Top 10 Cheapest Protein Sources available in Indian Market.

Top 10 Cheapest Protein Sources available in Indian Market :

Today I am going to share with you 10, the cheapest protein sources which are also very easily available in the Indian market.

The list includes 3 non vegetarian and 7 vegetarian source. 

Hello Friends! I'm Drishti. Let's quickly move ahead towards the article. Protein is an essential part of our diet. It is very important for the daily repair of the body, skin and hair health. 

An average person who has a sedentary lifestyle, even his/her body requires 1 gram of protein per Kg bodyweight. 

For example, if your weight is 60 kg and you do not workout, even then your body requires about 60 gram of protein. 

So I have identified 10 best protein sources available in India and ranked them solely on the basis of cost effectiveness. So here we go. 

Ranked at number 10 is Tofu: 

Tofu which is also known as soya paneer is obviously made from soya beans. Tofu is a vegan source of protein that means it is not made from any kind of animal product.

Now 200 grams of tofu packets are very easily available in the Indian market which may vary. But let's take an average around 100 to 120 rupees. Now, one serving of tofu is 100 grams. That means 100 grams of tofu is 50 to 60 rupees. So, in that 100 grams of tofu you are getting about 8 grams of protein, 2 grams of carbohydrates and about 5 grams of fats.

Now, because it has carbohydrates and fats, it is not a lean source of protein. Now you are getting 8 grams of protein in 50 to 60 rupees. That means 1 gram of protein costs about 6.25 to 7.5 rupees. It is a little bit costlier that is why I have placed it at number 10. You can easily have 100 grams of tofu daily without any kind of health problems. 

Ranked at number 9 is fish:

Now, there are a variety of fishes available in the Indian market. Now, when it comes to protein, the whiter the fish is the better it is. This is because white fish is a lean source of protein. It does not have any carbohydrates and fats. 

Tilapia is one such fish. Then there are other fishes like Indian Salmonand Pomfret.Even though they are not a lean source of protein but they are great because they have essential fatty acids. 

Now, on an average, 1 kg of fish costs about 500 rupees. 1 serving of fish is 100 grams. That is 100 grams of fish you are getting for 50 rupees. Now, in that 100 grams of fish you are getting 25 grams of protein. 

So, that means you are getting 25 grams of protein in 50 rupees. That means 1 gram of protein in 2 rupees. Fish is a great source of protein and should be included in your diet at least once a week.

Ranked at number 8 is paneer:

Paneer that is cottage cheese. Now we get 200 grams of paneer packets at about 70 rupees. One serving of paneer is 100 grams which will cost you 35 rupees and it will give you 18 grams of protein but about 20 grams of fat. So you are getting 18 grams of protein in 35 rupees. That is 1 gram of protein in 2 rupees.

Now, because it has a lot of fat, you have to keep it’s consumption in moderation. However, this problem gets solved if you make paneer at home. 

Yes, you can buy low fat milk and make paneer at home. Each packet of milk which has about 1.5 percent of fat which costs about 18 rupees will yield about 100 grams of paneer. That means you are getting 18 grams of protein from 18 rupees and negligible amount of fat. That means you are getting one gram of protein from 1 rupee from a lean vegetarian source which is great.

Now, making of paneer is a very common practice in Indian homes. Al you need to do is boil the milk. Once the milk gets boiled, you need to sprinkle lemon juice or vinegar into it and stir it well. The paneer will automatically get separated. But anyway, if you are getting it from outside,even then you can have 100-200 grams of paneer on a daily basis. 

Ranked at number 7 is chicken:

The price of the chicken in local market is around 230 rupees perkg. That means 100 grams of boneless chicken breast will cost you 23 rupees. And that 100 grams chicken breast will give you about 31 grams of protein. That means, you are getting 1 gram of protein in 0.74 rupees. 

Now, what’s great about chicken breast is that it is a lean source of protein. It does not have any carbohydrates or fats. So, if you are a non vegetarian you should definitely include the breast part if the chicken in your diet.

Ranked at number 6 are legumes :

Now, when I say legumes I mean black kidneybeans, chickpeas and black chana. All three have almost similar nutritional information.

On an average, 1 kg of any of these will cost you about 120 rupees. Now, one serving is 100 grams that means 100 grams of legumes cost you 12 rupees. 

Now, when you cook 100 grams of kidney beans, they will expand and their weight will get almost doubled. So that 100 grams of kidney beans that you got for 12 rupees will give you about 24 grams of protein. So that means you are getting 2 grams of protein in 1 rupee. But the problem with legumes is that alongwith that 24 grams of protein, you will also get about 60 grams of carbohydrates. 

