Protein in Raw Diets

Raw dieters maintain their method of eating improves energy, digestion, health and overall well-being. A raw diet consists of vegetarian foods that are not heated above 116 degrees Fahrenheit. While the diet is a healthy mix of fruits, vegetables, nuts, seeds, cold-pressed oils and sprouted grains, it excludes typical protein sources, such as milk, eggs, nuts, seeds, fish, poultry and meat. With proper planning, a raw diet can help you meet your protein needs.

Significance

Protein is an essential building block of most cells in the body and facilitates muscle function and growth. The Institute of Medicine recommends the average person consume at least 0.36 g of protein per 1 lb. of body weight, or 10 percent of daily calories. Because vegetarian proteins are digested at a slightly different rate, raw dieters and other people who exclude animal proteins should eat more like 0.45 g of protein per 1 lb. of body weight. Using this calculation, a 130-lb. raw dieter should then aim for 58.5 g of protein daily.

Nuts and Seeds

Raw dieters eat most nuts and seeds, which are a source of protein. Seek out raw options and soak them to release their digestive enzymes. Raw almonds, walnuts, peanuts, pecans and cashews are commonly pureed into milks and butters, ground into crackers and granolas, soaked and flavored to make "cheese" or used to top salads. Seeds, such as sunflower, hemp and sesame, are ingredients in smooth, raw dips, crackers and salads. Hemp protein powder is a complete protein source, meaning it contains all the essential amino acids the body cannot produce on its own. Use it in smoothies, puddings and cereals.

Quinoa

Quinoa, technically a seed, is classified as a grain. It is one of the few plant-based foods that is complete in its protein make up. Typically served cooked like rice, you can sprout quinoa and eat it raw. To sprout quinoa, soak it overnight in purified water and then drain and rinse it in a fine colander. Leave it sitting in the colander, covered with a damp, clean kitchen towel, for a minimum of six hours. Rinse a few times during the resting process.

Vegetables

Between 20 and 50 percent of the calories in vegetables come from protein. While most vegetables do not offer complete proteins, combining a variety of them over the course of the day does provide you with a number of essential amino acids, the building blocks of protein. Sarma Melngailis and Matthew Kenney point out in "Raw Food, Real World," that raw leafy greens are an ideal source of some amino acids and are better digested by the body than cooked proteins.

Beans and Legumes

Beans and legumes are a source of vegetarian protein. Large beans, particularly kidney beans, are excluded from a raw diet because they may be toxic when eaten raw, but you can sprout other types of beans and legumes and add them to salads and other recipes. Lentils, chickpeas, along with mung, adzuki, urad and moth beans sprout easily and safely.