For those who want to do a deeper dive into protein as a nutrient (perhaps you are an active athlete, gym goer or interested in healthy longevity), in this article we review quantities of protein by food type and its cost on the supermarket shelf. The article was prompted by a conversation on food costs, daily protein requirements and health.
The amount of protein required on a daily basis, normally expressed in grams per kilo of bodyweight (or fat free mass) depends on activity levels, certainly if you hit the gym or engage in endurance sports. Ageing also matters, adults over 50 need more protein than those over 18. For the majority of people, even strength athletes, daily protein requirements are somewhere between the recommended 0.8g per kg (of fat free mass) up to 1.6g per kg. Dedicated body builders or even ultra-athletes may consume more than this.
Just eating protein does not make you any stronger or stop muscle loss. You have to use your muscles, to engage in resistance training.
Where the experts and talking heads sometimes differ is the actual amount protein we need: some say more, others less. For recreational athletes or those focused on muscle growth, the amounts are well established. For protein's role in longevity, the conversation is more nuanced with several leading scientists taking a more cautionary 'less is more' approach than other public figures in the field.
As ever, please talk to your doctor or medical practitioner most familiar with your medical history before implementing any changes in diet, exercise or lifestyle, especially if you are under treatment. Links to supporting studies or resources are found at the end of page.
Meat, seafood, beans, nuts, grains all contain amino acids, the building blocks of protein. There are 20 different amino acids that can be combined to make a proteins. Of those 20 amino acids, 9 are considered 'essential' amino acids because the body does not produce them on its own.
We don't eat protein, we eat food.
Protein comes packaged with all sorts of other things, some healthy others not. Very simply, protein in meat / fish comes primarily packaged with: water, fats, minerals, vitamins. Protein in plants (say, beans or whole grains) comes primarily packaged with: carbs, fibre, minerals, vitamins. As plant protein is less bioavailable than animal protein, those who are 100% plant based need to consume more food to meet their requirements.
Below are two tables featuring the same foods, chosen from the shelves of Singapore's supermarket chain NTUC/Fairprice Finest. We only include 'complete' sources of protein.
Meat and seafood are complete proteins, they contain all 9 essential amino acids.
A plant based option, tofu (from soybeans) is considered a complete protein.
A whey protein isolate (popular with strength athletes) for its convenience, high protein bioavailability and quality) is included.
We have not included cuts of meat with bones, say, a whole chicken, ribs, chicken legs, so as to keep the comparisons between the products focused on the 'meat' and protein as much as feasible. We have selected lean cuts of meat, rather than those with obvious marbling. Prawns remain whole, heads and shells on, so the specific detail is not 100% accurate in this case.
Typically we buy our food by weight. See Table A below for a comparisons of foods and their costs. Prices have been standardised to the Kg or Litre. We include a column detailing the amount of protein per kilogram. (P per Kg)
Table B includes the same products and has an additional column and is sorted by Cost per Gram of Protein, demonstrating what foods provide quality protein at what price.
P = Protein
g = Grams
$ Prices in Singapore Dollars (USD 1.0 = SGD 1.35 at time of writing)
Table A: Foods sorted by Price per Kilo
From highest price (per kilo or litre) to lowest.
# | Type | Product | $ per KG | Pg per Kg |
1 | Whey | Whey Protein Isolate, Now | $ 83.67 | 727 |
2 | Fish | NZ Salmon fillet | $ 74.90 | 200 |
3 | Fish | Brisling Sardines in EVOO; King Oscar | $ 70.62 | 211 |
4 | Fish | Threadfin fillet | $ 67.90 | 200 |
5 | Beef | NZ Minced beef; Sunnygold | $ 54.90 | 260 |
6 | Beef | NZ Beef Striploin; Sunnygold | $ 54.90 | 260 |
7 | Fish | Sardines in Water; Ayam | $ 42.05 | 225 |
8 | Fish | Salmon trim | $ 38.90 | 200 |
9 | Fish | Red Snapper fillet | $ 37.90 | 200 |
10 | Prawn | Prawn, white, whole | $ 35.90 | 240 |
11 | Fish | Tuna Flakes in Water; Ayam | $ 31.35 | 238 |
12 | Prawn | Prawn, tiger, whole | $ 26.90 | 240 |
13 | Prawn | Prawn, grey, whole | $ 24.90 | 240 |
14 | Fish | Batang steak | $ 23.87 | 200 |
15 | Pork | Pork Loin | $ 21.90 | 220 |
16 | Pork | Pork Shoulder Butt | $ 19.40 | 220 |
17 | Pork | Lean Pork | $ 16.10 | 220 |
18 | Pork | Minced Pork | $ 14.60 | 220 |
19 | Chicken | Chicken Breast, Boneless | $ 14.20 | 240 |
20 | Dairy | Greek Style Yoghurt, Farmers Union (1 ltr) | $ 12.32 | 45 |
21 | Fish | Kembong (whole) | $ 11.90 | 200 |
22 | Eggs | Fresh Eggs, Large; Pasar (1 egg = 50g) | $ 7.56 | 122 |
23 | Dairy | Milk, Low Fat (1 litre); Farmhouse | $ 3.74 | 32 |
24 | Tofu | Chinese Tofu; Unicurd | $ 3.00 | 90 |
25 | Tofu | Chinese Tofu; Fortune | $ 2.91 | 90 |
26 | Soy Milk | Original Soy; Nutrisoy (1 litre) | $ 2.13 | 43 |
Table B: Foods sorted by Price per Gram of Protein
From lowest price to highest.
