Homemade Protein Powder: Bhuna Chana, Peanut and Oats Per Scoop
The short answer: a 30 g serving of homemade bhuna chana, peanut and oats protein powder gives about 6 g of protein, roughly one egg’s worth. Stir it into a glass of milk and the total reaches about 14 g, but the milk is doing more than half the work.
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The recipe travels as “ghar ka protein powder, whey se behtar”. It’s 100 g bhuna chana, 50 g roasted peanuts and 50 g oats, ground together, with 2 scoops (about 30 g) in a glass of milk. It’s cheap, it tastes like a thick, nutty sattu that reminds many people of summer afternoons, and every ingredient in it is real, recognisable food you could buy at the corner kiryana store without reading a single label. Good things. “Better than whey” isn’t one of them, at least not for protein. Here’s the per-scoop maths, part of our Desi Remedies series.
Protein per scoop of homemade protein powder, worked out
The batch is 200 g, so a 30 g serving is 15% of it: 15 g bhuna chana, 7.5 g peanuts and 7.5 g oats. Standard food-table values per 100 g, roughly: bhuna chana about 20 g protein, roasted peanuts about 25 g, oats about 13 g. The numbers below are approximate and rounded.
| Per serving (approx.) | 30 g powder alone | Powder + 250 ml milk |
|---|---|---|
| Protein | about 6 g (3 + 1.9 + 1) | about 14 g |
| Energy | about 130 kcal | about 280 kcal (full-cream cow milk) |
| Fibre | about 3 g | about 3 g |
| Fat | about 5 g, mostly from peanuts | about 13 g |
A glass of cow’s milk adds about 8 g of protein. Buffalo milk adds a bit more protein and a lot more fat, pushing the glass towards 350 kcal. For a day’s target, most adults need very roughly 0.8 to 1 g of protein per kg of body weight, so about 50 to 60 g for a 60 kg person. This glass covers about a quarter of that.
A full 30 g serving stirred into water gives less protein than one glass of plain milk.
How it compares with whey, daal and eggs
| Food | Protein (approx.) | Rough cost feel |
|---|---|---|
| 30 g homemade powder | about 6 g | cheap |
| 1 scoop whey (about 30 g) | about 20 to 24 g | expensive, check the brand |
| 1 katori cooked daal | about 7 to 9 g | cheap |
| 1 egg | about 6 g | cheap |
| 1 glass milk (250 ml) | about 8 g | cheap |
Weight for weight, whey is about four times as concentrated, because the factory has stripped out the fat and carbohydrate and left mostly protein behind, while the homemade powder is still whole food that carries its fibre, slow carbs and fat along with every gram of protein. Big difference. That makes it a better snack and a worse “protein powder”. Our whey vs daal guide covers who actually needs a shop-bought powder.
What each ingredient is doing
- Bhuna chana (half the jar): the backbone. Good plant protein and fibre, and it’s already roasted. With the chilka on, there’s more fibre and more gas; see our bhuna chana guide.
- Roasted peanuts: protein plus a lot of fat, so most of the calories. Also the ingredient most likely to go rancid or mouldy.
- Oats: soluble fibre and a smoother texture. The lowest protein of the three.
Chana and peanut proteins complement each other somewhat. The milk fills the gaps. Paired with milk, this is decent-quality protein.
What it can’t do
It won’t build muscle on its own. Nothing will. Muscle comes from resistance training plus enough total protein and calories across the day. It isn’t a meal replacement for weight loss either; at 280 kcal a glass with milk, it’s a snack. For weight gain it’s handy, because it adds calories without much volume. And for children, a normal diet with milk, eggs and daal almost always covers protein without any powder.
How to make it properly
- Buy fresh bhuna chana and peanuts from a shop with high turnover. Reject anything soft, musty or with dark, shrivelled peanuts; mouldy peanuts can carry aflatoxin.
- If the peanuts are raw, dry-roast them separately on low heat for 6 to 8 minutes until the skins crack and the insides turn light brown. Cool and rub off the skins if you like.
- Dry-roast 50 g oats separately for 3 to 4 minutes until lightly toasted.
- Warm 100 g bhuna chana for 1 to 2 minutes only if it has gone soft. Cool everything fully, about 20 minutes.
- Grind the chana and oats first, then add the peanuts and pulse in short bursts. Peanuts turn to butter if you run the mixer too long.
- Store airtight, in the fridge in summer, and use within 2 to 3 weeks. At 30 g a day, 200 g lasts about a week.
- Smell it every few days. A bitter, stale or paint-like smell means the peanut oil has gone rancid. Throw it out.
To serve, whisk 30 g into 250 ml of warm or cold milk. Add a date or a little gur if you want it sweet, and remember sugar adds up.
What if you change the amounts?
- More peanuts: a little more protein, many more calories, faster rancidity. Good for weight gain, not for weight loss.
- More chana: slightly more protein per gram than oats, and more gas.
- More oats: smoother and cheaper, but lower protein.
- Remove peanuts: essential for anyone with a peanut allergy. Roasted almonds or pumpkin seeds can stand in, if tolerated.
- Double scoop (60 g): about 12 g protein and 260 kcal before milk.
An optional higher-protein version
Try 100 g bhuna chana, 40 g roasted peanuts, 40 g roasted pumpkin seeds and 20 g milk powder. Per 30 g that works out to about 7 g of protein, a modest gain. Milk powder attracts damp, so keep it dry and use within 2 weeks.
Peanut allergy: never give this to anyone allergic to peanuts, and label the jar. Gas and bloating: start with 1 scoop and more water; chana with the chilka is the usual culprit. Kidney disease: ask your doctor before raising protein. Diabetes: count it as a snack with carbs; check sugar if you add gur or dates, and don’t change medicine without your doctor. Children: not needed for most; powder mixes can be a choking hazard if thick and dry, and whole peanuts are unsafe under 5. Mould: any musty smell, clumps or fuzz means the whole batch goes in the bin.
Cheaper protein that beats the scoop
Two eggs give about 12 g protein. A katori of daal plus a bowl of dahi gives about 15 g. A handful of bhuna chana eaten as it is (30 g) gives the same 6 g as the powder without any grinding. Our desi protein guide shows how to reach a day’s need with ordinary food.
Homemade protein powder questions
How much protein is in homemade protein powder?
About 6 g per 30 g serving of the bhuna chana, peanut and oats mix. With 250 ml of milk the glass reaches about 14 g.
Is homemade protein powder better than whey?
Not for protein per scoop; whey is about four times more concentrated. The homemade mix is cheaper, less processed and gives fibre, so it’s a better everyday snack.
Can I use it for muscle gain at the gym?
Yes, as part of a diet with enough total protein and calories. The training builds muscle; the powder just helps you reach your daily protein.
Will this powder make me gain weight?
It can, since a glass with full-cream milk is about 280 kcal. If you drink it on top of normal meals every day, the weight adds up.
Is it good for weight loss?
Only as a portioned snack replacing something less filling. Mix it in water or skimmed milk and keep it to one scoop.
Why does it give me gas?
Chana fibre and oats ferment in the gut. Use chana without the chilka, start with half a serving and drink plenty of water.
Can kids drink homemade protein powder?
Most children get enough protein from milk, eggs, daal and roti. If a child eats poorly, talk to a paediatrician rather than adding powders.
How long can I store it?
About 2 to 3 weeks airtight, longer in the fridge. Peanuts go rancid first, so trust your nose.
Can I add almonds or dates?
Yes. Almonds add a little protein and fat; dates add sweetness and sugar. Both raise calories.