walshmeister
New member
Already in the healthy BMI range and heading for under weight. Good budget doesn't allow for much meat, any suggestions will be welcomed.
Advice on cheap proteins.
- Thread starter walshmeister
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gordonmarry
New member
@walshmeister Costs are as of April 2023 so expect them to be a bit more expensive now.
Cost per 10g protein:
I’m pescatarian so I didn’t cost up any meat options
Cost per 10g protein:
- [ ] Yellow split peas: $0.18
- [ ] Red lentils: $0.28
- [ ] Lite milk: $0.38
- [ ] Garden peas frozen: $0.42
- [ ] Countdown Edam cheese: $0.51
- [ ] Countdown baked beans: $0.52
- [ ] Trident edamame noodles: $0.61
- [ ] Gopala cottage cheese: $0.67
- [ ] Musashi protein powder: $0.75
- [ ] Macro buckwheat pasta spirals: $0.75
- [ ] San remo red lentil pasta: $0.78
- [ ] Countdown essentials tuna chunks spring water: $0.84
- [ ] Gopala Greek yoghurt: $0.89
I’m pescatarian so I didn’t cost up any meat options
walshmeister
New member
@gordonmarry Nice that's a good list you've got there.
naturefanatic79
New member
@gordonmarry Important to note: Lentils are a good and cheap source of protein, though they don't contain the full range of amino acids. You should vary and have some grain based proteins in addition. Oats, flour based stuff (tortillas) or rice for example. They are not extremely high in protein but help with the missing amino acids 
@naturefanatic79 Your total diet needs to be in.balance not per one meal. There is a false idea about "protein balancing" where each dish has to have all the amino acids. It doesn't, just your total diet. The author of the book where this idea comes from recently released an updated version of her book "Diet For a Small Planet". Rejecting that earlier idea.
@tubarri True, but the body doesn't hold onto incomplete proteins for long periods of time. So you don't need to have proteins be complete in the same meal, but if you wait too long between meals the body will metabolize the amino acids that it can't use into energy. Which is fine, it's what happens to all of our excess protein intake or discarded animo acids from the body.
If you're living a busy life it's just easier to just make sure the meal is complete instead of making sure you eat a balanced diet within the arbitrary time frame. Especially if the person has food insecurity. Proteins are so expensive, why risk metabolizing the main protein intake into calories when sugars like starch and simple sugar are so inexpensive
If you're living a busy life it's just easier to just make sure the meal is complete instead of making sure you eat a balanced diet within the arbitrary time frame. Especially if the person has food insecurity. Proteins are so expensive, why risk metabolizing the main protein intake into calories when sugars like starch and simple sugar are so inexpensive
@clolou No our body has stores of the amino acids - we draw from them as needed. And it is not an "arbitrary timeframe" as you eat food and digest it the components are stored in your body. For longer than a day - so if your overall diet has all the amino acids then you don't beed to "complete" them at each meal... Just eat a wide range of food...
@tubarri I can consult my biochemistry and medical selection of textbooks later this week. But when it was taught for my profession it was very clearly stated that the body does not store amino acids for long periods of time, like it does for carbs before turning them into fats for long term storage. Aka, less then a day. It's actually estimated to be 6-7 hours.
It's part of the protein metabolic pathway. It's very well studied. And I don't think much has changed since I was in school as I only graduated last year.
So no, it doesn't need to be complete for each meal. But it is recommended if someone goes long periods without eating or eats inconsistently
It's part of the protein metabolic pathway. It's very well studied. And I don't think much has changed since I was in school as I only graduated last year.
So no, it doesn't need to be complete for each meal. But it is recommended if someone goes long periods without eating or eats inconsistently
@clolou So.... people eating a normal eating pattern - of regular food during a day - don't have to bother "completing" proteins? And some edge cases of people not eating regularly/severe food insecurity might need to do this? So people eating normally don't need to bother. Which is what I was saying. You've rushed in with a "here's an edge vase so you're (me) totally wrong".
@tubarri I'm commented on a poverty subreddit that's located in a country (that I do live in mind you) that's experiencing wide spread food insecurity issues for thousands of people.
First off, spreading misinformation is always wrong and should be corrected. The reality of the situation is more nuanced than "you always need to complete proteins" or "you never need to complete proteins as long as you eat a balanced diet". There is a time frame.
