How to Get Enough Protein on a Raw Food Diet

PDF download Download Article
PDF download Download Article

While your raw food diet probably provides most of the nutrients you need, you may want to make sure you're getting enough protein. Keep reading to learn about the protein-rich plant and animal foods that will help you meet your dietary needs!

Method 1
Method 1 of 3:

Eating Protein from Plant-Based Sources

PDF download Download Article
  1. Many types of fruit contain 4 – 8% protein. This is less than many other high-protein plant sources, but eating a variety of high-protein fruits can boost your protein intake and ensure you get other vital nutrients. The following is a list of the fruit with the highest amount of protein: [1]
    • Avocado, 4 g each
    • Guavas, 1.4 g each
    • Passion Fruit, 5.2 g per cup
    • Pomegranate, 4.7 g each
    • Mulberries, 2 g per cup
    • Blackberries, 2 g per cup
    • Apricots, .5 g each
    • Raspberries, 1.5 g per cup
    • Nectarines, 1.5 g each
    • Oranges, 1.3 g each
    • White Grapefruit, 1 g per 1/2 fruit
    • Peaches, 1.4 g each
    • Cantaloupe, 0.9 g per wedge
    • Strawberries, 1.1 g per cup (sliced)
  2. Many vegetables contain protein, but leafy greens in particular pack a punch of this nutrient. Incorporate some leafy greens into each meal of your day to increase the amount of protein in your raw diet. The leafy greens with the highest amount of protein per cup are:
    • Kale, 4 g
    • Collard greens, 2 g
    • Mustard greens, 1.5 g
    • Turnip greens, 1.2 g
    • Cabbage, 1 g
    • Spinach, 0.86 g
    • Swiss chard, 0.7 g
    Advertisement
  3. Although leafy greens often have more protein, many other vegetables also have this nutrient. Adding some other vegetables to your leafy greens can help you get a broad range of vital nutrients and boost your protein intake . The vegetables with the highest amount of protein per cup are:
    • Broccoli, 2 g per cup
    • Peas, 4 g (per ½ cup)
    • Asparagus, 2 g (per five spears)
    • Beets, 2 g
    • Carrots, 2 g
    • Cauliflower, 2 g
    • Bell peppers, 1 g
    • Celery, 1 g
    • Cucumber, 1 g
    • Onion, 1 g (per ½ cup)
  4. There is a reason you often see nuts in things like trail mix and energy bars: they are nutritional powerhouses. The same holds true for raw nut butters. Eat a variety of nuts in addition to your healthy raw diet. The following are the nuts and nut butters highest in protein per ounce: [2] [3]
    • Peanuts, 7 g
    • Pine nuts, 7 g
    • Almonds, 6 g
    • Pistachios, 6 g
    • Mixed nuts, 4 g
  5. Seeds are another ingredient you might also see in trail mix and energy bars. This is because they're nutritional powerhouses like nuts. You can add seeds and seed butters to any food you like. They're also a nice alternative if you don't like nuts. The following are the seeds are high in protein: [4]
    • Pumpkin seeds, 8.5 g per ounce
    • Flaxseed, 7.5 g per ¼ cup
    • Sunflower seeds, 5.5 g per ounce
    • Chia seeds, 4.7 g per ounce
  6. Spirulina is a blue-green algae that can increase your daily protein intake. You can add a teaspoon to your favorite smoothie for a boost of protein. One teaspoon of spirulina has 2 g of protein and a tablespoon has 6 g.
    • Throw in a handful of leafy greens like spinach or kale, which won't alter the taste of your smoothie.
    7. Advertisement
Method 2
Method 2 of 3:

Getting Protein from Raw Animal Sources

PDF download Download Article
  1. Although many people who follow a raw diet are vegans, both vegetarians and omnivores also follow the raw food diet. If you are an omnivore, you can enjoy raw fish dishes such as sashimi and ceviche. Both of these are high in protein and can provide a much needed boost to your plant-based protein sources. [5]
    • Choose sashimi, which is usually thinly sliced fish. In most cases, salmon and tuna are the types of fish used. [6] Salmon sashimi has 5.6 g per ounce and white tuna has 7.2 g per ounce. You can also try sashimi made from eel at 6.7 g per ounce or sardine, which has 7 g per ounce. [7]
    • Make ceviche, which is a Latin American dish of raw fish or seafood marinated in citrus juice. [8] A ¼ cup of ceviche has 13 g of protein.
  2. Carpaccio is an Italian delicacy that is made of thin slices of raw meat such as beef. [9] A 3 ounce serving of beef carpaccio has 25 g of protein. [10] Keep in mind that eating raw or undercooked meat can cause serious illness or even death. [11]
  3. Milk, cheese, and other dairy products such as yogurt are all very high in protein, but for many raw dieters, they're off limits because the process of pasteurization heats dairy to remove pathogenic bacteria. [12] If you would like to boost your protein, consider trying raw dairy products. [13] Animal milks have 8 g of protein per 8 ounces. [14]
    • Locate local farms and stores that sell raw milk and milk products by using an online sites. A Campaign for Real Milk can also help you find local farms that sell unpasteurized dairy products at http://www.realmilk.com/real-milk-finder/ .
    • Raw, unpasteurized milk is illegal in some states. [15]
    • Vary your dairy options by choosing different milks and milk products such as cow, goat, and sheep.
    • Keep in mind that consuming unpasteurized dairy products can expose you to dangerous bacteria including Salmonella , E. coli , and Listeria . All of these can cause serious illness. [16]
    • Pregnant people are strongly discouraged from consuming raw dairy.
    4. Advertisement
Method 3
Method 3 of 3:

