Top 10 cheapest Protein food in India

India is a land of thousands of distinct and unique cultures. Food is one of the important aspects of the Indian culture, but have you ever wondered, whether our food is nutritious?? The TRUTH is shocking!! Almost 80% of Indians are protein deficient. In my opinion, that's a huge number. Our body needs protein for pretty much everything, it is a building block of all our cells in our body. In my last article, I have mentioned some of the signs and symptoms of protein deficiency.

If you do a quick google search for high protein foods, you will get all sorts of exotic foods most of which are not easily available in the Indian market and we Indians are very mindful with our money. We want the cheapest and best at the price. In this article, I m going to list down top 10 cheapest Protein Food in India both vegetarian and non-vegetarian along with its macronutrient on the below.

1.Milk

Milk has been part and parcel of our diet in our childhood. Milk is an excellent source of protein. 500 ml of low-fat milk will cost you around 18-20 Rs. Irrespective of your goal, you can safely consume 250-500 ml of milk.

Macronutrients for 500ml of milk

Protein             - 18 gms

Carbohydrates - 24 gms

Fats                  - 7.5 gms

2.Paneer

Paneer which is also known as Indian cheese is derived from milk. It is highly nutritious and a good source of protein. Paneer should be consumed in moderation as it is almost equal in fat and protein, However, if you make paneer at home with low-fat milk, it will solve the problem.200 gms of panner will cost you around 70 Rs. You can consume 50-100 gms of paneer to meet your daily protein needs.

Macronutrients for 100 gms of Paneer

Protein             - 18 gms

Carbohydrates - 2 gms

Fats                  - 20 gms

 3.Tofu

Tofu also known as soya paneer is derived from Soya bean. It is a vegan source of protein. If you are concerned with Tofu messing up with your hormones, remember moderation is the key, 50-100 gms of Tofu can be safely consumed. Unlike Paneer, it is not high in Fat. 200 gms of Tofu packet comes around 70 Rs.

Macronutrients for 100 gms of Tofu

Protein             - 15 gms

Carbohydrates - 15 gms

Fats                  - 8 gms

4.Eggs Whites

I'm sure you all would heard the slogan "Sunday ho ya monday roj khao ande" in your childhood.It was to raise awareness of the benefits of eggs. Of course, eggs are healthy but they are high in cholesterol too. So it is safer to consume just egg whites. You can consume 5-6 eggs whites in 1 serving. If you want to consume the whole egg, limit to 1- 2 whole eggs. 1 egg costs around 5 Rs, if you buy it from the wholesale it might cost lesser

Macronutrients for 1 egg

Protein             - 4 gms

Carbohydrates - 0 gms

Fats                  - 0 gms

5.Chicken Breast

If you are non-vegetarian, you know it Chicken is Love. We all love chicken, it is very delicious and we cannot keep our hands off it. It also serves as an excellent source of protein. Chicken breast is the lean source of protein. 1 kg of chicken breast will cost you around 320 Rs. 100-200 gms of chicken can easily be consumed in one serving.

Macronutrients for 100 gms of Chicken breast

Protein             - 31 gms

Carbohydrates - 0 gms

Fats                  - 4 gms

6.Fish

Fish is widely consumed by the people in the northeastern part of India. There are a variety of fishes available in the Indian market, whiter fish are the lean source of protein. Tilapia is one such fish, there are other fishes such as Indian salmon and Pomfret which are good as they are high in essential fats.1 kg fish on average costs around 500 Rs. 100-200 gms of fish can be easily consumed in one serving

Macronutrients for 100 gms of Fish

Protein             - 22 gms

Carbohydrates - 0 gms

Fats                  - 2 gms

7.Legumes

Legumes are the common edible for the vegetarian people across India. Legumes like kidney beans, black gram and chickpeas are easily available in the Indian market.1 Kg of legumes costs around 150 Rs. Legumes are the primary source of carbohydrates, if you consume them with rice you will end up having too much of carbohydrates. Moderation if the key,50-100 gms in one serving can be consumed without worrying about carbohydrates.

Macronutrients for 100 gms of Legumes

Protein             - 15 gms

Carbohydrates - 40 gms

Fats                  - 1 gm

8.Lentils

Lentils commonly known as Dal in India is also another common edible for the vegetarian people across India. Dal Rice is the most traditional Indian food. Dal rice will give you as many carbohydrates as legumes and rice, so you need to be mindful while consuming them with other food. 50-100 gms of lentils can be consumed in one serving. 1 kg of lentils will cost around 100 Rs on average.

Macronutrients for 100 gms of Lentils

Protein             - 18 gms

Carbohydrates - 40 gms

Fats                  - 1 gm

9.Peanuts

Unlike other nuts, peanuts are not expensive and serve almost the same amount of protein. 1 Kg of peanuts will cost you around 120 Rs. Peanuts are high in fats too, so one serving of peanuts should not be more than 30-40 gms

Macronutrients for 30 gms of Peanuts

Protein             - 7 gms

Carbohydrates - 4.6 gms

Fats                  - 14 gms

10.Soya chunks

The cheapest food on the list, Soya chunks are made from defatted soy flour.200 gms of soya chunks packet costs around 40 Rs. One serving of 50 gms of soya chunks can be easily consumed without any fear of estrogen.

Macronutrients for 50 gms of Soya chunks

Protein             - 25 gms

Carbohydrates - 18 gms

Fats                  - 1 gm

This is the list of top 10 cheapest protein food in India. All these foods can be included in your daily diet to meet your protein requirements. Just remember to have variety in your diet so that your body does not get used to one type of food.

If you are looking for a science and evidence-based coach who can design a customised diet and workout plan for your fitness goal, Drop an email to romiey@getsetgo.fitness.