Secondly, the context of this group suggests that there will be people here dealing with food insecurity. They deserve to have the best information about how the body processes protein, so they can make the most out of their resources. I know because I've been there myself. I once went through a long period where my budget was only $3 a week, and that had to cover soap, toilet paper, washing, transportation, as well as food. These aren't edge cases, it applies to a significant portion of the population.
And finally, this information would also be particularly relevant in an intermittent fasting group. It does people a disservice to spread false information about how incomplete protein storage works. Just because you have a normal eating pattern of regular food, and food security, doesn't mean everyone does
First off, spreading misinformation is always wrong and should be corrected. The reality of the situation is more nuanced than "you always need to complete proteins" or "you never need to complete proteins as long as you eat a balanced diet". There is a time frame.
Secondly, the context of this group suggests that there will be people here dealing with food insecurity. They deserve to have the best information about how the body processes protein, so they can make the most out of their resources. I know because I've been there myself. I once went through a long period where my budget was only $3 a week, and that had to cover soap, toilet paper, washing, transportation, as well as food. These aren't edge cases, it applies to a significant portion of the population.
And finally, this information would also be particularly relevant in an intermittent fasting group. It does people a disservice to spread false information about how incomplete protein storage works. Just because you have a normal eating pattern of regular food, and food security, doesn't mean everyone does
javacups10
New member
@gordonmarry I know were on Poverty sub but please give this an award!
@gordonmarry Just to add to the list (per 10g of protein)
Vital wheat gluten, used to make seitan, $0.25
Brown lentils: $0.26
Essentials long grain rice, 1kg pack: $0.26
Woolworths powdered full cream milk: $0.54
Woolworths plain flour 1.5kg: $0.16
I'm just including these options because it's part of what I eat. I also want to point out to whoevers reading that with legumes (beans) and grass (wheat, rice, rye, buckwheat etc) you need to combine equal portions of eat group to get a complete protein. However a little bit of milk or cheese completes both plant groups proteins. I like powdered milk for this because it's easy to add a little to a dish and it doesn't go off as quickly. So you can add a bit of milk or cheese to split pea soup or red lentil soup and have a complete protein. Or add a little milk powder to homemade bread (including flat bread) to make it a complete protein. Or just add a little milk to tea or coffee eaten around the time if the meal (within a few hours)
Vital wheat gluten, used to make seitan, $0.25
Brown lentils: $0.26
Essentials long grain rice, 1kg pack: $0.26
Woolworths powdered full cream milk: $0.54
Woolworths plain flour 1.5kg: $0.16
I'm just including these options because it's part of what I eat. I also want to point out to whoevers reading that with legumes (beans) and grass (wheat, rice, rye, buckwheat etc) you need to combine equal portions of eat group to get a complete protein. However a little bit of milk or cheese completes both plant groups proteins. I like powdered milk for this because it's easy to add a little to a dish and it doesn't go off as quickly. So you can add a bit of milk or cheese to split pea soup or red lentil soup and have a complete protein. Or add a little milk powder to homemade bread (including flat bread) to make it a complete protein. Or just add a little milk to tea or coffee eaten around the time if the meal (within a few hours)
verajosefine
New member
@gordonmarry Make your own yoghurt with a yoghurt incubator + milk powder + a spoon full of yoghurt.
@gordonmarry Are your costings for dried rather than canned pulses? If so, tip for those who haven't used dried pulses - you need to soak them, and you need to slow cook them to get rid of the oxalates. This can add to relative cost.
@gordonmarry Where u gonna get 18 cents of yellow split peas
resjudicata
New member
@resjudicata Idk.
I dont do that stuff plus y get 18 cents of peas when I can get tuna.
Tuna is gr8.
Dont even need that BMI stuff just tins of tuna.
Good 4 broke ppl and protien ppl
Tuna 4 lyfe
I dont do that stuff plus y get 18 cents of peas when I can get tuna.
Tuna is gr8.
Dont even need that BMI stuff just tins of tuna.
Good 4 broke ppl and protien ppl
Tuna 4 lyfe
@gordonmarry Fish are animals too.
@walshmeister Beans/pulses/lentils
Tinned tuna
Umm…
Sardines
Chicken
Oats (well, they have a bit and they’re good for you)
Tofu
Tinned tuna
Umm…
Sardines
Chicken
Oats (well, they have a bit and they’re good for you)
Tofu