Now, if you are eating 3 rotis with kidneybeanscurry you are eating way too many carbohydrates in one meal. So you should always take into consideration that legumes are already very high in carbohydrates. 

Ranked at number 5 is milk :

Now, when I say milk, I mean low fat milk. This is because full cream milk is loaded with saturated fat which you should avoid. 

Now, 500 ml of milk packet will cost you about 18 to 20 rupees depending upon it’s fat percentage which will give you about 18 grams of protein and 24 grams of carbohydrates. So that means you are getting 1 gram of protein for 1 rupee. 

Now, irrespective of that fact that your goal is muscle building or fat loss, you can still have 500 ml of milk on a daily basis. 

Ranked at number 4 is egg whites :

In an effort to maximize protein, but also minimize fat, it is advisable to ditch the yolk and only eat the egg white.

So in local market you can easily get the tray of 30 eggs at 3.5 per egg which will cost you 105 rupees in total. Even if you do not buy from the wholeseller, in that case you will get 1 egg for about 4 rupees. 

Now, one egg white has about 4 grams of protein. That means you are getting 1 gram of protein for 1 rupee. Now, what’s great about egg whites is that they are a lean source of protein. Also, they get very easily digested in the body. So you can easily eat 5-6 egg whites in 1 serving. Now, it is your choice if you want to have them as omelette, bhurji or boiled.

Ranked at number 3 are peanuts:

Peanuts are an excellent source of plant based protein. Now, you can easily get 1 kg of peanuts at about 180 to 200 rupees. One serving of peanuts is about 30 grams which will cost you about 5.4 to 6 rupees. And 30 grams of peanuts will give you about 7.8 grams of protein. That means you are getting 1 gram of protein for 0.76 rupees approximately.

Now, along with 7 grams of protein you are also getting 14 grams of fat. That fat is healthy fat and it is very important for the body. So you can have 2 servings of peanuts on a daily basis. 

Now, it is your choice if you want to roast them or make peanut butter out of them. When I say roasting, I mean dry roasting without the use of salt. 

Ranked at number 2 are lentils (dal) :

Now lentils that is dals are a very important part of Indian diet. So, there are different types of lentils. 

Some you will get for 60 rupees per kg and others you will get for 100 rupees per kg. Now, let’s take an average value that youwill get 1 kg of lentils at about 80 rupees. So now, one serving is 100 grams. So you take 100 grams of lentils which will cost you about 8 rupees. 

So again if you cook lentils they will again expand and their quantity will increase. So, from 100 grams of lentils you will get 18 grams of protein and about 40 grams of carbohydrates. That means you are getting one gram of protein at 0.4 rupees which is very cheap. 

But again the problem is with the carbohydrates. So, all the things that we had applied for legumes, apply here as well. Moreover, lentils are not a complete source of protein. Incomplete as in they do not have the 9 essential amino acids. 

However, when you mix different lentils like green, yellow, red and black together, they become a complete source of protein. 

Now, before we jump to number one, let’s talk about a few honourable mentions.

First is whey protein. 

Whey protein is commonly used for improving atheletic performance and increasing strenghth. 

Now, the cost of whey protein depends upon brand to brand. Now that 30 gram of whey scoop has about 24 grams of protein. Yes, it is costly but it has it’s own advantages. Because it is extracted from milk, it canbe taken by vegetarians as well. 

It is a lean source of protein. And it is the fastest digesting protein and there is nothing unnatural about it. 

Second are nuts.

Nuts like almonds, cashews, walnuts. Now the cost of 1 kg of nuts ranges from 700 rupees to 1500 rupees. 1 serving of nuts is about 30 grams which will give you about 7 grams of protein and 14 grams of healthy fats. So you can easily include 1-2 servings of nuts everyday. 

Ranked at number 1 are soy chunks :

Finally, at number 1 are soy chunks. Soy chunks are the cheapest source of protein.Now its price vary from brand to brand. And if you buy from the local market it can cost you a little cheaper.

Let's take an average that 200 grams of soy chunk box costs about 40 rupees. 1 serving of soy chunks is 50 grams which comes out to be 10 rupees. Now, in these 10 rupees, you are getting 25 grams of protein which is very very high. That means you are getting 1 gram of protein at 0.4 rupees. 

Now, along with 25 grams of protein, you are also getting 18 grams of carbohydrates which is fine. The only thing that you should take into consideration while consuming soy chunks is moderation. So having 50 grams of soy chunks on a dailybasis that is 25 grams of protein from them is perfectly fine. It will not cause any kind of hormonal issues. 

That is all for this article. Thank you !