Doctor says too much fruit

[plucked]

Hey all, I saw a naturopath today that suggested im not getting enough protein, nor fat, and eating too much fruit.

OK....I should limit my fruit intake to 4-6 servings of fruit. I forgot to ask, but what is one serving anyway? 1 strawberry for example? Or a cup of 'em? If it's one, my morning smoothie would do away with the rest of my day's alloted fruit portion!!!(I love my smoothies)

Not enough protein...hmm, well, I am heavily dependent on a whey protein powder Ive been wanting to wean off. I did have Nutiva's raw hemp seed Powder but ran out and cant afford to replace it right now.

With the P. Powder I have been getting the amount he recomended, 40-50 grams a day. WIthout it, it would probably be down to 25 or, below.

The thing with the protein from nuts and seeds, is Im trying to lose fat! I cant possibly eat enough protein from seeds and nuts to take in 40-50 grams of protien a day!

This is really frustrating. I went in thinking I am eating too much fat. I knew I had to increase greens big time, I was depending too much on fruit, but how do you make this all work???

[Rawkinlocs]

Hey Plucked.

Question: Was the Naturopath's recommendation/suggestion based on some tests ran or was it based on you giving your dietary intake information?

Also, have you read any of those "protein myth" articles that debunk the amounts of protein we're said to need daily?

Don't know if you've seen it or not, but there is an article here about protein from Alissa's book in the "Need to know more about raw?" forum under the topic of "Protein".

Here is an excerpt from that article and you can read the rest by visiting that portion of the board...

==========
Here is an excerpt from my book Living on Live Food from the question and answer section:

Q. What About Protein (And Calcium)?

A. This is by far the question I’m asked most frequently.

Protein does not create protein in your body. Amino acids create protein in your body. And the best source of amino acids are leafy green vegetables.

When you eat meat, fish, or chicken, you’re not getting as much protein as you think you are. Take chicken, for example. Say there are 20 grams of protein in a chicken breast. Once you cook it, you destroy half the protein. Now your body has to digest and assimilate this heavy, dense source of 10 grams of protein, that will take up to 100 hours. How much do you think is getting stuck in your body as toxic waste by the time it reaches your colon? How much protein from a cooked chicken breast will you actually get? Maybe a few grams, if you’re lucky.

When I speak to bodybuilders and athletes about this, they often insist that animal protein is the best protein available. If it’s such a good source, why do they need so much of it? Some of my bodybuilding friends feel it necessary to eat large portions of meat with each of their six daily meals!

Many green vegetables are excellent sources of high quality protein. A bowl of uncooked greens or sprouts may only contain a few grams of protein, but you can digest and assimilate all of it because they still have all of their vitamins, minerals, and enzymes intact. This makes this protein far more useful to your body...."
============

I just don't believe that you have to limit fruit intake to such small quantities. Just up your greens...do those green smoothies if need be to accomplish this.

[joy]

Rawkinlocs is so right to ask what your doctor's recommnedation was based on.

A few months ago, after several months at nearly 100% raw, I had my protein levels checked. I was getting maybe 20 grams of protein from nuts, seeds, greens, and fruit; that was significant'y lower than the recommended 80 grams for my weight and activity level. The tests, however, came back at the high end of normal. A doctor might have evaluated my diet and diagnosed me as protein deficient, when I was actually fine.

If a test does define you as having low protein levels, you might consider increasing your intake of greens, which are primarily protein, rather than increasing nuts, which are primarily fat.

[Sharon in Colorado]

Plucked, what are you eating, can you give an example?

[plucked]

Thank you all for your replies! I mean, I just want to find a way of eating that'll make me feel good. "Am I deluding myself", I wonder sometimes, If i just want it to be true SO bad...

Here's an example of a day for me :

Breakfast:
smoothie: abt. 1 cup frozen strawberries, 1 banana (sometimes 2), 1 scoop protein powder (20g protein), a little water to mix.

Top off with raw nuts (trader Joe's "Fancy ((ooh-lala)) Nuts"). Abt. a 1/4 cup or more a day. Lately soaked.

Snack on; pumpkin seeds, fruit, raw sweet pepper...

Lunch*
small-medium salad, with whatever isn't rotten, and therfore appealing!
dressing; a couple teaspoons olive oil (cold pressed), splash apple cider vinegar, maybe a splash Bragg's aminos or, balsamic vinegar.

Or,

more fruit.

Snack: as above

Dinner*
If I hadn't had a smoothie for lunch, I would more often insert it here. Same ingredients.

***

I have a hard time convincing myself to eat atlelast 1 salad a day! I need to find a more appeatizing way so I'll eat me greens!!!

