raw(mostly) but wanting meat!

[splunky]

Any raw foodists that have added meat (cooked) back in their diet? There are many issues/reasons behind this, but am really struggling emotionally!!! Have just added cooked junk/convenience food instead and is doing nothing good.
Talk to me, whats your experience??
(sorry, for being quick and choppy,nak)

[Kino]

You can be a raw foodist and eat meat - I am! Eat it raw or rare.

Raw foodism is about eating at least 70% raw, does not have to be 100%.

[splunky]

Thanks for your response! I have never eaten raw/rare meat before. I am also dealing with the emotional aspect of eating meat again. Financially, we cannot afford to get really great qualtiy meat (farm raised, grass fed...), my family just eats supermarket stuff. I am not ready to jump in and do that, knowing what i do now about the meat industry! I used to absolutely LOVE meat! But, like I said, I just know too much about the industry that I cannot take part in that again.

What meat do you eat raw and rare? How often? When did you feel you needed it, or did you always incorporate that in your raw intake? Do you do raw dairy as well? Do you notice a difference consuming meat vs not?? Has it affected weightloss, energy, hair, fullness???

My nails are soft, I lack energy (but i have hypothyroid also), and crave things often. I feel that eating all raw has me consuming alot of nut based things to feel satiated and complete, when if I ate more meat, and maybe some cooked veg/soup, i would do better with less junk.

Does this sound like lack of willpower or a real physiological need?

[WC_hapamama]

Keep in mind that an adequate serving of meat doesn't have to be a lot of meat at all.

I'm a strong believer that if your body isn't happy with your current diet, it'll tell you so, and it sounds like your body is telling you so.

There are some meats, like beef, duck and tuna, that are actually better rare. I'm normally not a rare beef kind of gal, but I will eat rare beef if it's something like a steak with a good sear/crust on it, or prime rib.

[EdnaMarie]

Crashing as I'm not a raw foodie, but there are plenty of countries where they regularly eat meat rare and raw. Sushi for one would probably stave off some protein cravings, but in addition, in Czech republic we had a raw meat dish (it was like raw hamburger??? with raw egg??? I couldn't eat it as I was pregnant at the time), and also raw steak-type dishes that were from venison.

Also, does smoked fish / meat count as cooked? I don't think it gets that cooked. Smoked salmon and smoked venison are awesome and very healthy.

Oh, and yes, we drink raw milk and we're not even raw foodists. Now that I'm not pregnant and I found a good source. But it's pricey.

[Kino]

When I was very ill I ate a lot of red meat - 1-2 lbs a day. Now that my health has improved greatly I only need red meat every other day. Maybe a 1/4 lb? Here I can get quality, small-farm lamb and buffalo.

I eat the organs raw. I chop them into tiny bits and swallow like pills over the course of the day. Sometimes more sometimes less.

I sear things like the steak and eat those rare - I like the texture. I cook pieces like the ground meat and ribs a bit more.

I believe I needed the B vitamins, protein, and iron that is in red meat. Lots of trace minerals in the organs too.

I can't do dairy, but I enjoy raw goat's milk.

I don't know about the smoked fish. The temp needs to stay below 117 degrees (I think) for enzymes to remain intact.

[lil_earthmomma]

I consider myself a bit of a raw foodie even though I eat meat! We love to eat a lot of raw veggies, fruits, nuts and seeds. I encorporate meat. As others have said, you don't need a ton of meat, and it's so yummy rare.

I've always prefered my steaks, roasts, etc. rare (more juicy and flavorful, and not tough.)

For pork, the juices just need to run clear, you can have pink in the meat (some people think pork is like chicken and needs to have no pink) Chicken is the same, once the juices run clear it's ready!

Duck is so yummy, and my dh LOVES sushi and seared tuna.

[splunky]

Thankyou for all your input! I am so relieved and thankful to hear I am not the only one. It was really a struggle for me. Today i started eating a little meat. Chicken still seems really unappetizing, but fish and venison sound really great! I will try seering them and see how it goes. I had fish today and it was amazing!!! I can't beleive how full I felt, and for how long!

How often do you find you want or desire meat? Do you incorporate sprouts and lots of leafy greans and protein powders for protein as well?

[Sheryl1678]

I have been primarily raw/vegetarian for years but after the birth of my daughter 6 mo ago, I HAD to go back on meat. My body would not take no for an answer. I do buy raw milk but it was not enough. My body insists on meat at the moment. Like you I have to get supermarket meat so I only eat it cooked.

Given no financial restraints, I would do what the other posters suggest and eat sushi and organic, grass fed raw beef.

[MoonStarFalling]

Some people need meat daily to be healthy. I believe it's a real physiological need. I'm 100% raw veg and my body loves it but that's not the case for everyone.

[Sailor]

I was a raw food vegan for years. And I just now - like a few weeks ago, added meat into my diet.

As a raw food vegan, I was healthy, had energy, blood work was good ... but I kept CRAVING meat. Like insanely. It would not pass, no matter how many years I abstained.

