How do you get your protein?

[Factoid]

I'm skeptical about a lot of mainstream saying a high protein diet is the best thing - this has been shown to be not totally true, but I am just wondering where raw people get most of their protein from.
I went to a naturopath and she told me I am not getting enough protein by a long shot and I really always crave tofu too.. I eat a lot and am full and not exactly hungry but I am not satisfied. I eat loads of nuts but there are only so much a certain thing you can eat.
I eat chia, spirulina but not sure if this can form the main..

btw did you know that Gwyneth Paltro has gone off raw, Madonna was poss not ever on it, Alicia Silverstone has gone of it. etc. I am not a celebrity nut or even read the gossip magazines, but I am just wondering about people who need to be 100% on top of their diet and health for their careers and have the resources to find the best advice..

[sport]

The best source of protein is greens.
I need 30 grams per day as part of a 1900 calorie diet and never fail to get it without trying.
I never eat nuts but do eat a small amout of seeds.

[Cottonball McFluffy]

I'm skeptical about a lot of mainstream saying a high protein diet is the best thing - this has been shown to be not totally true, but I am just wondering where raw people get most of their protein from.
I went to a naturopath and she told me I am not getting enough protein by a long shot and I really always crave tofu too.. I eat a lot and am full and not exactly hungry but I am not satisfied. I eat loads of nuts but there are only so much a certain thing you can eat.
I eat chia, spirulina but not sure if this can form the main..

btw did you know that Gwyneth Paltro has gone off raw, Madonna was poss not ever on it, Alicia Silverstone has gone of it. etc. I am not a celebrity nut or even read the gossip magazines, but I am just wondering about people who need to be 100% on top of their diet and health for their careers and have the resources to find the best advice..
Paltrow and Madonna were on a macrobiotic diet, Silverstone has been and still is a hardcore vegan. I'd guess Paltrow was adviced to make dietary changes after she was diagnosed with early symptoms of osteoporosis.
Yeah, I know WAY too much about this to be healthy. :D

Now this is a personal opinion and doesn't reflect all of raw community but I see diet as a personal thing. Some people thrive on 100% raw, some people do better with cooked vegan and some like low carb lifestyle. With celebs, the main issue a lot of the time is lack of time. They just wouldn't have the time to eat as much as 100% raw would require them. I'm basing this on reading a few celeb blogs where it seems that their optimal solution is to get someone else to cook and deliver their food to them or otherwise they'll end up not eating at all.

Protein? Greens and seeds. Did you get physical symptoms from not getting enough protein or did your naturopath just throw it out there?

[Factoid]

I have been having massive green smoothies, sometimes with more greens in salads too. [to put it plainly, during these periods - and it has been quite a lot recently as I have been raw all this year - even my s**t was green] To be honest I found it hard to get down at times. It was mind over body just telling me it was healthy so drink it. I can drink it and do feel I need it everyday, but just a small amount. Is it a "complete protein" anyway. The naturopath kept going on about that being neccessary.
I don't think I should ignore what my body is feeling it wants. Also I have been having worsening fraying and cracking nails - quite bad and I have generally not been 100%. I have been feeling very fatigued and my skin is aging incredibly for my age and situation. Hence all the visiting drs, wellness clinics and naturopaths.
Nutrition is such a huge minefield out there, but I am starting to think maybe different things work for different bodies too. In Chinese traditional medicine they say that a woman's body is very yin and needs more warming foods (not cooling foods like raw). I know I can't eat bananas without feeling so bloated it is uncomfortable. I am not saying TCM is the way, I don't even know so much about it, but there are different viewpoints..I think Ayurvedic has something on different body types too - kapa, pita and vada??
Maybe raw is not 100% suitable for an East Asian body.(I have East Asian heritage). I know Annie Phyo is E.Asian but I don't know many generally. Though that could just be a cultural thing, raw has taken the Western world mostly by storm.
I wonder if raw is the best for a European body which stores fat the easiest, situated in the convenience laden Western society we live in. I also often wonder about all the miracle stories of improvement from people on raw. I wonder if the majority of these people have come from a hard core SAD previous diet - not just McDs all the time, but eg white pasta, tinned vegies etc. I ate good quality food before trying raw anyway and did not see such great improvements (actually poss some probs?? :confused:)

re celebrities - I don't think time is really a prob - a lot of them tend to be v driven and know their livelihood depends on their image. They have the resources and go to the top health professionals and hire chefs so it is all taken care of.

[SevenKindsOfCookie]

I eat a lot and am full and not exactly hungry but I am not satisfied. I eat loads of nuts but there are only so much a certain thing you can eat.

It's one thing to put proteins into the mouth. Digesting and assimilating them is something completely different.
It's my understanding that many people have issues assimilating certain nutrients, either due to plaque/toxic buildup or genetics. Taking digestive enzymes can help a lot with this.

My suggestions would be to:
1.) Up your green intake if it's not already high
2.) Soak all your nuts and seeds if your not already doing so
3.) Take good quality enzyme supplement containing protease.
4.) Eat more fermented foods like nut yogurts, kefir and sauerkraut.

