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Getting "enough" protein on raw diet

post #1 of 10
12/14/06 at 9:06am
Thread Starter 
I'm working my way up to 100% raw, and I have a concern. I don't know how to get enough protein. I don't even know how much I'm supposed to have.



I've read that we don't really need 60g+ (RDA), and that we need fewer grams because of consuming "high quality" plant proteins. How do I know if this is true? Does anyone have good sources for this claim? I did some searching on www.rawfoodtalk.com, and most of those on a 100% raw diet get fewer than 30g of protein a day! This just seems crazy to me.



How much is "enough?" And how do I get it? If you're a raw foodist, how many grams a day do you consume? Thanks in advance.
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post #2 of 10
12/14/06 at 9:19am
Thread Starter 
10-12% of your daily calories should be enough protein, though everyone is different. you can supplement with raw hemp protein powder if you are concerned.
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post #3 of 10
12/14/06 at 9:35am
General recommendations say you should get about 0.8g protein per kg of body weight (divide your weight in pounds by 2.2 to get your weight in kg). So if you weigh 150 pounds, you need about 55g protein per day. Since plant proteins aren't complete, it might be a good idea to get slightly more protein to ensure you are getting enough of all of the essential amino acids (though you don't need to worry about combining foods, etc - just eat a variety of proteins and you should be fine).



To start with, it might be a good idea to keep track of your protein intake for a few days to give you an idea of how much you are getting now. If you're lacking you can take some steps to increase your protein intake. Sprouted beans might be a good source of low fat protein, but I'll let the more experienced raw foodists talk about that



Since a lot of raw sources of protein tend to be high in fat (such as nuts), you will want to watch your fat intake. Your fat intake shouldn't be any more than 30% of your total caloric intake. (Keep in mind that there are 9 calories per gram of fat, and only 4 calories per gram of carbohydrate and protein).
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post #4 of 10
12/20/06 at 12:35am
RDA is 0.8 g/kg bodyweight. But the more accurate definition of need is based on individual amino acids, which you can satisfy with fewer g of protein if you choose wisely.



Amino acid\t1985 FAO/WHO/UNU

\tRequirement (mg/kg/day)

Isoleucine\t10

Leucine\t14

Lysine\t12

Methionine and cystine\t13

Phenylalanine and tyrosine\t14

Threonine\t7

Tryptophan\t3.5

Valine\t10



You can track your amino acid intakes at nutritiondata.com using the pantry function. You can get adequate methionine and cysteine from incorporating about 1 oz of brazil nuts. Also your protein intake will be higher if you concentrate on vegetables and nuts/seeds rather than sweet fruit.



I get about 1 g protein per kg of bodyweight.
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post #5 of 10
12/20/06 at 9:58am
Thread Starter 
Thanks for the info, everyone!
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12/29/06 at 7:56am
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post #7 of 10
12/29/06 at 7:56am
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post #8 of 10
3/14/07 at 12:40pm
I find for me it's the opposite, I have to be careful or else I get too much. I try to keep it at or under 10% but it's a challenge because I can easily get too much, and that is no ideal.
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post #9 of 10
3/26/07 at 3:53pm
Janie, I was concerned about that too. I found this article on the web: http://www.rawgarden.org/book2.html. From what I can gather here regarding protein requirements, 30-40 gr of protein a day seems right when going raw. I usually get around 35.



I posted a similar question on another board and someone had the kindness to respond with the following list:





peas, sprouted, raw, 1c=11g protein

green peas, raw, 1c=8g protein

parsnips, raw, 1c=2g protein

spinach, raw, 1 bunch (340g) = 10g protein

tomato, med (123g) = 1g protein

broccoli, 1 stalk (151g) = 4g protein

cabbage, 1 cup chopped (89g) = 1g protein

carrots, 1 cup chopped (128g) = 1g,

carrots, 1 bunch (329g) = 3g protein

green pepper, 1 med (119g) = 1g

Asparagus, 1 cup (134g) = 3g

beets, raw, 1 cup(136g) = 2g

beet greens, 1 cup(38g) = 1g

celery, 100g = 1g

parsley, 1 cup(60g) = 2g

avocado, raw, 1 cup (230g) = 5g protein

Jerusalem-artichokes, raw, 1 cup = 3g protein

kale, 1 cup(67g) = 2g

raw sesame tahini, 1 TBSP (15g) = 3g protein

pistachio nuts raw, 1 ounce (28g) = 6g protein

flaxseed, 1 ounce (28g) = 5g protein

cashew nuts, raw, 1 ounce (28g) = 5g protein

pumpkin seeds, 1 ounce (28g) = 7g protein



One place I've discovered for protein is greens - I make a salad with kale, spinach or collards, fennel, and celery every day with a olive oil/apple cider vinigrette every day and it has as much protein as an ounce of almonds (without so much fat, if you're concerned about that).



Hope that helps!



Tam
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post #10 of 10
3/26/07 at 6:16pm
Thread Starter 
Wow, Tam! Thanks for your help!
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