approximately 1 gram of protein. However, there are also other nutritional values such as fat, carbs, sugar, and sodium. From 20 ml vegan mayo, you can get a total of 106 calories. 

Final Thoughts

Well, do you still have this question in mind – does mayo have protein? I guess not. I tried to give all sorts of views on mayo calories in this article. 

So, if you don’t want protein intake, mayo is a good option. But watch out for eating this creamy deliciousness excessively.

Now, with this article, you’re safe to have mayo in your next bite. 

Happy eating!