Raw Food Myth: Where’s the Protein?

Comment: What? You’re eating only raw foods now? Well, what are you going to do about protein? You need meat for that. A raw vegan diet doesn’t have enough protein in it, especially if you are physically active and like to workout.

Response:Yes, protein is essential for the structure and function of every cell in our body. It plays an important role in the functioning of our organs and muscle tissues, along with enzyme production. Amino acids are the building blocks for proteins. It is a common misconception that you can only get proteins (or enough proteins to function) from animal products. In fact, plant proteins are more than compatible with our bodies and provide the essentials that our cells need to perform daily tasks.

The World Health Organization states that humans need about 5% of their daily calorie intake to come from protein. This constitutes a healthy diet. Actually, by being a raw food enthusiast, you have the option to get your daily dose of protein from a variety of sources. So no longer do you have to think “gee, I should make sure I have chicken tonight so I get my protein.” Now you have multiple ways to get your protein, from your breakfast smoothie to your afternoon snack. On average, fruits have roughly 5% of their calories from protein and vegetables (especially green leafy ones) have 20-50% of their calories from protein.

Here are some great plant based foods that are packed with the proteins your body needs to make things happen:

• Dark leafy greens such as kale and spinach (great in salads, in juices and green smoothies)
• Fruits such as peaches, avocados (great in smoothies), and raisins (consider making a raw trail mix)
• Nuts such as Brazil nuts, pecans, pistachios (good for snacking)

So go forth and get your protein in more creative ways than ever before! Take that!!!!!

By rawfoodnation Tags: avocado, Brazil nuts, kale, peach, pecans, pistachios, protein, raisins, spinach
Posted in FAQs, Raw Food Myths | 6 Comments »

6 Responses to “Raw Food Myth: Where’s the Protein?”

1. rawenergy says:

   February 8, 2009 at 1:28 am

   I wasn’t aware the dark leafy greens and fruits had protein. I thought a great source was nuts such as almonds.

   Aren’t the pistachos you get at grocery store “not natural”, I used to buy them and they had a funny taste to them, almost salty. Maybe I should buy some from the organic store instead.

   Your thoughts?

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2. Kat says:

   February 23, 2009 at 11:38 am

   Hello just a passer by buttin’ in to answer rawenergy’s question. I too was surprised to find leafy greens have protein, plenty of amino acids there! The reason we don’t hear about it is leafy greens haven’t been studied much, and have erroneously been categorised as a ‘vegetable’ along with carrots and beets and so on – things which don’t have much protein at all. I’m basically paraphrasing the book ‘Green for Life’ by Victoria Boutenko, so pick up a copy from a book store or a library to find out more (and how green smoothies are the best way to unlock nutrition from your greens) .

   Nuts are good sources of protein but aren’t great to eat too often. Lots of greens, and a few seeds (and even fruit) are better ways to get your raw vegan protein (in my opinion based on all the reading i have done, and in my own bodily experience – as in what makes me feel the best).

   As to the pistashos, it’s a sad fact that apparently 80% of the nuts in supermarkets are rancid, perhaps yours were? As fats are supposed to be kept in cool places. Best to get your nuts from somewhere with a higher turnover. A smaller store (organic or otherwise, somewhere with lots of local produce) might be able to tell you how often they get nuts in, and if they have been exposed to heat.

   Hope you don’t mind me answering the question, i have no qualifications, just a fellow raw food lover who has done a lot of research and made plenty of her own mistakes .

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3. rawfoodnation01 says:

   February 23, 2009 at 11:29 pm

   Hi Kat! We don’t mind at all! Thanks so much for your comment ) I think we might have that book on our shelf, sure does sound familiar! If we do I will certainly scope it out, and if not, I will place an order. We try to read as much as we can. Knowledge is raw power! ) Thanks again!

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4. OrganiKooK says:

   November 11, 2009 at 7:10 am

   It is a shame that the masses are so brainwashed that they think you will be protein deficient on a living foods diet, or even on a vegan diet.I hear it constantly. My response is there is protein in just about everything that you eat. Broccoli actually contains more protein than steak! I sometimes turn it around on them, and ask them how do they get their vitamin c, or their calcium, or how is their fatty acid ratio? When was the last time that you actually heard of anyone being protein deficient?

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5. Dawn says:

   January 13, 2010 at 4:55 am

   When I tried pure raw foods, eating mainly green soups, salads and smoothies with hemp powder in, I suffered from muscle and flesh wastage that I never recovered from. If something has an adverse effect I tend to experience it very fast, partly because I have Chronic Fatigue Syndrome. I am vegan, but I do think raw foodists need to really make sure they are getting adequate protein. Now I have a mix of raw and cooked and lots of Sunfoods rice protein powder every day and pea protein powder. CFS sufferers and those with metabolic syndrome require much more protein than a healthy individual so have to be extra careful to ensure that their protein requirements are met on a raw food diet.

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   admin Reply:
   January 14th, 2010 at 3:38 pm

   Hi Dawn! Thank you for sharing your story with us. We agree that anyone pursuing the raw food lifestyle should pay close attention to their health and their body. And we strongly recommend that newbies start out with a holistic health and nutritional counselor. They can test for vitamin/mineral deficiencies, do a live blood analysis, and monitor your diet. Thanks again Dawn! Great website by the way!

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