What ingredient that can be eaten raw has the highest protein content and lowest fat for its weight?
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the only answer I can think of for vegetable protein without fat is beans, they're...not easy to eat raw. Maybe if you got them fresh, before they're dried for storage, but I'm not sure they'd be, well, edible.– MeghaAug 7, 2019 at 4:11
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The question as it stands is a bit hard to answer. What do you want to do with it? Why does it have to be raw? How much of a portion of the meal will it take?– Gretel_fAug 7, 2019 at 5:31
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@Megha raw broad-beans are very edible and quite delicious fresh from the garden. They tend to be a bit mealier if you buy them from shops, as I do these days, but even defrosted, uncooked, frozen ones are totally palatable.– SpagirlAug 7, 2019 at 13:35
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Please remember that no single vegetable provides the complete protein we need to survive, you need to mix at least 2 different sources (like rice and beans) to get the complete protein.– Debbie M.Aug 7, 2019 at 18:45
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@DebbieM. Don't soy or quinoa provide all the amino acids?– GeremiaAug 7, 2019 at 18:50
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1 Answer
I'd say young green peas are a good bet. They belong to the broader bean family, which is in itself very high protein. However, many beans can't be eaten raw, be it because they can't be digested or are even a bit toxic when raw. Young green peas on the other hand have a good amount of protein while they still can be eaten raw, about 2.5-6g per 100g, depending on the variety, according to (German) Wikipedia (English Wikipedia gives 5.42g). They are low fat, too, but a bit higher in carbohydrates.
However, this is still not that much protein compared to the recommended 45-55g you need each day. You'd have to eat at least 1kg of green peas to get your daily recommended dosage of protein. So I'm not sure if it fits your needs.
That said, not knowing why you want them raw, I guess you could also have ripe, dried green peas (even higher in protein: ~25g per 100g) ground into a flour and mix it with water to create a mash (this would work with other kinds of beans as well, although I'm not sure which ones can and which ones shouldn't be eaten raw.) This would certainly qualify as high-protein, low fat, raw, and plant-based, but I'm not sure it would be a culinary bomb.
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1That's interesting. I've heard that peas were grown frequently in the Middle Ages because apparently, of all the vegetables, one can live off them the longest if there's a famine.– GeremiaAug 7, 2019 at 18:44
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I'm no nutritionist or food historian, so take this half-knowledge with a good amount of salt. I guess, you can live just on beans for quite a while during a famine, because they provide not only protein but also carbohydrates and many vitamins. This does not mean, however, that you won't suffer any malnutrition on the way. There's no way, beans alone are a balanced and healthy diet. I guess, you could also live for a few days on viennese schnitzel alone, but nobody would call that a healthy diet either.– Gretel_fAug 8, 2019 at 5:53