A cheap high protein Indian diet
Protein is the one thing Indian vegetarian eating is genuinely short of, and the fitness internet will tell you to fix it with a tub that costs three thousand rupees. There are much cheaper answers sitting in every kirana shop.
What a rupee actually buys you
- Soya chunks — about 52 g protein per 100 g dry. Nothing else comes close per rupee.
- Roasted chana — about 20 g per 100 g, no cooking, keeps forever.
- Eggs — about 6 g each, and still cheap.
- Dal — about 6 g per cooked katori, and it is already on your plate.
- Milk and curd — about 8 g a cup.
- Paneer — about 18 g per 100 g, the expensive one on this list.
Whey is convenient, not cheap. If money is the constraint, soya chunks and eggs beat it comfortably.
How much you actually need
About 1.4 to 1.8 g per kg of bodyweight. At 65 kg that is 90 to 115 g a day — not the 200 g the internet shouts about, which mostly ends up as expensive urine.
Spread it, do not stack it
Four eatings of 25 g beats one dinner of 70. Easier to digest, easier to afford, and you are not starving by evening.
Build this as a week of meals, free Pick your state and the food you already eat at home. No signup.Common questions
Is soya chunks protein real protein?
Yes, and it is complete. It is the cheapest protein per rupee available in India by a wide margin.
Do I need whey protein?
No. It is convenient if you train and cannot eat in time. As a budget choice it is poor value against eggs, soya and dal.
More guides
This is general food guidance, not medical advice. If you are pregnant, taking medication or managing an illness, show any plan to your doctor first.