Considering Your Dietary Needs

PDF download Download Article
  1. Before starting any diet, schedule an appointment with your doctor. They can advise you if you are healthy enough for the raw diet. Ask your doctor for a referral to a registered dietitian who may can help you create a meal plan to make sure you're getting enough protein on a raw diet.
    • Be honest with your doctor about your plans to be on a raw diet as well as the reasons why. Ask any questions you may have about the diet's safety for your personal health.
  2. Every individual needs protein to maintain his or her health and wellbeing. It helps you build muscle and make things like hair, blood, connective tissue, and antibodies. The Recommended Daily Allowance (RDA) of protein for an individual is 0.8 g per kilogram body weight. Aim to get your personal RDA every day. [17]
  3. For any person, it's important to vary his or her food choices. This ensures you get the broad range of vital nutrients to maintain your health and wellbeing. As someone on a raw food diet, eating a variety of foods is especially important because there are many things you can't eat. Aim to incorporate as many different (naturally) colored foods as you can at each meal.
    • Try having a smoothie for breakfast with an avocado, some fresh berries, a handful of spinach or kale, and some spirulina. You can mix this with either fresh pressed juice or ice. For lunch, have a big mixed salad with foods like watercress, carrots, cucumbers, tomatoes, some pumpkin seeds and almonds. You can have sashimi for dinner with a cold soup such as gazpacho. If you don't eat meat or dairy, have some peanut butter and a selection of cut fruits and vegetables.
    4. Advertisement

What Are High Protein Foods And Why Are They Important?


Expert Q&A

Ask a Question
200 characters left
Include your email address to get a message when this question is answered.
Submit
      Advertisement

      Video

      Tips

      • Talk to other people that you know who are on a raw food diet and ask how they get enough protein.
        Thanks
        Helpful 2 Not Helpful 1


      Submit a Tip
      All tip submissions are carefully reviewed before being published
      Name
      Please provide your name and last initial
      Submit
      Thanks for submitting a tip for review!
      Advertisement

      You Might Also Like

      How to
      Eat 120 Grams of Protein Daily: Tips & Meal Prep Ideas
      How to
      Eat 150 Grams of Protein per Day: Meal Planning, Tips, & More
      Eating 200 Grams of Protein per Day: Meal Planning and More
      12 Ways to Lower Your Ferritin Levels
      How to
      Increase Ferritin Levels
      Eating 100 Grams of Protein per Day: Meal Prep & Tips
      How to
      Make a Protein Shake
      How to
      Lower CPK Levels Naturally
      How to
      Increase Albumin
      How to
      Drink Pea Protein
      How to
      Eat Less Protein
      How to
      Drink Protein Powder
      How to
      Make a Homemade Protein Shake Without Protein Powder
      How to
      Add Carbs to Your Protein Shake
      Advertisement

      References

      1. ↑ https://www.healthaliciousness.com/articles/fruits-high-in-protein.php
      2. ↑ http://www.rejuvenative.com/four-ways-to-get-more-protein-in-your-raw-foods-diet/
      3. ↑ https://www.healthaliciousness.com/articles/foods-highest-in-protein.php
      4. ↑ http://www.rejuvenative.com/four-ways-to-get-more-protein-in-your-raw-foods-diet/
      5. ↑ https://www.verywell.com/the-raw-food-diet-89877
      6. ↑ http://www.diffen.com/difference/Sashimi_vs_Sushi
      7. ↑ http://www.sushifaq.com/sushi-health/calories-in-sushi/
      8. ↑ http://culinaryarts.about.com/od/glossary/g/Ceviche.htm
      9. ↑ https://www.verywell.com/the-raw-food-diet-89877
      1. ↑ https://www.eatthismuch.com/food/view/beef-carpaccio,90507/
      2. ↑ http://www.foodsafety.gov/keep/basics/mistakes/
      3. ↑ https://www.idfa.org/news-views/media-kits/milk/pasteurization
      4. ↑ https://www.verywell.com/the-raw-food-diet-89877
      5. ↑ http://www.healthyeating.org/Milk-Dairy/Health-Benefits-of-Milk/Article-Viewer/Article/1941/How-Much-Protein-is-in-a-Glass-of-Milk.aspx
      6. ↑ http://www.realrawmilkfacts.com/raw-milk-regulations
      7. ↑ http://www.fda.gov/Food/ResourcesForYou/Consumers/ucm079516.htm
      8. ↑ http://www.health.harvard.edu/blog/how-much-protein-do-you-need-every-day-201506188096
      9. ↑ http://www.health.harvard.edu/blog/how-much-protein-do-you-need-every-day-201506188096

      About This Article

      Article Summary X

      To get enough protein on a raw food diet, try eating peanuts, pine nuts, and almonds, since they all have a high concentration of protein. Besides nuts, you can incorporate a variety of protein-rich fruits and vegetables into your diet, like avocados, kale, pomegranates, and collard greens. Some people who eat a raw diet are vegan, but if you choose to eat meat, try making raw dishes like sashimi or carpaccio for some extra protein. Just keep in mind that eating raw or undercooked meat can cause health problems. Make sure to talk to your doctor about your health needs and whether or not a raw diet is a good choice for you. To learn how to measure your individual protein needs, read more from our Medical co-author!

      Did this summary help you?
      In other languages
      Thanks to all authors for creating a page that has been read 95,790 times.

      Reader Success Stories

      • Michelle L.

        Jan 2

        "Information is priceless. I'm incorporating more raw foods, and this article will serve as a guide as to which ..." more
      More reader stories Hide reader stories
      Share your story

      Did this article help you?

      Advertisement