In this blog, I am going to share with you 10 of my favourite and the cheapest protein food sources, which are also very easily available in the Indian market.
The list includes 3 non-vegetarian and 7 vegetarian sources.
So, stay tuned.
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 body weight.
For example, if your weight is 60 kg and you do not work out, 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.
10 Best Protein Sources in India
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 cost about 70 rupees.
Now, one serving of tofu is 100 grams. That means 100 grams of tofu is 35 rupees.
So, in that 100 grams of tofu, you are getting about 15 grams of protein, 15 grams of carbohydrates and about 8 grams of fats.
Now, because it has carbohydrates and fats, it is not a lean source of protein.
Now you are getting 15 grams of protein in 35 rupees.
That means 1 gram of protein costs about 35/15 that is about 2.3 rupees.
If you are concerned that tofu may cause man boobs or decrease in the testosterone levels, I would say moderation is the key.
You can easily have 100 grams of tofu daily without any kind of health problems.
Fish
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 Salmon and Pomfret. Salmon & Pomfret are seawater fishes whereas Tilapia is found in rivers, ponds, lakes.
Even though they are not a lean source of protein but they are great because they have essential fatty acids.
Now, on 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.
Paneer (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 just 35 rupees. That is 1 gram of protein in 2 rupees.
Now, because it has a lot of fat, you have to keep its 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 per cent 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 a negligible amount of fat.
That means you are getting 1 gram of protein in 1 rupee from a lean vegetarian source, which is great.
Now, making of paneer is a very common practice in Indian homes.
All 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.
Chicken Breast
Now, just yesterday I went to a local vendor.
The price of the chicken was 230 rupees per kg.
Take only the boneless part of the chicken, that is chicken breast.
And 100 grams of boneless chicken breast will cost around 35 rupees which will give you 25 gms of protein.
That means you will be getting 1 gram of protein in 1.4 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 of the chicken in your diet.
Legumes
Now, when I say legumes I mean black kidney beans, chickpeas and black chana. All three have almost similar nutritional information.
On an average, 1 kg of any of these will cost you about 150 rupees.
Now, one serving is 100 grams, so that means 100 grams of legumes cost you 15 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 15 rupees will give you about 15 grams of protein.
That means you are getting 1 gram of protein in 1 rupee.
But the problem with legumes is that, along with 15 grams of protein, you will also get about 40 grams of carbohydrates.
Now, if you are eating 3 Rotis with chickpeas curry, 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.
Milk
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 its 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, if your goal is muscle building or fat loss, you can still have 500 ml of milk on a daily basis.
Egg Whites
Just 2 days back I got a tray of 30 eggs for 105 rupees.
That means I bought 1 egg for 3.5 rupees.
Now, let’s assume that you do not buy it from a whole seller.
So, 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 an omelette, scrambled or boiled.
Peanuts
Now, you can easily get 1 kg of peanuts at about 120 rupees.
One serving of peanuts is about 30 grams which will cost you about 3.5 rupees.
And 30 grams of peanuts will give you about 7 grams of protein.
That means you are getting one gram of peanut at 0.5 rupees.
Now, along with 7 grams of protein you are also getting 14 grams of fat.
That fat is a 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.
Lentils
Now, lentils that are dals are a very important part of the 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 you will get 1 kg of lentils at about 80 rupees.
One serving is around 100 grams.
So, you take 100 grams of lentils which will cost you about 8 rupees.
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 1 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 –
Honourable Mentions
Whey protein
Now, the cost of whey protein depends upon the brand to brand.
The cost of 30 gram of whey protein may vary from 50 rupees to 100 rupees depending upon the brand.
Now that 30 gram of whey scoop has about 24 grams of protein.
So, that means you are getting 1 gram of protein at about 2-4 rupees.
Yes, it is costly but it has its own advantages.
Because it is extracted from milk, it can be 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.
Nuts like Almonds, Cashews, and 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 every day.
So, 1 gram of protein from nuts will cost you about 3-6 rupees.
Finally, at number 1 are –
Soy Chunks
200 gram of soy chunks costs about 40 rupees.
1 serving of soy chunks is 50 grams which come 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.
Having 50 grams of soy chunks on a daily basis, that is 25 grams of protein from them is perfectly fine.
It will not cause any kind of hormonal issues.
So, friends, that’s all for this article.
I hope you found this article helpful. Well, if you did then let me know in the comments section.
Also, do not forget to share.
Thank you so much for reading.