This is the #1 question people have when they are considering a raw food diet. People think that protein comes only from meat, dairy or at least soy, and that without eating at least some of those foods, they won't get enough.. As a matter of fact every living cell contains protein: every plant cell has protein as a basic constituent in its cytoplasm. Vegetables contain protein! Seeds and nuts obviously contain proteins. Seaweeds and algae are very rich sources also. Factually, your body doesn't use whole proteins - it must break these down into amino acids. Plant proteins generally break down for assimilation more quickly than animal proteins and are often found already in the form of amino acids.
The horse, cow, deer, elephant, and gorilla are naturally vegetarians -where does all their muscle and body mass come from? Grass, leafy greens, and in the case of the gorilla, fruit! The meat and dairy industries have spent millions on advertising to convince people the only way to get protein is from meat and dairy products, and they have been very successful. In fact, the protein in meat is coagulated and in a form that the body cannot assimilate easily, and cannot use effectively. The consumption of meat and dairy (and the fat within it) has been linked to all kinds of fatal illnesses, including heart failure..
The fact is, your body needs 22 amino acids in order to build protein molecules and muscles. Of these 22 amino acids, there are 8 which the body cannot make and must get from outside sources. All 8 are available in raw plant foods. And in raw plant foods they are in a form which is easily assimilated and used by the body. All the protein your body needs can be gotten from raw nuts, seeds, vegetables and fruits.
If you are still worried about protein, we recommend you get started on a raw food diet, but eat very small amounts of meat (3 to 5 oz) only a few times a week. And try to get the cleanest, organic meat, with no hormones, that you can. After some time of doing this people generally find that they no longer feel they need the meat, and end up not eating it anymore. In this way you can find out for yourself that you are getting the protein you need.