The doc thought I may be hypoglycemic, since I have low energy. Also, I get a little dizzy when I stand up from a low position. His advice was based on a diet diary I kept for a week.

Joy, maybe I'll get my blood tested for protein before I make any big adjustments, your experience sounds very interesting.

Rawkinlocs, thanks for the info! I did read that article when I first came here, but had forgotten about it. As far as green smoothis, I love 'em when I actually get around to making them. Are there any green powders that can be added for the days I feel too "spent" to drag out the juicer? A powder that's "kosher" to raw foods?

Would spirulina give me what i'd get in greens? Or is it different? I seem to remeber it was high in protien too.

[zeeraw]

I couldn't live without my green smoothies everyday. However I make mine with a blender. Just put all the fruit and greens in and a bit of water if needed and just blend. Really easy and no need for a juicer.

[GlimR]

Hi~ *s*
Adding greens to your smoothie couldn't be easier.......I use that as a way to get in some greens every day.......just add a big handfull of baby spinach to your smoothie......I add some fresh parsley too........mango, banana, pineapple and greens are my favorite ingredients...you can't taste the greens AT ALL!! It is delicious and all you have to do is throw them into the blender w/ the other stuff~

[flutterfly]

Plucked. your eating habits sound very sound to me. Dr's are funny animals some times. They think that we all need to eat what ever the charts say. I would bet that your diet is at least 90% healthier than the Dr's is. ;)

[Sharon in Colorado]

Plucked, looks like your diet is on the right track. From what you described you are taking in a ton of fat and protein, and very little fruit.

One thing you may want to consider is eliminating the protein powder and nuts with your smoothies. For one, the protein powder is probably soy isolate, which is not healthy, and proteins and fats mixed with fruit usually doesn't combine too well. Fruit works best on its own. Something to think about. If you are having candida like symptoms that could be why.

I used to use soy protein (amongst 12 other things!) in my fruit smoothie, and when I eliminated it, the smoothie tasted much better, it was definately cheaper and I did not feel any different.

[plucked]

wow! it worked, I made a green smoothie just with my blender! YEAH!!!! I'm so psyched! I thought you need a real fancy blender to do that, and I was afraid that there would be little chunks still floating around in there. YEAH!!!

[ebonysea7]

I'm thrilled to find out I can make a green drink with my blender. I don't always want to drag out my juicer. Can't wait to try it.

/gfj

[Rawkinlocs]

Plucked and ebonysea,

I'm assuming you ladies haven't read the "Ode to Green Smoothies"! It's a must-read.

Here are a couple of threads that discuss green smoothies in great detail:
http://www.rawfoodtalk.com/forum/sh...hlight=Boutenko
http://www.rawfoodtalk.com/forum/sh...green+smoothies

No, juicing the greens first isn't necessary at all. I've got a cheaper model blender and I add my fruit and water, blend, add my greens, blend a little to break it up and then I add either frozen fruit or ice to blend further to break up all the bits and pieces without the smoothie getting all warm from all that blending.

Also, as everyone said, your diet sounds fine...just add more of those greens and you should be good to go! I started out in this lifestyle of raw with little-to-no energy due to being anemic most of my life. But it's gotten and is getting better! I used to get light-headed at times too...but I can't remember the last time that's happened.

So, you're definitely on the right track.

[jenna rose]

yeah, i'm finding the green smoothie is the best way for me to get my greens. i don't seem to tire of having a smoothie everyday but I don't like having a salad everyday.

it hasn't taken me long to up my greens in my smoothie, either.

3 bananas
5 strawberries
1-2 oranges
some water
a little ice
some honey
BIG handful of baby spinach
quite a few leaves of the greenleaf lettuce

Depending on how much I put in, it's been making anywhere between 32-48oz. And it is soooo good.

Ofcourse my family members are all "Wow. Isn't that A LOT of calories? Should you be doing that?" Sigh.

My blender does the job mixing it all together and it's a bit of a cheap one from Walmart but it does a great job. I just "blend" for a while and then "liquify" for a little while after that and it's good to go.

[plucked]

I did better so far today.

For breakfast: I had a smoothie without protein powder, and with a couple handfuls of baby spinach for breaky, also strawbs and 2 bananas tossed in.

Then I snacked on an apple Lara bar while I was out and about.

For lunch: 2 cups mixed herb salad, with a few cherry tomatoes, some broccoli, 1/2 a red pepper, 2 teaspoons olive oil, apple cider vinegar, with some garlic powder sprinkled lightly on.

snack: soaked mixed nuts. a few soaked raisins.

ALRIGHT! Now what the heck do I eat for DINNER??!! :confused:

according to fitday, i have had around 30 or more grams of fat already. And maybe 18 grams of protein (i usually get atleast 20-30 more due to the protein powder).

