Protein Comparison

            Almost on a daily basis I get a question about what kind of protein powder I use or how much do I take or what kind of food do I eat.  First off, I will explain to them that taking protein is essential since it is the building block for muscle repair, hair and nail growth, and for speeding up the metabolism.  With the fitness boom we have seen in the last few years there are tons of different kinds of protein shakes/bars on the market, but I think too many people focus on the quick alternatives (shakes/bars) rather than just sticking to the basics which can be more affordable, and it is understandable due to the convenience and portability they offer. 
Take the Egg, extremely inexpensive but the downfall just as for beef and chicken is the time it takes to prepare.  If you have the time in the morning then fry up some eggs lose a few yolks and you have a great source of protein with low fat.  A large egg has 6 grams of protein. At $2.16 per dozen (national average price of a dozen eggs as of May 2008), a gram of protein from eggs costs 3 cents per gram.  Beef takes a while to clean and cook but produce great sources of protein at an affordable price depending on the cut.  If your cut of meat costs $4 per pound, the protein is 3.6 cents per gram. If it costs $5.60 per pound, the protein is 5 cents per gram. At $10 per pound, the protein costs almost 9 cents per gram.  And obviously cheaper the cut usually contains more fat, that’s why you see 4%,8%, and 20% packs.  Chicken takes less time to prepare but a little more to clean but usually has less fat and a great amount of protein at an affordable price around 4 cents per gram, thanks to big bulk stores.  Fish has a larger variety in choices but also in price, so for this I will stick to my favorite which is Tuna.  Fish offers a complete protein (all essential amino acids) plus large amounts of Omegas.  Tuna offers an easy solution for any meal at an extremely affordable price as long as you pack a can opener because the tear bags are a little more expensive. 

A few other sources to look at:
Milk and Yogurt: Milk and yogurt each have about 8 grams of protein per cup. At $2.60 per half gallon, that is a little over 4 cents per gram of protein. Yogurt is going to be much more than this, unless you make it yourself.
Cottage cheese has about 15 grams of carbohydrate per half-cup serving. At $2.50 per pound, it turns out to be similar to milk for the price of the protein (actually, slightly less) at 4 cents per pound. Hard cheeses are all costly as protein sources.
Soy: This dehydrated soy product produced the best buy on protein in my investigation. Bought in bulk, it's less than 2 cents per gram, but the taste and lack of being a complete protein is where it has its disadvantages.

…For more information and tips, check my website, www.chadamartin.com and thanks to Advocare for providing supplements.