If you’re even considering a raw/vegan diet, you’ve either asked or been asked “Where do you get your protein from” at least a handful of times. Get ready to answer this questions a lot, because it’s not only a great question, it’s one of the most commonly asked among beginners in the raw/vegan health realm.
Why do we need protein? All living cells use proteins (amino acids) for tissue growth and repair, and an array of other vital functions. Proteins are often referred to as “the building blocks” of life.
Cooked animal protein seems to be quite unreliable for a few reasons:
- It’s hard to digest
- It’s clotted
- It creates inflammation in the tissues
- It’s super hard on the kidneys
- If it’s not organic, it’s packed with hormones, antibiotics and potentially other harmful diseases that are foreign to the human body.
Ground beef is is around 24% protein, chicken breast is roughly 35% protein and pork is somewhere around 27% (depends on the cut and diet of the animal). The rest of the percentages in these foods is by and large saturated fat, which has been well established to be hazardous to your health when it comes from animal sources.
VS.
Broccoli is 45% protein, Spirulina is 68% protein, Spinach is 30% protein. The rest of the percentages in these foods is vitamins, minerals and phytonutrients that fight dis-ease, cancers and promote longevity.
Here’s the thing, ALL antigens, enzymes, antibodies and hormones are proteins. A protein is a make up of 22 amino acids. Everything has protein! There’s a VERY common mis-conception out there that we have to combine things like crazy vegans to get a “complete protein”.
The GOOD NEWS is that our body naturally pools amino acids together through out the week from all of the foods we eat and naturally creates proteins for us. Simply put, we can eat fruits, veggies, nuts and seeds all through out the week without worrying about combining things properly to create complete proteins, and our body will do the work of pooling the amino acids together to create the protein for you. Naturally, WE’RE PERFECT! It’s just science peeps, knowledge is power!
Some of the BEST plant based protein sources on the planet are:
10. Spirulina/Chlorella
9. Blue Green Algae
8. Sprouts of all kind! (most are between 20-35% protein.)
7. Maca
6. Dark Leafy Green Vegetables (parsley, spinach, kale, cabbage etc.)
5. Hemp Seeds
4. Bee Pollen (not vegan)
3. Pumpkin Seeds
2. SunWarrior Protein
1. Almonds
Caleb is going to be experimenting with Vegan Body building and reporting back to you on the very best protein powders to get results. Right now he’s going to experiment with the new Vega product and SunWarrior. I might even give the experiment a shot for the Young and Raw ladies 
Our friends over at SunWarrior have an amazing product and we love how they run their company with honesty and passion! Give them a try and let us know what you think of the product!
Sunwarrior Vanilla Raw Vegan Protein Powder
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How would u combine pro powders? I thought protein should not be mixed with fruits, so smoothies are not an option… would pro powders only work in a green juice? Doesnt sounds too yummy, lol
Hey Bee, You can certainly make protein smoothies. We use SunWarrior protein powder. Start with a base of almond milk or water, add 2-3 frozen ripe bananas, a scoop of vegan protein powder, optional additions are dates, maca (in small amounts) and other super herbs. (Do your research before adding super herbs).
I’ve never combined protein powder with green juices but you can if you want to
Sheleana -
Great Article.
I’ve used Sunwarrior for over a year adding to my morning smoothies they keep me energized all morning and during my lunch workouts.
This was today’s: Sunwarrior scoop, 2 leaves Kale, 1c spinach, flax seed oil, 1/4 c blueberries, 1/4 c. black cherry juice (for my gout), 1 pear, and 1 tbsp cacao nubs. Add water for desired consistency.
The sweetness of the fruit, combined with the cacao nubs makes it a chocolate green goodness that I can tolerate.
Amazing job!
Stinging nettles are an excellent source for protein. One can make pesto (raw) with it. Lightly blanched to remove the stinging then into a smoothy or juicer! <3
Hi Ford! Yes stinging nettles are wonderful. You might like this recent post I put out from our nettle picking trip! http://www.youngandraw.com/2012/03/27/spring-cleanse-re-energize-and-balance-your-hormones-with-nettles/
you can just put nettles straight into a masticating juicer- the crushing is enough to neutralise the sting. Some people say it’s a complete protein, it maybe but I’m not sure, have certainly done quite a few 2 and 3 day juice fasts on them and felt very energised
Hi Sheleana! I have a couple of quick questions regarding your comment “I’ve never combined protein powder with green juices and I wouldn’t recommend doing so”
Do you not add greens to your protein smoothies? Is this a personal choice or is this a food combo issue? Would you mind discussing Green protein smoothies smoothies?
Thank you so very much!
Hi MJ
At the time, I just hadn’t done it before or looked into it much. I actually do think adding protein powder to juices can be a good idea. We recently brought on a Resident Naturopath to advise on, review and approve all of our cleanse programs, and she actually recommends adding a bit of protein powder to your juices while detoxing if you feel like you are detoxing too hard, because the liver needs protein to detox properly. Hope this clears things up!