Hi Paleopeople:

I googled and found someone who summarized some of the article in 
Young Again by John Thomas:

Subject: Using Tobacco as a Vegetable II
Answered by: Conrad Richter
Question from: Jim Kleebaum
Posted on: September 10, 2004

When I emailed you I was having a challenge find the source about 
tobacco as a nutrient. I have now located the source and it is: 
"Young Again, A Personal Guide to Ageless Living" by John Thomas 
(ISBN 1-884757-78-2).

Some of the quotes from his book are:

1. "Tobacco contains the 'entire' vitamin B-12 complex. Tobacco is 
very valuable food."

2. "Tobacco is the richest natural source of the Bs in the world -- 
nothing compares to it-nothing! Concentration of the B vitamins runs 
as high as 30%.

What? 30%?! 30% of what? Of dried leaf by weight? I agree that any 
plant with 30% B vitamins by weight would be pretty amazing; but this 
is simply too good to be true.

When 'small' amounts of green or dried tobacco are put into stews, 
beans, and salads, we get the 'Bs'. Care must be taken in the choice 
of variety. Most importantly, fresh lemon juice or apple cider 
vinegar MUST be used to bring green tobacco within digestion range."

3. "There are many kinds of Indian tobacco (Rustica, Lobelia, Aztec, 
etc.) but they are not for consumption. Do not confuse garden and 
commercial tobacco varieties with edible tobacco. (for seed see the 
source page).

Just what variety is he talking about? I am very interested to know. 
Could you tell us what varieties he recommends on the source page?

 From the quote I get the impression that there may be just a bit too 
much imprecision about which plant he is referring to. For example, 
Aztec tobacco is Nicotiana rustica while Indian tobacco is Lobelia 
inflata; but his wording and the order of the list in the parentheses 
seems to suggest that he is confusing the different varieties.

If his "edible tobacco" is not the same as "commercial" or "garden" 
varieties then what exactly is it? It would help to have botanical names here.

4. "... 'nicotinic acid' (the acid form of nicotine in dried tobacco) 
is the active ingredient....."

5. "It can be eaten fresh or steamed and can be frozen or dried."

6. "Home grown tobacco strengthens the immune system, improves 
mitocondrial oxidation (energy production), and boosts metabolic 
reactions in the liver."

[Addendum from Jim Kleebaum]

I took care to provide you only information which is quoted from the 
author. I do not have answers to your questions. I have ordered the 
source page referred to in the quotes.

As a sidebar, using radionics, I have been able to document a good 
increase from both your varieties of tobacco in both my wife's and my 
general Vitality factor. Using dowsing, 2 inches square per day per 
person (in the green state) of either tobacco appear to satisfy both 
my wife's and my daily vitamin B requirements (seems too good to be 
true!). We are at this time drying the tobacco and at this time do 
not know if the nutrient criterion will appear to remain the same as 
when green.


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