# Whey Protein is now more expensive than Chicken (price per grams protein)!!! GTFIH



## squigader (Aug 24, 2011)

Exactly what the title says. Calculated out the costs, and at $35 for a 5lb tub of ON whey (which appears rarely on sale - it's usually more like $40 at cheapest. EAS from Costco is also $35+tax, best price), boneless skinless chicken breasts are now a cheaper source of protein.
Whey's chief advantages were that it supposedly absorbed the fastest (offset by mixing with things like milk/flax/fruit - nonexistent unless all you mix it with is water which no one does) and was significantly cheaper per gram of protein than any other source, but its price has skyrocketed in the past few years (as you all can attest, I'm sure, we pretty much saw this coming).

So should I stop buying whey and switch to boneless chicken breasts which I'll grill in advance for the week?

The mantra is that "whole foods are better," after all.


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## judojosh (Aug 24, 2011)

Check the Scivation 10lb box and also the Smart Powders box. Both are great deals


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## ThreeGigs (Aug 25, 2011)

What are your chicken numbers?
Raw chicken breast you buy at supermarkets is generally a bit under 25% protein, because they add water during processing. After cooking it's generally about 40%, but it obviously weighs less because the water gets cooked out.

So to get 100 grams of protein, you'd need to buy a bit over 400 grams of raw chicken breast, call it 450 grams (especially since you'll trim some bits off) which is about a pound.  I used to buy chicken at about 2 bucks a pound when I lived in the states, so figure 100 grams of chicken protein is $2.

5 lbs of whey is about 2270 grams, and at 80% protein that yields 1800-ish grams of protein. If a 5 lb jug of whey is $36 (about 7 bucks a pound), that's also about $2 for 100 grams of protein.

Now, here in Poland, the generic whey is 36 zloty for 900 grams, or about 6 bucks a pound. The chicken is 16 zloty a kilo, or about $2.50 a pound, so over here, whey still makes sense. But yeah, they're quite close. I generally use whey for the convenience factor.


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## ecot3c inside (Aug 25, 2011)

after working out I like 'hydrolyzed' protein, absorbs very fast! chicken would take like 3-4 hours.


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## squigader (Aug 25, 2011)

judojosh said:


> Check the Scivation 10lb box and also the Smart Powders box. Both are great deals



Hmm got any good links? Smart powders I saw comes out to like $6 a pound.



ThreeGigs said:


> What are your chicken numbers?
> Raw chicken breast you buy at supermarkets is generally a bit under 25% protein, because they add water during processing. After cooking it's generally about 40%, but it obviously weighs less because the water gets cooked out.
> 
> So to get 100 grams of protein, you'd need to buy a bit over 400 grams of raw chicken breast, call it 450 grams (especially since you'll trim some bits off) which is about a pound.  I used to buy chicken at about 2 bucks a pound when I lived in the states, so figure 100 grams of chicken protein is $2.
> ...



In a rush at the moment, will provide numbers in next post (if any other members have them, go ahead and post)



ecot3c inside said:


> after working out I like 'hydrolyzed' protein, absorbs very fast! chicken would take like 3-4 hours.



Mhm, whey absorbs very fast - but mixing it with milk or anything else (like oats, flax, etc.) decreases the absorption rate, no?


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## crazyotter (Aug 25, 2011)

I hardley ever drink shakes anymore. Maybe it's the tren but I can eat 3 slices of pizza and a big glass of skim milk post workout and make sick gains while keeping my bf down


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## squigader (Aug 26, 2011)

crazyotter said:


> I hardley ever drink shakes anymore. Maybe it's the tren but I can eat 3 slices of pizza and a big glass of skim milk post workout and make sick gains while keeping my bf down



Very true, but I guarantee you you'd be gaining even more with a diet of chicken breasts, lean ground beef, whole milk, brown rice and broccoli.


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## DeathMetal (Aug 28, 2011)

I've NEVER seen ON 5lbs. whey for $35, usually $53 after shipping.  This puts Scivation at $41 shipped for 5lbs.

*ON WHEY = $0.72 per 24g
SCIVATION WHEY = $0.52 per 22g
CHICKEN BREAST @ $1.99 per lb. = $0.50 per 24g
CHICKEN BREAST @ $2.49 per lb. = $0.62 per 24g*

So change brands and you'll be GTG.


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## Mkpaint (Sep 5, 2011)

i think they both have there place whey is great for morning breakfast shake with oatmeal and post workout but chicken fills you up for lunch dinner etc.


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## danzik17 (Sep 5, 2011)

squigader said:


> but its price has skyrocketed in the past few years (as you all can attest, I'm sure, we pretty much saw this coming).



What were you paying a few years ago?  I've been paying roughly the same amount (within a few dollars) for quite a while now.

Usually around 33-35$ for 5LBs of whey either from All the Whey or lately the stuff from Costco (not EAS, it's "Made by Muscle Milk" or something)


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## phoenixrizzin (Sep 6, 2011)

Chicken if you can get enough - protein is protein but I seem to do better with a most natural choice... I know whey is natural, but seems like chicken protein goes further - probably just a mental thing with me


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## squigader (Sep 8, 2011)

danzik17 said:


> What were you paying a few years ago?  I've been paying roughly the same amount (within a few dollars) for quite a while now.
> 
> Usually around 33-35$ for 5LBs of whey either from All the Whey or lately the stuff from Costco (not EAS, it's "Made by Muscle Milk" or something)



There was a time when you could get 10lbs for around $60


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