Protein head-to-heads · July 2026
Soybeans (dried, raw) vs Vital wheat gluten: which protein is cheaper?
USDA macros joined to current US grocery prices, reduced to the two numbers that decide it: dollars per gram of protein, and protein per calorie.
Soybeans (dried, raw) is 1.4x cheaper per gram of protein ($0.010/g vs $0.013/g), while Vital wheat gluten is the leaner choice at 20.3 g protein per 100 kcal against 8.2 g. Budget favours one, a calorie cap favours the other.
| Food | $/g protein | 30 g protein costs | You need | kcal that come with it | Protein/100 kcal |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Soybeans (dried, raw) | $0.010 | $0.29 | 82 g | 367 kcal | 8.2 g |
| Vital wheat gluten | $0.013 | $0.40 | 40 g | 148 kcal | 20.3 g |
Full macros, per serving
| Food (per serving) | Price | kcal | Protein | Carbs | Fat |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Soybeans (dried, raw) (100 g) | $0.35 | 447 | 36.5 g | 30.2 g | 19.9 g |
| Vital wheat gluten (100 g) | $1.00 | 370 | 75.2 g | 13.8 g | 1.9 g |
A week of protein from each
Hitting a common 100 g/day protein target from soybeans (dried, raw) alone costs $6.71 a week; from vital wheat gluten alone, $9.31. That is a gap of $2.60 every week for the same protein. In practice you mix sources: the planner computes the cheapest mix for your exact target and calorie cap, live from the same dataset.
Budget says one, calories say the other
Soybeans (dried, raw) costs $0.010 per gram of protein against $0.013, so it saves $2.60 a week at a 100 g/day target. Vital wheat gluten answers a different question: 20.3 g of protein per 100 kcal against 8.2 g, which is what matters once calories, not dollars, are the thing you run out of first.
Two budget staples, so the tiebreak is elsewhere
Both of these sit in the cheapest third of everything we track (#2 and #4 of 25), and the difference between them is $0.11 per 30 g of protein. That is small enough that shelf life, prep time and whether you will actually eat it should decide this, not the price column.
Compare against other foods
- Soybeans (dried, raw) vs Oats (dry)Vital wheat gluten vs Oats (dry)
- Soybeans (dried, raw) vs Peanut butterVital wheat gluten vs Peanut butter
- Soybeans (dried, raw) vs Lentils (cooked)Vital wheat gluten vs Lentils (cooked)
- Soybeans (dried, raw) vs Tofu (firm)Vital wheat gluten vs Tofu (firm)
- Soybeans (dried, raw) vs Black beans (cooked)Vital wheat gluten vs Black beans (cooked)
- Soybeans (dried, raw) vs Whey protein (1 scoop)Vital wheat gluten vs Whey protein (1 scoop)
- Soybeans (dried, raw) vs Greek yogurt (nonfat)Vital wheat gluten vs Greek yogurt (nonfat)
- Soybeans (dried, raw) vs Eggs (~2 large)Vital wheat gluten vs Eggs (~2 large)
- Soybeans (dried, raw) vs Chicken breast (raw)Vital wheat gluten vs Chicken breast (raw)
- Soybeans (dried, raw) vs Canned tuna (in water)Vital wheat gluten vs Canned tuna (in water)
Frequently asked
- Which is cheaper for protein, soybeans (dried, raw) or vital wheat gluten?
- Soybeans (dried, raw), at $0.010 per gram of protein against $0.013 for vital wheat gluten (July 2026 US grocery prices). A 30 g protein serving costs $0.29 vs $0.40.
- Which has more protein per calorie, soybeans (dried, raw) or vital wheat gluten?
- Vital wheat gluten, with 20.3 g protein per 100 kcal against 8.2 g for soybeans (dried, raw), 2.5x leaner. That matters when you are cutting and calories are the binding constraint.
- Which should I buy, soybeans (dried, raw) or vital wheat gluten?
- Depends on your constraint. On a tight budget with room in your calories, soybeans (dried, raw) is cheaper per gram of protein. On a calorie-capped cut, vital wheat gluten gives you 2.5x more protein per calorie and is usually worth its $0.013/g price.
Prices are representative US grocery prices as of July 2026; your store will differ. Educational content, not medical or dietary advice. Dataset: free download, CC-BY.