Overtime I have been asked some pretty good questions about raw food and living a raw lifestyle. Here is a short Q&A on a few I have been asked several times. The only one that I find to be crazy is about how I get protein, everyone is so overly concerned about protein. Do you get enough? Is it the same as animal protein? Plant based protein is better for the body and there is a little amount in most produce. I’d love to do a Q&A post every month with roughly five questions. So please, ask away!

Q: How do you get protein?

This is the one question I get asked every time I mention my lifestyle.

Even when I was just vegan I would get this question all of the time. Americans are obsessed with protein and I think that’s why people tend to eat more of it then they really need.

No scientific study has ever shown the consumption of protein beyond 10 percent of calories to have any affect whatsoever on muscle growth.

Most vegetables have more protein per calorie than meat and more calcium per calorie than milk. No one can consume too little protein by eating less animal products and substituting for plant-based foods.

A:

A few amazing plant-based sources of protein are: Kale, Beans, Nuts, Seaweed, Spinach, Sprouts, Mushrooms, Broccoli, Cauliflower, Parsley, Bananas, Cucumbers, Spirulina, Chlorella, Chia, Flax, Sesame Seeds, Oranges, & Watermelons just to name a few. 😉

So I guess the answer to the question is I get small amounts of protein from almost everything I consume.

Q: What is with raw foodies and bananas?

A:I personally consume about 2-4 bananas a month and am trying to cut that down because of how crazy it is to get something that travels so far and the bananas wars that still go on today. Bananas go into most smoothies to help thicken it but in most recipes you could probably add an avocado instead. It provides fat that is needed for both the mind & body to function properly.

Lots of raw foodies do mono meals; where a bunch of bananas is one meal and maybe their next meal is a few apples. Bananas are also frequently used in raw desserts, and another thing that drives me insane about raw dessert books is how nuts are in all of them. These are fats, protein, and foods that give a nice texture. Since raw foodies already consume a fairly low-calorie intake it is safe to consume several bananas in a day. It still doesn’t mean it’s okay to eat a pound of nuts or 20 bananas a day, that’s over doing it.

Q: Do you have recipes in mind and/or a grocery list when shopping?

A: I almost always have a grocery list with me otherwise it is complete chaos. When I walk into the grocery store I get lost looking at everything and sometimes I pick out fruit because it looks cute or a vegetable looks like it’s very healthy. It’s always better to have a plan so you aren’t buying just anything, instead you are buying what you need. This way you can stay on budget, not be wasteful, and actually have room in your fridge for everything.

What I mean by not be wasteful is; there are tons of other people who need food and some of the can’t even get something as simple as a head of lettuce. Try to be considerate and appreciate what you have. Secondly, I know people have purchased something just because they felt like it then never ended up using the fruit or veggie, it goes moldy in the fridge (you really should clean your fridge well so the mold doesn’t destroy other foods or make you sick) and the food ends up in the trash 😦 Sometimes we don’t know what to do with an item we have never purchased before, we tell ourselves we will learn how to use it, and never do. Having a list helps prevent things like this from happening. I usually try to keep a copy of the recipe on me as well so I remember why I need something or if a vegetable is out of stock then I know I do not need the other times from that recipe.

I like to put my grocery list in my cell phone, grocery bag, planner, or my iPad. Something I know I will have on me for sure.

Q: What do you do at family get together or party when you know you will not have food you can eat?

A: I bring my own food and try to have it look like something cooked (dehydrated). If I know it’s a pasta dinner, I’ll make raw zucchini noodles with mushrooms and tomato sauce. Or if I don’t know what people are eating I just bring whatever I want with me. I usually bring more food than less and try to bring chocolate, fruit or a smoothie for dessert.

Q: Can you eat frozen foods?

A: That’s a tricky one. Most frozen vegetables have already been cooked before being frozen, same goes with frozen peaches (plus they add acids to keep the color in peaches). Some frozen veggies that are almost always cooked before being frozen are; peas, corn, asparagus and green beans. It’s best to check on the company’s website or contact them via e-mail. But there is absolutely nothing wrong with freezing your own veggies or fruits at home.

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