Protein head-to-heads · July 2026
Tilapia (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.
Vital wheat gluten is 3.6x cheaper per gram of protein ($0.013/g vs $0.048/g), while Tilapia (raw) is the leaner choice at 20.8 g protein per 100 kcal against 20.3 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Tilapia (raw) | $0.048 | $1.43 | 150 g | 144 kcal | 20.8 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Tilapia (raw) (100 g) | $0.95 | 96 | 20 g | 0 g | 1.7 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 vital wheat gluten alone costs $9.31 a week; from tilapia (raw) alone, $33.25. That is a gap of $23.94 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
Vital wheat gluten costs $0.013 per gram of protein against $0.048, so it saves $23.94 a week at a 100 g/day target. Tilapia (raw) answers a different question: 20.8 g of protein per 100 kcal against 20.3 g, which is what matters once calories, not dollars, are the thing you run out of first.
One of these is a convenience purchase
Tilapia (raw) ranks #21 of 25 on cost per gram of protein, near the bottom. It is not a bad food, it is an expensive way to buy protein: $1.43 per 30 g against $0.40 for vital wheat gluten. If it is in your basket for the protein, swap it. If it is there because it travels well or you enjoy it, that is a different and perfectly good reason.
Compare against other foods
- Tilapia (raw) vs Oats (dry)Vital wheat gluten vs Oats (dry)
- Tilapia (raw) vs Peanut butterVital wheat gluten vs Peanut butter
- Tilapia (raw) vs Lentils (cooked)Vital wheat gluten vs Lentils (cooked)
- Tilapia (raw) vs Tofu (firm)Vital wheat gluten vs Tofu (firm)
- Tilapia (raw) vs Black beans (cooked)Vital wheat gluten vs Black beans (cooked)
- Tilapia (raw) vs Whey protein (1 scoop)Vital wheat gluten vs Whey protein (1 scoop)
- Tilapia (raw) vs Greek yogurt (nonfat)Vital wheat gluten vs Greek yogurt (nonfat)
- Tilapia (raw) vs Eggs (~2 large)Vital wheat gluten vs Eggs (~2 large)
- Tilapia (raw) vs Chicken breast (raw)Vital wheat gluten vs Chicken breast (raw)
- Tilapia (raw) vs Canned tuna (in water)Vital wheat gluten vs Canned tuna (in water)
Frequently asked
- Which is cheaper for protein, tilapia (raw) or vital wheat gluten?
- Vital wheat gluten, at $0.013 per gram of protein against $0.048 for tilapia (raw) (July 2026 US grocery prices). A 30 g protein serving costs $0.40 vs $1.43.
- Which has more protein per calorie, tilapia (raw) or vital wheat gluten?
- Tilapia (raw), with 20.8 g protein per 100 kcal against 20.3 g for vital wheat gluten, 1.0x leaner. That matters when you are cutting and calories are the binding constraint.
- Which should I buy, tilapia (raw) or vital wheat gluten?
- Depends on your constraint. On a tight budget with room in your calories, vital wheat gluten is cheaper per gram of protein. On a calorie-capped cut, tilapia (raw) gives you 1.0x more protein per calorie and is usually worth its $0.048/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.