12+ Best Protein Sources in India Ranked from Worst to Best

Protein is one of the most essential macronutrients for the proper functioning of the human body. 

A person who does not workout has a sedentary lifestyle still needs about 50-60 grams of protein on a daily basis.

And if your goal is to build muscle you need much more, but are you consuming an appropriate amount of protein. More importantly from what sources are you getting that protein from?

Are they really helping your fitness goals? Let us find out.

In this article, I have ranked almost 15 best protein sources in India from worst to best. Both vegetarian as well as non-vegetarian.

After taking into account various factors like their bioavailability, how fast they get absorbed in the human body and pricing I have categorized all these protein sources into four categories.

Processed Meat

Category No. 1 includes processed meat.

Any meat which has been modified in order to improve its taste or to extend its shelf life is processed meat.

Processed Meat include Sausages, Salami, Bacon and Ham. Even though it is high in protein it is not healthy.

So much so that the World Health Organization equates the harmful effects of eating processed meat to regularly chewing tobacco or smoking cigarettes.

This is because processing of meat is done using many harmful chemicals which obviously are not naturally present in fresh meat.

Most of your favourite food chains used processed meat to make delicious sandwiches and hotdogs which includes KFC, McDonalds, Subway.

Regularly eating processed meats over a long period of time may cause many chronic diseases, even cancer.

So this in my opinion is the worst source of protein and should mostly be avoided.

Red Meat and Cheese

Category no.2 includes Red Meat and Cheese.

Red meat includes Beef, Mutton, Pork as they are red in color when raw. No doubt these are high in protein but the downside is that they are also very high in saturated fats. 

100gms of red meat will give you 25gm of protein & 30gms of fats. 

Similarly 100gms of cheese will give you 25gm of protein, 33gms of fats & 1 gm of Carbs. Most of which is saturated fat. The daily recommendation of saturated fat for an adult is only 20gms.

Hence the protein sources in this category should be consumed in moderation as it may increase the bad cholesterol in the body which can cause hard diseases in the long run.

Milk & Plant Based Sources

Category no. 3 includes a wide variety of protein sources.

From Legumes to Nuts to Milk and milk products like Curd and Paneer, all fall into this category.

All these are healthy sources of protein but not lean. A lean source of protein is a source which has only protein, & negligible amount of carbohydrates and fats.

One cup of cooked Legumes which includes Rajma, White Chana, Black Chana, Lentils will approximately give you 18-20gms of protein but also 50gms of Carbohydrates.

So the protein to Carbohydrates ratio in legumes in 1:3 which is fine for muscle building but not ideal for fat loss.

Similarly one serving of nuts, almonds, cashews, peanuts, walnuts will give you 7gms of protein and also 14gms of healthy fats.

So nuts are not a primary source of protein.

Milk and Milk products are also not a lean source of protein. One glass of toned or double toned milk will give you 10gms of protein but also 15gms of Carbohydrates.

Similarly 100gms of Curd will give you 10gms of protein but also Carbohydrates and fats.

100gms of Paneer bought from the market will give you 20gms of protein but also 20gms of fats.

Nevertheless these food sources are healthy, high in protein and could be a part of your daily diet.

Chicken, Egg, Fish, etc

Category No. 4 includes Chicken Breast, Egg Whites, Fish, Homemade Paneer, Soya chunks, Tofu & Whey protein.

All these protein sources have high biological value, are fast digesting and are lean. 

Making them the best sources of protein. Ideal for muscle building, fat loss & active lifestyle. Lets quickly go through them one by one.

100gms of the breast part of the chicken will give you almost 25gms of protein, 0 Carbs & 0 fats. Chicken legs and Wings are high in fats and may be consumed once in a while.

Egg whites are cheap, easily available and fast digesting protein foods.1 Eggwhite has 4gm of protein, no fats, no carbohydrates. Although Yolks are high in fats and should be limited to just one or two in a day.

Fish is an excellent source of protein which is also very easy to digest. 100gms of fish will give you almost 25gms of protein. Prefer eating light color local fishes as they are lean and fresh.

Soya chunks and Tofu are made from soybeans. Soya chunks are extremely high in protein with over 50gms of protein per 100gm. Although high consumption of Soy and Soy products are linked to increased levels of estrogen, causing man boobs in males.

Moderation is the key. One can consume 50gms of soya chunks or 100gms of Tofu on a daily basis without any risk.

Homemade paneer made with lowfat milk is high in protein and extremely low in fats making it an ideal source of protein which the market paneer isn’t.

Making of paneer is a regular affair in Indian homes. Simply boil the milk and add lemon juice into it. The paneer will automatically get separated and a greenish liquid will be left behind.

It is from this liquid that whey protein is extracted. Whey protein is a milk pay supplement whose  one scoop will give you 25gms of protein.

One scoop of whey protein in water is an ideal post workout drink which gets readily absorbed in the body and helps recovery.

Conclusion: 

So if you wish to reach your fitness goals faster consider including these sources of protein in your daily diet which is discussed in 4th category.

It is always recommended to keep varying your protein sources so that the body doesn’t get used to one particular diet. Also one should only have 25-40gms of protein in one serving so that it gets properly absorbed in the body.

I hope this article helped you to identify the best protein sources for your individual lifestyle and hope you found this article to be helpful, if yes then let me know in the comment section.