# | Type | Product | $ per KG | Pg per Kg | P$ per g |
1 | Tofu | Chinese Tofu; Fortune | $ 2.91 | 90 | $ 0.03 |
2 | Tofu | Chinese Tofu; Unicurd | $ 3.00 | 90 | $ 0.03 |
3 | Soy Milk | Original Soy; Nutrisoy (1 litre) | $ 2.13 | 43 | $ 0.05 |
4 | Chicken | Chicken Breast, Boneless | $ 14.20 | 240 | $ 0.06 |
5 | Fish | Kembong (whole) | $ 11.90 | 200 | $ 0.06 |
6 | Eggs | Fresh Eggs, Large; Pasar (1 egg = 50g) | $ 7.56 | 122 | $ 0.06 |
7 | Pork | Minced Pork | $ 14.60 | 220 | $ 0.07 |
8 | Pork | Lean Pork | $ 16.10 | 220 | $ 0.07 |
9 | Pork | Pork Shoulder Butt | $ 19.40 | 220 | $ 0.09 |
10 | Pork | Pork Loin | $ 21.90 | 220 | $ 0.10 |
11 | Prawn | Prawn, grey, whole | $ 24.90 | 240 | $ 0.10 |
12 | Prawn | Prawn, tiger, whole | $ 26.90 | 240 | $ 0.11 |
13 | Whey | Whey Protein Isolate, Now | $ 83.67 | 727 | $ 0.12 |
14 | Dairy | Milk, Low Fat (1 litre); Farmhouse | $ 3.74 | 32 | $ 0.12 |
15 | Fish | Batang steak | $ 23.87 | 200 | $ 0.12 |
16 | Fish | Tuna Flakes in Water; Ayam | $ 31.35 | 238 | $ 0.13 |
17 | Prawn | Prawn, white, whole | $ 35.90 | 240 | $ 0.15 |
18 | Fish | Sardines in Water; Ayam | $ 42.05 | 225 | $ 0.19 |
19 | Fish | Red Snapper fillet | $ 37.90 | 200 | $ 0.19 |
20 | Fish | Salmon trim | $ 38.90 | 200 | $ 0.19 |
21 | Beef | NZ Minced beef; Sunnygold | $ 54.90 | 260 | $ 0.21 |
22 | Beef | NZ Beef Striploin; Sunnygold | $ 54.90 | 260 | $ 0.21 |
23 | Dairy | Greek Style Yoghurt, Farmers Union (1 ltr) | $ 12.32 | 45 | $ 0.27 |
24 | Fish | Brisling Sardines in EVOO; King Oscar | $ 70.62 | 211 | $ 0.33 |
25 | Fish | Threadfin fillet | $ 67.90 | 200 | $ 0.34 |
26 | Fish | NZ Salmon fillet | $ 74.90 | 200 | $ 0.37 |
Table B shows how different protein sources compare with each other by price. The items at the top e.g. tofu, chicken and kembong (Indian Mackerel, a type of mid-size oily fish) provide greatest $ value.
At the dining table, over the course of a week we enjoy a mix of meat, fish, tofu. We generally eat 'oily fish' for the benefit of their omega-3 content, e.g. sardine and saba / mackerel. We purchase 'lean' cuts of meat or mince to reduce saturated fat in our diet. We also keep soymilk at home rather than cow's milk. We do also enjoy live (probiotic rich) home-made yogurt.
While tofu is great $ value, it is lower in protein on a per kilo basis compared to meat and seafood. That being said, enjoying tofu as part of a balanced diet and getting a decent dose of protein from it - is not difficult. Tofu is healthy due to its isoflavone content, it is low-in-fat and often has added calcium. If you are concerned about the phytoestrogens in soy products being feminising, the research says otherwise.
I occasionally use whey powder as a convenient and effective supplement. After work-outs, long runs or especially if I am trying to lose weight. The initial purchase price is high, but on a gram for gram basis, it comes in at the same cost for milk. Note, strength training is important when losing weight, to maintain muscle mass that can be lost alongside fat loss. This requires paying more attention to protein intake.