I usually try to stay away from supplements, but I've noticed a huge difference when I switched to making nut yogurts with added protease. Protease is the enzyme that breaks down proteins into amino acids, so using it during the fermentation process helps predigesting the nuts a lot.
I use Nutritional Essentials Probiotic Blend, which is the best one I've found so far, but I'm sure that they are other good ones out there.

[Raw Angel Mom]

I got to tease, lol.... the question would be: "How can you avoid to eat protein? lol....

Protein is an amino acid and is found in all food. You need 8 essentials amino acid that your body cannot produce. Eating a simple apple or even a simple tomato contain all the essential amino acid. I highly recommend that you purchase "RawSome" by Brigitte Mars. So inexpensive and full of valuable information and even recipes.

Green without question is a great source of protein. Keep in mind that if you cook a protein, the sulfur break down which lead to a cripple protein. It is So important to make room for the good stuff (fresh uncooked plant food). If you aren't going to do a vegan diet just yet, please make sure to at least consume many fresh fruit/vegetables. Your red blood cell and the carrier of the oxygen need a specific amino acid and if you only eat cook protein, you will bring great challenge to your body to feed the cells with oxygen. Make room for the good stuff and seriously consider to do the raw vegan diet. Alissa Cohen book/DVD in my humble opinion are the best one to get you started and they are filled with valuable information and tip on how to do this.

Welcome on the board!

[Raw Angel Mom]

I'm skeptical about a lot of mainstream saying a high protein diet is the best thing - this has been shown to be not totally true, but I am just wondering where raw people get most of their protein from.
I went to a naturopath and she told me I am not getting enough protein by a long shot and I really always crave tofu too.. I eat a lot and am full and not exactly hungry but I am not satisfied. I eat loads of nuts but there are only so much a certain thing you can eat.
I eat chia, spirulina but not sure if this can form the main..

btw did you know that Gwyneth Paltro has gone off raw, Madonna was poss not ever on it, Alicia Silverstone has gone of it. etc. I am not a celebrity nut or even read the gossip magazines, but I am just wondering about people who need to be 100% on top of their diet and health for their careers and have the resources to find the best advice..


By the way, when you go see a naturapath or any natural doctor make sure they do raw food themselves. They are sadly trained to believe in cook food.

As for why people get off of raw food, it could be many reasons but one common one is that cook food is so addictive. For some people if they make an exception, they will go back to their old ways. Try it for yourself. I went back to my old ways too, but i could never forget the amount of energy that i had when doing raw food. This memory helped me to go back to raw food and mainly green smoothie (they help to heal addiction). 12 steps to raw food is a great book to read. It helps to deal with your family/friend that don't understand this life style.

[SevenKindsOfCookie]

As for celebrities going on/off raw. A lot of people go on and off the raw food diet, celebrities are no different. It's not like they know better than anyone else. So just because a few celebrities are off raw foods doesn't mean that it's not good, it just means that they moved on to something else, for better or worse.

That said. It might seem that there is a huge trend in the raw community (whatever that is) to start eating animal products or some cooked food. Even some of the "gurus" have admitted to doing that.
But from my understanding it's just matter of people starting to speak the truth. The fact is that there is just a small percentage of raw foodists who are 100% raw vegan. That's just the way it is. Does that mean that 100% raw vegan is bad and can't be done? No it certainly doesn't. And a lot of people on this forum is a proof of that. Is it the right thing for you? Only you can be the judge of that. Feel free to experiment to find what works best for you. But remember that there are a lot of different ways to eat raw, some might be better than others for you.

[Kalehua]

Totally backing everything that Raw Angel Mom has shared!


By the way, when you go see a naturapath or any natural doctor make sure they do raw food themselves. They are sadly trained to believe in cook food.


I have to second this! My mom went to see a nutritionist and asked me to go with to help ask and answer questions. The nutritionist pretty much said the same thing about protein to her. (The girl didn't even know what hemp seeds were.)

I see it as this, a lot of these doctors, naturopathy, dietitians, nutritionists, etc... take information that they have leaned in as fact and don't question it. A lot of things that were once thought to be fact, later become disproved. It just takes time for the mainstream to accept it. But honestly, I think it would be near impossible for the protein myth to be accepted in our country. It's huge money.

So in turn, we have to question it. Which is what you're doing and I applaud you for it.

Re-read what Raw Angel Mom posted because that's the key to it.
From my understanding, enzymes are mainly proteins and proteins are made up of linked amino acids. So enzymes are complex chains of amino acids. To study the chemical properties of food they have to heat it up and cook it. Thus destroying much of what's in there. So they don't know for a fact how many amino acids and proteins are in live food.

[Factoid]

Might try enzyme supplements and fermented foods, thanks 7kinds.
I want to check out doing a detox too as the idea of plaque and nutrient absorption is something I want to consider. Never really thought it about it as I had always eaten organic healthy food, hardly any alcohol etc etc. I think I will check it out though.

