Raw Foodies

Join

Protein?

EthansMom1030
EthansMom1030 Posts: 1
in Social Groups
I am not a Raw foodie as of yet. Very interested in it. How, besides protein powders, does one get enough protein in their diet?

Replies

  • GenFo
    GenFo Posts: 124 Member
    All whole food plants have protein. In fact, calorie for calorie, romaine (cos) lettuce has more protein than steak.
  • djkshdfd
    djkshdfd Posts: 443 Member
    Small amounts of nuts...really I have found to truly get enough protein for training you have to allow some non-raw foods into your diet. Powders truly are your best bet.

    Soymilk for example is a good source if you do not fear soy protein. I also allow myself Greek Yogurt as a low calorie protein source.

    If you want to stay under calories you will never get a significant amount of protein from raw food alone. Please note I am saying if you want to stay under calories. Also, plant protein sources are not as complete as plant sources so consider that the uptake of plant only proteins is not a as great.

    I disagree with the other poster in a sense. Lettuce may have the same amount of protein as steak....if you eat 20 heads of lettuce. Not to mention it is not as high of quality protein. She may be right as far as calorie for calorie though.

    I am personally 70% raw now. I did 95% for a several months and lost a ton of weight but I was also not able to maintain any muscle. Through experience is where my suggestions come from. I have been majority raw for over 1.5 years now. I also train for long distance trail runs so getting the correct nutrition is important for fueling my muscles.
  • Tall_E
    Tall_E Posts: 182 Member
    I agree that all whole foods have some protein, some more than others. Nuts (includes nut butters), seeds and sprouts of all kinds, including all kinds of beans like soy, are good sources. In fact, very little has as much good quality protein as sprouts and they are low fat. You can also eat raw grains - oats, barley, etc if you soak them for 15 minutes in water first - and they have lots of protein too. If you read the research, it's also clear that Americans generally eat too much protein so you might want to freshly evaluate your real protein needs, depending on how much you are building muscle, your health status and your lifestyle.
  • GenFo
    GenFo Posts: 124 Member
    I found this tonight and the website it's from has loads of great info and recipes:

    http://vegweb.com/vegweb-guide-protein-calcium-myth

    Protein
    “Where do you get your protein?” is easily the most common question vegans are asked. Protein naturally occurs in hundreds of plant-based foods, such as beans, nuts, and grains. Two tablespoons of peanut butter, for example, has eight grams of protein; one cup of cooked lentils provides 18. According to the US Department of Agriculture (USDA), the Recommended Dietary Allowance (RDA) of protein for the average American man and woman are 56 grams and 46 grams, respectively; on average, Americans eat almost twice those amounts. As long as we consume enough calories from a variety of foods, protein needs are easily met. Elephants, cows, gorillas, horses, and hippopotamuses are all herbivores—and they get all the protein they need from plant-based foods.

Categories