In this article we did not include nor compare the protein values of beans, legumes and whole grains - all excellent sources of protein with host of other health promoting nutrients. To learn more about specific food types and their long-term effect of health, read here. A plant-forward diet (Mediterranean, Asian, Nordic, even traditional Singaporean), including meat and fish, rich in fruit, vegetables, whole grains and beans, can be both enjoyable and healthy.
Healthy eating doesn't have to be complex. It is easy to get caught up in binocular vision and overly focus on certain foods or nutrients, often promoted as the next best thing. For maximum health, focus on enjoying whole (or minimally processed) foods and enjoy a wide variety of foods.
Eat Well,
Alastair
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Related Studies
Ardisson Korat AV, Shea MK, Jacques PF, Sebastiani P, Wang M, Eliassen AH, Willett WC, Sun Q. Dietary protein intake in midlife in relation to healthy aging - results from the prospective Nurses' Health Study cohort. Am J Clin Nutr. 2024 Feb;119(2):271-282. doi: 10.1016/j.ajcnut.2023.11.010. Epub 2024 Jan 17. PMID: 38309825; PMCID: PMC10884611.
Zare R, Devrim-Lanpir A, Guazzotti S, Ali Redha A, Prokopidis K, Spadaccini D, Cannataro R, Cione E, Henselmans M, Aragon AA. Effect of Soy Protein Supplementation on Muscle Adaptations, Metabolic and Antioxidant Status, Hormonal Response, and Exercise Performance of Active Individuals and Athletes: A Systematic Review of Randomised Controlled Trials. Sports Med. 2023 Dec;53(12):2417-2446. doi: 10.1007/s40279-023-01899-w. Epub 2023 Aug 21. PMID: 37603200; PMCID: PMC10687132.
Nunes EA, Colenso-Semple L, McKellar SR, Yau T, Ali MU, Fitzpatrick-Lewis D, Sherifali D, Gaudichon C, Tomé D, Atherton PJ, Robles MC, Naranjo-Modad S, Braun M, Landi F, Phillips SM. Systematic review and meta-analysis of protein intake to support muscle mass and function in healthy adults. J Cachexia Sarcopenia Muscle. 2022 Apr;13(2):795-810. doi: 10.1002/jcsm.12922. Epub 2022 Feb 20. PMID: 35187864; PMCID: PMC8978023.
Tagawa R, Watanabe D, Ito K, Otsuyama T, Nakayama K, Sanbongi C, Miyachi M. Synergistic Effect of Increased Total Protein Intake and Strength Training on Muscle Strength: A Dose-Response Meta-analysis of Randomized Controlled Trials. Sports Med Open. 2022 Sep 4;8(1):110. doi: 10.1186/s40798-022-00508-w. PMID: 36057893; PMCID: PMC9441410.
Adhikari S, Schop M, de Boer IJM, Huppertz T. Protein Quality in Perspective: A Review of Protein Quality Metrics and Their Applications. Nutrients. 2022 Feb 23;14(5):947. doi: 10.3390/nu14050947. PMID: 35267922; PMCID: PMC8912699.
Walther B, Guggisberg D, Badertscher R, Egger L, Portmann R, Dubois S, Haldimann M, Kopf-Bolanz K, Rhyn P, Zoller O, Veraguth R, Rezzi S. Comparison of nutritional composition between plant-based drinks and cow's milk. Front Nutr. 2022 Oct 28;9:988707. doi: 10.3389/fnut.2022.988707. PMID: 36386959; PMCID: PMC9650290.
McCarthy D, Berg A. Weight Loss Strategies and the Risk of Skeletal Muscle Mass Loss. Nutrients. 2021 Jul 20;13(7):2473. doi: 10.3390/nu13072473. PMID: 34371981; PMCID: PMC8308821.
Hertzler SR, Lieblein-Boff JC, Weiler M, Allgeier C. Plant Proteins: Assessing Their Nutritional Quality and Effects on Health and Physical Function. Nutrients. 2020 Nov 30;12(12):3704. doi: 10.3390/nu12123704. PMID: 33266120; PMCID: PMC7760812.
Kitada M, Ogura Y, Monno I, Koya D. The impact of dietary protein intake on longevity and metabolic health. EBioMedicine. 2019 May;43:632-640. doi: 10.1016/j.ebiom.2019.04.005. Epub 2019 Apr 8. PMID: 30975545; PMCID: PMC6562018.
Morton RW, Murphy KT, McKellar SR, Schoenfeld BJ, Henselmans M, Helms E, Aragon AA, Devries MC, Banfield L, Krieger JW, Phillips SM. A systematic review, meta-analysis and meta-regression of the effect of protein supplementation on resistance training-induced gains in muscle mass and strength in healthy adults. Br J Sports Med. 2018 Mar;52(6):376-384. doi: 10.1136/bjsports-2017-097608. Epub 2017 Jul 11. Erratum in: Br J Sports Med. 2020 Oct;54(19):e7. doi: 10.1136/bjsports-2017-097608corr1. PMID: 28698222; PMCID: PMC5867436.
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