Sources for Raw Protein

[Gavin Schmidt]

Phil,

I'm looking for sources of raw protein. The thought of drinking raw
eggs kinda grosses me out.

What do you use? What would you recommend?

Let me know. Thanks

-gavin

[TLN Phil]

Hey Gavin,

Thanks for your question.

Traditional raw food diets promote getting protein from vegetarian
sources as nuts, seeds and soy. While these sources suffice for
survival, they do not pack the protein punch of meat, poultry, fish,
dairy products, and as you mentioned, eggs.

Just about all of us are aware of eggs and sushi (uncooked or seared
fish, shellfish, etc.), but there are other ethnic dishes or diets
that use other raw proteins. Personally, I am a big fan of the
Lebanese dish, kibi, which is seasoned raw ground beef. I also came
across an article a few years ago of a hardcore raw food dieter that
ate raw dishes prepared with free range chicken.

You could conceivably eat all types of animal proteins, but it comes
down to where you get it and how you prepare it. Obviously, much care
needs to be taken to ensure food safety if you plan on venturing down
this path so you really need to know who you are buying the protein
from, who's preparing it, or it you are doing it, how to prepare it..
Of course, these foods also need to be palatable and taste good :)

It also comes down to understanding what nutrients are lost in the
cooking process and if the benefit is worth the risk of eating a
protein food raw. This article sheds some light as to why some may
choose to eat animal sources raw:

http://www.howweheal.com/protein.htm

From my personal experience, I've formed the belief that proteins are
pretty durable and hold up well during the cooking process. I am sure
that protein foods requiring crazy, long cooking times or extremely
high heat lose nutrient integrity. But typically, these "thermal"
processes are in place to promote shelf stability. Since my diet does
not consist of a whole lot of shelf stable, packaged or canned foods,
I'm not concerned about it.

My protein menu consists of mildly heated sources such as poached
eggs, whey powder, some sushi, yogurt, and steamed or raw vegetarian
sources like tofu, nuts, seeds and beans.

Regards,

TLN Phil