I have been raw vegan all this year (except for cooking some carrots and tomatoes).
Def no addiction to cooked food - I didn't have any cravings at all (although I have eaten out a restaurants during this period)

Agree that a lot of health proffessionals are trained in mainstream cooked stuff and don't think they question it a lot of them, no.
Really wish there was more standardised (and good, informed with latest research) training for nutrition in general. There seem to be so many different places you can train for it and none of it seems that standardised. MDs don't get nutrition training unless its a tiny module or an elective and dieticians are so mainstream ie in to meat, cooked stuff etc..

Forgot to say that I also am really "foggy". Very occassionally if I am absolutley dropping out at work, and get a coffee (v v occassionally) I notice the difference like night and day. My mind becomes clear as a bell.

[Raw Angel Mom]

Instead of coffee, try raw chocolate or even green tea.

Hope you find what bring the best balance for you.

Fermented food is definitly a great food if it works for you.

[Factoid]

no raw choc and green tea don't have the same effect at all.
Just had some raw choc cake :)
I don't eat dairy either, haven't for yrs.
Will try the fermented foods and try to do a detox I think.

[bing]

I guess all individuals in the raw food diet have this feeling - not full but not hungry, no matter how much food is taken in.

In this diet, it's important that you take note of what you're body needs. Others let go of this important fact and just eat anything raw that fills their stomach. :confused:

[Shels]

I guess all individuals in the raw food diet have this feeling - not full but not hungry, no matter how much food is taken in.

In this diet, it's important that you take note of what you're body needs. Others let go of this important fact and just eat anything raw that fills their stomach. :confused:

Not necessarily? I don't feel grossly full or heavy after eating a raw meal, but I certainly feel satiated. I think the people who are saying they're never full haven't figured out how to eat properly yet.

[sozei]

http://i138.photobucket.com/albums/q280/sozei72/where-do-you-get-your-protein.gif

[GreenT]

Here is an excerpt from Alissa's book "Living on Live Food" from the question and answer section about protein.

http://www.rawfoodtalk.com/showthread.php?t=3296

[Non]

Alright protein.

First of all, with the raw diet, you retain muscle, you also absorb more of the protein in the food. They are more bioavailable, and undenatured form. Also, enzymes... do these count as protein in food? I'm not sure, but enzymes are also protein. They also help to digest protein. Sprouts, and especially sprouts have enzymes. Green foods: especially leafy greens have quite a bit of protein and they don't provide much calories. A person can eat quite a bit of greens... and... they contain FREE amino acids - this is the best form of protein.. is this considered when counting protein? Amino acids are not full protein. Sprouts also break down their protein into amino acids.

So there... with that.. you can at least take in the RDA of protein without feeling weak. In fact, if you used to follow the "1g per lb" rule, you won't need to when raw because of all the above factors. You can just have the RDA and you'll be fine. In fact better than another who takes the RDA of protein in a cooked diet.

[MelanieBear]

When I am in more of a "cleansing" phase and staying 100% raw, eating simply (few recipes during these phases, mostly eating just fresh fruits and veg in their natural state) I don't worry about getting additional protein beyond that which is part of the fruits and veg themselves. (As everyone has said, greens are a decent source. You've just got to eat a LOT of them.)

However, cleansing isn't all there is to life. There are times when the body needs to rebuild and repair. When I get the signal from my body that I need them, I also include steamed lentils, quinoa, nuts, seeds, and even the occasional whole grain. This has worked beautifully for me and I've found that I don't have to stay 100% raw all of the time in order to be wildly healthy and happy. Many people don't have that experience; it's all about experimenting and finding out what works for you. (No matter what anybody's dogma says. Raw dogma is just as bad as cooked dogma, IMHO.)

That said, I do avoid soy and animal protien stringently. Soy makes me quite ill and animal protein is not on the menu for ethical and environmental reasons.

Keep experimenting and listen to your body. You'll be fine!

Melanie

[EscapeArtist]

Greens :p and I'm beginning to drink chia iskiate for the protein, calcium and omega 3/6 content. Chia seeds are a grand source of protein

[Tea]

I got to tease, lol.... the question would be: "How can you avoid to eat protein? lol....

Protein is an amino acid and is found in all food. You need 8 essentials amino acid that your body cannot produce. Eating a simple apple or even a simple tomato contain all the essential amino acid. I highly recommend that you purchase "RawSome" by Brigitte Mars. So inexpensive and full of valuable information and even recipes.



I love this book too! Great information.

Apples and tomatoes contain all the essential amino acids? That's the first I've heard of that.

Sprouted lentils are a great protein source. Supposedly, when they are cooked they are lacking two amino acids, but when they are sprouted they contain all the essential amino acids for human health.[source (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lentil)]

[Non]

Lentils, hemp seed, mung bean, adzuki bean. pea. nuts. GREEN ESPECIALLY for the glutamine.

all sprouted if possible.

[RoseGreen]

I'm with the greens and green smoothie people. That's where I get my protein! :D