High fat diets boost the level of the crucial amino acid, carnitine

This post includes a synopsis of a study published in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition Vol 45, 725-729 and a recipe for Puerto Rican beef.

Study title and author:
Effect of diet on plasma carnitine levels and urinary carnitine excretion in humans
G Cederblad

This study can be accessed at: http://www.ajcn.org/content/45/4/725.abstract

Books:

Carnitine has been shown to improve heart function and helps to treat peripheral arterial disease. Cederblad also notes that carnitine is essential for human energy production and can remove excess toxins from the cells.

The study examined the effects on carnitine levels in healthy men of either a high carbohydrate/low fat diet or a low carbohydrate/high fat diet. The two regimens contained the same amount of carnitine-rich food.

The study found:
(a) Carnitine levels increased significantly from the initial value on the low carbohydrate/high fat diet.
(b) Carnitine levels were significantly higher from day 3 on the low carbohydrate/high fat diet than the high carbohydrate/low fat diet.

The reasons that carnitine levels were higher in the low carbohydrate/high fat diet as compared to the high carbohydrate/low fat diet may have been:
(i) Absorption of dietary carnitine was increased by the high-fat diet.
(ii) Extra carnitine may have been synthesized by the body as a result of the high fat diet.

To conclude: Blood levels of the crucial amino-acid, carnitine, rose significantly in men following a low carbohydrate/high fat diet, while no change in carnitine levels were observed in individuals on a high carbohydrate/low fat diet.

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Recipe of the day

Puerto Rican Beef

Ingredients:

Food Mall: Ground Beef

1 lb grass fed ground beef

1 bunch kale chopped
1 white onion sliced
1/2 of a green, red, and yellow bell pepper sliced
1/2 cup pimento stuffed green olives
3 tbsp olive oil
1/2 tbsp ground cumin
1 tsp ground coriander
1/2 tbsp turmeric powder
1 tbsp dried oregano
Sea salt and black pepper to taste
3 sweet potatoes
1 ripe avocado

Instructions:
In a large skillet brown the ground beef. Add the bell peppers, onions, and olive oil and saute until the onions and peppers are tender. Add all of the spices and mix well. Add the kale and green olives, continue cooking stirring often until the kale is tender (about 4-5 minutes. Serve over mashed sweet potatoes with a side of sliced avocado. To quickly prepare the sweet potatoes, peel and quarter the potatoes and cook in a pressure cooker for 12 -14 minutes.

Puerto Rican Beef