That is the question.

Date:   8/25/2007 2:45:43 AM ( 17 y ago)

I am trying to construct a raw vegan diet of practical foods that will give me upwards of 80 gms of protein per day without requiring me to eat uncomfortable volumes of food.  By practical I mean affordable, tasty, and easy to incorporate into a meal/smoothie or to eat as a snack. Today I went through some raw vegan websites to get a list of foods that are a complete protein (or close to it). The best I've found so far are:

Spirulina, raw
edamame
hemp seeds
flax seeds
yeast extract spread
pepitas (pumpkin seeds)
cowpeas
whey powder
raw spinach
almonds
pecans

The other issue I'll have to contend with is the volume of food I'll have to consume to get 1400 calories a day. One of the reasons I eat Eggbeaters and tofu is because those foods are higher protein, are filling, and give me needed calories without having to eat a huge amount.  Foods like those in the list aren't quite as satisfying because although they will provide calories, I don't see them filling me up like a meal would.  And I'd have to eat LOTS of spinach to get a significant amount of protein from it. This makes me think I'll be relying on protein shakes more, but that's no good because even if they are the only non-raw thing I consume, I'll probably have to consume them twice a day to get about 40 grams of protein.  I could add raw cheeses from Whole Foods; they didn't seem to hurt me last year.

My goal is not to be raw for political or spiritual reasons, but simply for health, so I don't feel like a failure if I consume protein shakes.  Getting protein is more important to me than anything else on this raw diet, because the other nutrients- except fibers- are simple to acquire.  The reason I want all raw is because I don't have food cravings when I eat that way.  I'm not sure which non-raw foods I'm eating now are triggering the cravings, so I may eliminate them all except oatmeal and see how that works out.  I will probably take B12 pills, as vegan sites warn about the low-B2 levels of vegetarians and vegans.

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