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L-carnitine mainly helps transport fatty acids into the mitochondria, a role critical for metabolizing fats for energy. A decline in mitochondrial function is thought to be major contributor to the aging process. Even young people who’ve been eating flesh, then become vegans, may not biosynthesize sufficient L-carnitine, since they’re used to getting substantial dietary L-carnitine. Most plant foods contain little L-carnitine. For example one medium avocado contains only 2 mg, which is more than most, per kilocalorie (http://lpi.oregonstate.edu/infocenter/othernuts/carnitine/). Omnivores typically eat 100 to 300 mg of carnitine per day in animal products (www.vrg.org/journal/vj2003issue4/vj2003issue4weight.htm).
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My speculation: In animals, L-carnitine is concentrated in tissues that utilize fatty acids as their primary dietary fuel, such as skeletal and cardiac (heart) muscle. Therefore L-carnitine must be present in substantial amounts in germinating and sprouting seeds such as sunflower, seeds containing a lot of fat that also spring into life and begin to shoot roots rapidly. L-carnitine must be present since it’s critical for seeds’ rapid growth to escort their abundant fatty acids into their mitochondria to take advantage of the energy density of the fatty acids.
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The energy content in the fat of sunflower kernels is five times the energy content in the protein, and six times the energy content in the carbohydrate. In contrast, for chestnuts the carbohydrates store the majority of energy. Although some of the sunflower fat gets used in membranes and other structures during growth, clearly the fat also needs to get used for energy, until the plant becomes fully subsistent on photosynthesis.
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Since I suspect that the L-carnitine is denser in 2 day root-shooting sunflower sprouts than in larger, green leaf sprouts that have probably already converted most of their fats to energy and structural components, my goal is not to seed them in soil, with the shells still on. Rather, my goal is merely to soak then rinse the kernels with the shells removed before purchase for convenience. (I soak the sunflower kernels for 6 to 10 hours, then rinse and drain every 8 hours for 2 days, until the roots are at least ¼ inch long. The skins that dry out may turn pale brown quickly, probably due to oxidation, not rotting, since the browning happens so fast. The skins of sunflower kernels are very thin. I don’t bother removing the skins before eating, but as a test if a brown skin is removed, usually a fresh-looking sprout is revealed.)
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I mention sunflower since it can begin to shoot roots, longer than say ¼ inch, well before molding might take place, which large nuts such as almonds might not. Tiny sprouts such as alfalfa have a lower proportion of fat. (Please see “Appendices: Sprouting”.) Of course, I’m missing out on the chlorophyll in the green leaf sprouts by eating root-shooting sprouts. I could grow and eat both.
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While my hypothesis regarding sprouts and L-carnitine hasn’t been proven by lab analysis as far as I know, it seems just as plausible as the hypothesis that the digestive catabolic enzyme lipase is abundant in such sprouts to break apart the stored triglycerides into glycerol and fatty acids, preliminary to their transport by L-carnitine into mitochondria.
Appendices: Dr. Greger's Stopping Cancer Before it Starts
From the site: www.DrGreger.org Michael Greger, M.D.
Four Steps of Cancer Development
Step 1: Carcinogen comes in contact with a normal cell
Step 2: Carcinogen damages the DNA causing a mutation
Step 3: Mutation transforms normal cell into cancer cell (initiation)
Step 4: Cancer cell divides and multiples into a tumor (promotion)
Top 12 Cancer Fighting Superfoods
1. Greens
2. Oats (and other whole grains)
3. Berries
4. Garlic
5. Yams
6. Beans
7. B12-fortified nutritional yeast
8. Flax seeds (ground up)
9. Miso (and other soy products)
10. Green Tea
11. Shiitake mushrooms
12. Nuts
Top Antioxidant Common Foods
[From: "Systematic Screening of Total Antioxidants in Dietary Plants" Journal of Nutrition 132(2002):461]
1. Walnuts
2. Pomegranates
3. Sunflower seeds
4. Blackberries
5. Cranberries
6. Blueberries
7. Dried Apricots
8. Ginger
9. Raspberries
10. Prunes
Vitamin B12 Recommendation: One 2000mcg tablet (ideally chewed or dissolved under your tongue) once a week; or a 10-100mcg supplement once a day; or servings of B12-fortified foods twice a day.
Most Pesticide Contaminated Produce
Apples
Bell peppers
Peaches
Spinach
Strawberries
Least Pesticide Contaminated Produce
Bananas
Broccoli
Corn
Peas
Watermelon
Cruciferous Vegetables
Arugula
Beet, Collard, Mustard and Turnip Greens
Bok Choi
Broccoli
Brussel Sprouts
Cabbage
Chard
Kale
Watercress
Healthiest Nuts
almonds
hazelnuts (filberts)
cashews
macadamias
pecans
walnuts
Cancer-Fighting Pesto
1 bunch fresh basil
2 cloves garlic
12oz. package silken tofu
1 cup freshly toasted walnuts
1 Tb. nutritional yeast
1 Tb. ground flax seeds
1 t. miso
zest of one lemon
1 bunch arugula
1 yam
Food process all but yam. Serve on whole grain pasta with chopped cooked yam. Sprinkle with vegan parmesan cheese and salt to taste.
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