So, finally, I gave in, and I must say, I feel so incredibly satisfied. I don't bother eating the meat raw (not very appetizing to me). I just cook it. I eat meat around once a week now, sometimes twice. That's the only thing I eat cooked. My body feels like 100% satisfied, and my meat cravings have gone away.

I haven't noticed any other side effects beyond that, but as I said, I was very healthy and feeling good to begin with.

[Ashtony]

Originally Posted by Sailor

I was a raw food vegan for years. And I just now - like a few weeks ago, added meat into my diet.

As a raw food vegan, I was healthy, had energy, blood work was good ... but I kept CRAVING meat. Like insanely. It would not pass, no matter how many years I abstained.

So, finally, I gave in, and I must say, I feel so incredibly satisfied. I don't bother eating the meat raw (not very appetizing to me). I just cook it. I eat meat around once a week now, sometimes twice. That's the only thing I eat cooked. My body feels like 100% satisfied, and my meat cravings have gone away.

I haven't noticed any other side effects beyond that, but as I said, I was very healthy and feeling good to begin with.

I grew up on meat, but as i get older, I look at meat as an animal and just cant bear eating it sometimes. I may go vegan soon. :

[splunky]

Thanks for all the responses. I want to remain (or rather get back to) primarily raw. To replace the desire for meats (and even some cooked foods such as steamed veg or soups) I actually went to more nuts and seeds, and even junk food like choclate bits and tortilla chips. This became a routine after a while and I am now realizing the consequences of that.
If I just added meat and those other foods at the beginning I probly would be in a better place.

For those who are mostly raw, do you also eat some steamed veg or any soups? Or are you pretty strict with the food being raw??

Since I cook for the rest of my family, who has no interest in being raw, it has gotten increasingly difficutl, especially when I have not had a chance to make my meal as well. Soups especially, I am really wanting to eat (like minestrone or veg)!!!

Originally Posted by Sheryl1678

Like you I have to get supermarket meat so I only eat it cooked.

Given no financial restraints, I would do what the other posters suggest and eat sushi and organic, grass fed raw beef.

Yeah, that's where I am at as well. Glad to hear it's worked out well for you. Were/are you vegetarian primarily for health reasons or ethical reasons? The reasons for me kindof started out as health and then went to ethical, and back and forth, unfolding new desires why not to eat meat.

But, I am noticing changes in my body that I don't think are great. I am losing muscle and adding fat and my nails are becoming very soft. When I need my nails for something, I can't use them because they just bend backwards. These can't be good things. I am also getting dizzy when I stand up, indicating anemia possibly. I do eats lots of spinach in my green smoothies, but truthfully, I am getting tired of them at the moment.

I used to hang out on a raw forum, but was feeling really aweful for desiring meat and some cooked. So I am glad to have found some in the same situation here!!!

[reeseccup]

My raw foodist dr. eats about 80% raw, and consumes about 5 oz. of cooked meat (usually fish) a week, I'm not sure about eggs, but I don't believe he consumes dairy since he has books in his office against dairy.

Personally, I would try to get between 4-7 oz. of protein a day *no more than*, with at least 2 of those oz. from a meat source (I include fish in this, since IMO they are meat). I would do 1 or maybe 2 raw eggs (from a farmer that allows free ranging in the yard/pasture, go to as local a feed store or Extension office (4H) or farmers market to find this option which is just about the same cost as if you bought in the store...generally). Those raw eggs I would put in a smoothie with kefir or raw goat milk and fruit. Ok, I do use raw eggs in our smoothies if we are skipping dinner and we've not consumed much protein throughout the day. If you can not find a source or can not afford higher quality eggs, use what you can find/afford.

I eat a lot of red meat, but it's from my own back yard (goat, duck, deer, beef from a friends herd, but I also eat some lite meat from my back yard, although it's dark light meat since it's home raised heritage breeds, chickens...and soon rabbits) so it's a lot healthier and know it was raised ethically and with good food options besides commercial grains.

With that said, I really don't consume more than 2-5 oz of protein a day with half of that being from a meat source. There may be the occasional day I crave meat more and will eat up to 7 oz. Usually that is during my menses or when I deplete my body by "over doing it". I have hypothyroidism/adrenal fatigue, as well as borderline anemia, so I listen to my body more than not, as long as I don't go binging too much on meat.

When I don't have the choices I have, I do opt for wild Alaskan salmon or another fish, I get frozen, since they tend to be frozen pretty quick, whereas fresh either has not been or is frozen then thawed. Occasionally I'll eat reg. beef. but mostly I can find whole chickens, or chicken legs/thighs that are less unethically raised for a reasonable price. The dark chicken meat is more nutritionally dense than the white, therefore is healthier over all.

Also, another source of protein that is great are mushrooms, but they must be cooked in order for the body to be able to absorb the nutrients properly. So that would be part of the 20%/30% that is cooked in your raw food diet.