Advice about protein for healing often sounds expensive. Paneer every day, chicken, protein powders. For many families that is not realistic, especially when recovery already means medicines, dressings and time off work.
Some of the cheapest foods in an Indian kitchen are also among the richest in protein. Dry pulses, soya chunks, besan and peanuts cost far less per gram of protein than paneer, curd or meat. Once you know which ones, building a day around them is straightforward.
How do you compare protein by price?
Prices change by city, season and shop, so it helps to know how to work it out yourself. You need two numbers: how much protein the food has per 100 grams, and what one kilogram costs. Then:
Protein you get for ₹10 = 100 × (protein per 100 g) ÷ (price per kg)
For example, soya chunks have about 52 grams of protein per 100 grams. At ₹200 a kilo, ₹10 buys about 26 grams of protein (100 × 52 ÷ 200). Paneer has about 18 grams per 100 grams. At ₹450 a kilo, ₹10 buys about 4 grams.
The protein figures come from the nutrition label or standard food tables. Use dry weight for pulses, as bought, because cooked dal is mostly water.
Which foods give the most protein for the money?
The table uses example prices. Yours will be different, but the order tends to stay roughly the same even when prices move.
| Food (as bought) | Protein per 100 g | Example price | Protein for ₹10 (approx.) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Soya chunks | 52 g | ₹200 per kg | 26 g |
| Besan | 22 g | ₹110 per kg | 20 g |
| Whole chana (kala chana) | 20 g | ₹100 per kg | 20 g |
| Moong dal | 24 g | ₹130 per kg | 18 g |
| Peanuts | 26 g | ₹160 per kg | 16 g |
| Rajma | 22 g | ₹150 per kg | 15 g |
| Roasted chana | 20 g | ₹140 per kg | 14 g |
| Sattu | 20 g | ₹150 per kg | 13 g |
| Skimmed milk powder | 35 g | ₹400 per kg | 9 g |
| Eggs | 6 g per egg | ₹7 per egg | 9 g |
| Chicken, curry cut with bone | 16 g | ₹240 per kg | 7 g |
| Milk | 3.3 g per 100 ml | ₹60 per litre | 5.5 g |
| Paneer | 18 g | ₹450 per kg | 4 g |
| Curd | 3.5 g | ₹90 per kg | 4 g |
The gap is large. For the same money, soya chunks give about six times the protein of paneer, and besan or chana about five times as much as curd. Paneer, curd and chicken are still good foods. They are simply the expensive way to reach the target.
What are the cheap proteins like to use?
Soya chunks are the cheapest protein by a wide margin. Soak or boil them for ten minutes, squeeze out the water, and add them to pulao, a tomato-onion curry, bhurji or even keema-style dishes. About 25 grams of dry chunks, a small handful, gives roughly 13 grams of protein. Some people get gas at first, so start with small amounts.
Besan turns up everywhere. A breakfast of two besan chillas made with 50 grams of flour gives about 11 grams of protein. Besan also goes into kadhi, into missi roti when mixed with atta, or into a sabzi gravy to thicken it.
Whole chana, rajma and other dry pulses are cheapest bought dry and cooked at home. Soak them overnight, pressure-cook a larger batch, and use it across two or three meals as curry, sundal or chaat. Canned pulses cost far more for the same protein.
Moong dal is gentle on the stomach, which makes it a good choice for someone who is unwell. It works in khichdi, soup, chilla, pesarattu or as sprouts.
Peanuts give about 8 grams of protein per small handful (30 grams), along with useful energy for someone losing weight. Add them to poha, grind them into chutney or have chikki as a snack. For older people who struggle to chew, or who might choke on whole nuts, use peanut powder instead. Anyone with a peanut allergy must avoid them completely.
Eggs are the cheapest animal protein and one of the most complete. They cook in minutes, stay soft, and most people with poor appetites will still eat one.
Skimmed milk powder stretches milk. Two tablespoons added to a glass of milk, dalia, kheer or tea add about 5 grams of protein for very little cost.
Why pair pulses with rice or roti?
Pulses and cereals each lack a little of what the other provides. Dal is lower in one amino acid (methionine) and rice and wheat are lower in another (lysine). Eaten together, as dal chawal, rajma rice, khichdi, idli or roti with chana, they make a more complete protein. This is one reason the classic Indian meal pairs them, and it means the cheapest meals are often well balanced too.
A low-cost day that reaches about 75 grams
| Meal | What to eat | Protein (approx.) |
|---|---|---|
| Breakfast | 2 besan chillas (50 g besan), tea with milk | 13 g |
| Mid-morning | A handful of roasted chana (30 g) | 6 g |
| Lunch | 2 rotis, 1 katori thick chana or moong dal, soya chunk sabzi (25 g dry chunks) | 26 g |
| Evening | 1 boiled egg, or a small handful of peanuts | 6 g |
| Dinner | Khichdi with extra moong dal (40 g dal, 60 g rice), a small katori of curd | 17 g |
| Bedtime | 1 cup milk (150 ml) with 1 tablespoon milk powder | 7 g |
| Total | about 75 g |
This day relies almost entirely on pulses, soya and a little dairy. It suits a person of around 55 to 60 kg. Add a vegetable to lunch and dinner, and one piece of fruit such as guava or an orange for vitamin C, and it covers the main needs for healing.
More ways to save without losing protein
- Buy pulses dry and in larger packs, and store them in airtight containers.
- Cook once and eat twice. A pressure cooker of chana can become a curry at lunch and sundal the next evening.
- Sprout moong or chana at home. It costs nothing extra, and many people find sprouts easier to digest.
- Choose seasonal vegetables and fruit for vitamins, since they are cheaper and fresher.
- Skip expensive branded protein products unless a doctor or dietitian has suggested one for a specific reason.
Who should be careful?
A few people should check before raising protein this way. Anyone with kidney disease needs a protein target from their doctor, because too much can strain damaged kidneys. People with a peanut or soy allergy should avoid those foods. And older people with chewing or swallowing difficulties need soft forms, such as dal soup, soft khichdi or peanut powder, in place of whole nuts and roasted chana.
When should you see a doctor?
Food supports healing but cannot replace wound care. Get the wound checked if it is growing, more painful, red and hot around the edges, producing pus or a bad smell, if the person has a fever, or if the wound is on the foot of someone with diabetes.
The bottom line
Reaching the extra protein a healing wound needs is possible on a tight budget. Soya chunks, besan, whole chana, moong dal and peanuts give the most protein for each rupee, and eggs are the cheapest animal source. Pair pulses with rice or roti, cook in batches, and put a protein food in every meal.
For full-day plans at every budget, see a day of meals for wound healing, and for the reasons behind the targets, how much protein you need with a wound.