If I ate another salad, that would mean more oil, as that's the only way I can 'gag' it down.

A green smoothie? But i'd be tempted to add some p.powder.

Everything else I can think of has nuts in it.

What makes oats, etc raw? Can I buy 'em anywhere?

Im feeling very limited.

[solarliving]

Hi I just wanted to share the delicious green smoothie I had this morning
It might be here somewhere but Just in case:


Handful of parsley
2 pieces of collard
a pinch of fresh mint
1/2 cup of frozen bananas
3/4 cup of water

It was very refreshing with the mint!

[Ophelia]

Hey Plucked!

I know what you mean about feeling dizzy or light headed as you stand up. This was happening to me for a while a few months back. So I decided to figure out a solution :rolleyes:

Turns out just one piece of fruit would give me clarity. A nice peach or nectarine did the trick!

I was wondering if you have heard of Dr. Douglas Graham and his 80-10-10 diet. He, and many others, talk about the concept of proper food combining. Even a raw foodist can be extremely unheathy if too many nuts/fats are consumed, especially in the presense of sugars from fruits. Best to keep the sweet fruits separate from the fats (nuts, seeds, oils) is what's recommended for ultimate health. Although, everyone is different!

It's said that "a low fruit diet is inevitably a high fat diet" which is not a good thing, even if raw. I learned not to be scared of eating more fruit, and to be more aware of how my body felt when combining them or eating them as mono-meals. Good luck with your progress!! Yes, I love green smoothies, too. I can't get enough of my peach/mango/banana/kale and lettuce smoothie. Seriously, it's a good way for me to get down those hard to chew green veggies.

I know when I have my beloved raw brownies & cookies I'm not the bundle of energy I'd like to be :D But they are sooooo yummmy!!!

[pizda]

Hi I just wanted to share the delicious green smoothie I had this morning
It might be here somewhere but Just in case:


Handful of parsley
2 pieces of collard
a pinch of fresh mint
1/2 cup of frozen bananas
3/4 cup of water

It was very refreshing with the mint!

No offense Solarliving,
But this shows how most of the smoothies have no consideration for the food combining rules.

[Pailani]

most of the smoothies have no consideration for the food combining rules.

Right, by definition, green smoothies break the rule about eating fruit alone. Yet, it seems to work for a lot of people!

Plucked, when I eat dried fruit/nut bars (like Lara bars) I have candida symptoms. I seem to have no problem with a lot of fruit, as long as it's not dried fruit, and as long as I watch how many nuts I eat.

[Werevegan]

I know that juicing strips away most of the fiber, but I'm of the belief that you still get plenty of nutrients, including protein, if you're juicing greens. Is that true? Any references either way would be appreciated.

I like to juice a head of romaine, throw in a couple carrots and an apple for breakfast occasionally, and would hate to think it was just a waste of good food. :confused:

[Ophelia]

Hey WereVegan!

I emailed Dr. Natalia Rose (Raw Food Detox Diet) about retaining amino acids from green vegetable juices. And YES! The amino acids & minerals are very much available for your body :D

I used to veggie juice in the morning, too! It's a lot of work, and soooo early, so I save it until the weekends. Sometimes out of shear laziness I choose to blend green smoothies because it's an easier clean-up :p But I totally agree with green veggie juicing - get all the nutrients you can! And I love the taste of romaine with apple, too.

I guess just don't totally skimp on the fiber the rest of the day. I'm writing this as I'm shoveling down my lunch with romaine lettuce. Ha ha!

[tames]

How long have you been raw? If you are going through detox, then you will be tired with no energy. This happend to me the first two weeks., then again during the 5th week. I am supposing it will happen again, but I won't be afraid of it like I was the 5th week. I also got dizzy when getting up quickly from a squatting position. That happened the first 6 weeks. That has now went away for the last two weeks.

I also eat a lot of fruit. It is my opinion that your body will tell you what it needs. If you are craving fruit then that is what you need. Like most say here, you are doing fine.

If you are making green juice in your blender, pour the mixture in a nut milk bag and squeeze the juice out into a bowl. I saw Victoria Boutenko do it. It is very quick and easy. Juice can be assimilated directly in the mouth and throat if it has no fiber in it. So drink it slowly and let it rest a little in your mouth before you swallow. Throw the juice pulp directly into your garden or compost pile. Victoria says that earth worms just love it.

Try a different doctor. You will probably get a totally different opinon!!

--Tim

[plucked]

Tames, I have been increasing my raw diet for months, and have been high raw for atleast 3 now.

I just checked out fitday.com this evening, and Im a little freaked out by how few calories I ate today, just 731!

I dont want my body to think its starving and keep holding onto this weight.