Carob - what is it and how to use it? Carob - benefits, harm and contraindications What is carob and where to buy it
31.03.2016 Pelagia Zuikova Save:
Hello, my dear readers! Are there people among your friends who do not like chocolate and cannot live without this harmful product? I don't have those.
How then can you not deny yourself such small sweet joys and take care of your health and figure at the same time? Carob powder is an excellent alternative to chocolate, and is also very healthy.
What are the benefits of carob for the body and how to use it in what form, I will now tell you in as much detail as possible and with live examples. Therefore, read the article to the end and very carefully so as not to miss important points.
What is carob?
Carob is obtained from carob beans, which are native to Mediterranean countries (Italy, Spain and others). This evergreen tree is not susceptible to virtually any diseases, so it is not sprayed with chemicals. This means you won’t get any “surprises” in the form of pesticides.
This product is not eaten raw, but unripe fruits (carob pods) are picked and dried in the sun, like dried apricots. That is why beans retain all their beneficial properties.
Chemical composition
Carob fruits contain:
- vitamins A, B, B2, E, D;
- minerals: calcium, magnesium, iron and many others;
- many essential amino acids;
- substance arginine (promotes rejuvenation of the body).
The calorie content of carob is only 222 kcal per 100 grams, which is not so much.
I'm glad that this superfood does not contain caffeine, theobromine and other harmful substances. Chocolate bars, candy bars, candies, cookies, cakes, pastries - these sweets are harmful, increase blood pressure, contribute to excess weight gain, and sometimes cause addiction akin to drugs. With carob it's the other way around.
What are the health benefits of carob?
Let's look at the beneficial properties of carob. As you may have guessed, dear friends, carob beans are unique.
The beneficial properties of carob fruits are as follows:
- remove toxins, heavy metals and other harmful substances from the body;
- promote rejuvenation of the body;
- reduce cholesterol;
- improve digestion, normalizes intestinal microflora;
- reduce the frequency of regurgitation in babies;
- cause a feeling of satiety (note to those losing weight!);
- treat stomach disorders;
- have a calming effect on the nervous system;
- have a positive effect on mood;
- prevent the development of rubella and polio in children;
- strengthen the immune system and support the body as a whole.
As you can see, how many properties this seemingly inconspicuous cocoa-like powder contains.
It is not for nothing that many ancient peoples considered the carob tree sacred, and in Christian scriptures its fruits are called nothing less than “the bread of St. John.” In Cyprus, bean syrup is called “black gold”, and in Malta it is used as a cough medicine.
Contraindications
Carob is a product that has no contraindications. Friends, can you imagine, none! Harm from high-quality carob is excluded.
This cocoa substitute is allowed even during breastfeeding(!). Therefore, young mothers can safely afford a carob drink without fear of harming the baby. It is recommended not only for women “in an interesting situation”, but also for newborns for the treatment of diarrhea. Taking off my hat…
I will now tell and show you how to use the miracle powder with maximum benefit for the body.
Types of carob - what kind is it?
We are offered two options for ground carob beans: raw (unroasted) and roasted (varying degrees of roasting). When you open a pack of carob, you will see a powder similar to cocoa, only a little lighter.
Roasted is practically not sweet, has a slightly bitter aftertaste and is very similar to chocolate. Personally, I don’t use it, because... I think that all the benefits come from raw carob.
It is not in vain that unroasted carob is considered the most useful, because... it is not subject to heat treatment. Therefore, it is quite sweet and is used in cooking, usually without added sugar or other sweeteners.
You can also find unground carob pods on sale, usually raw. They are also good and have their fans, especially among raw foodists.
How to use carob?
1. Recipes for carob drinks
The most common drink option is 2 tablespoons of carob per glass of water. It is imperative to use raw carob; it has a sweet, pleasant taste.
There are unique people who use roasted carob in a drink and then lament that it is terrible rubbish. Indeed, you can drink such, to put it mildly, disgusting stuff only after convincing yourself of its terrible usefulness. Of course, with the addition of milk it turns out fine, but I still recommend the first option.
As a result, I made an excellent drink from unroasted carob powder (photo below).
I love cinnamon, I tried adding it and it turned out to have a very pleasant taste and aroma. Be sure to try it, you will like it too.
2. Carob candies - recipe
See how to make the simplest and most delicious candies from carob and dates. Now I will give a recipe for gourmets who love an abundance of flavors, but made from natural products.
So, for carob sweets we will need the following ingredients:
- 200 grams of prunes, dried apricots, cherries (you can add other dried fruits or berries, for example, dates, cranberries, raisins);
- nuts: walnuts or cashews (200 grams);
- carob powder;
- coconut flakes (to taste).
Prepare the sweets like this:
- Soak dried fruits slightly and pass through a meat grinder;
- finely chop the nuts with a knife;
- mix the resulting dried fruits and nuts well;
- add enough carob powder so that balls form easily;
- form into balls and roll in sweet coconut flakes;
- Roll the balls in carob powder.
Voila! The results are these candy balls:
Many people will really like carob candies, because they are incredibly tasty and healthy. Even those who follow a strict diet can afford them (in reasonable quantities, of course).
You can endlessly describe the treats made from the miracle powder. Among them: cupcakes, cookies, cakes, pies and much more. You can take any recipe that contains cocoa as a basis and adjust it to your taste. Carob can be used in different ways. Experiment!
Where to buy carob?
This product is practically never found in supermarkets. Roasted, unroasted carob and whole pods can be found in specialized online stores.
Storing carob is very easy. Just like cocoa, in a dry place at room temperature. The powder can be stored for up to two years, but it is so tasty that you will eat it much earlier
Friends, that's all I have for today. I told you about an interesting and very useful product. I hope we managed to debunk the myth that if you adhere to proper nutrition, you have to eat not very tasty and bland food.
What recipes do you know for carob goodies? I look forward to your feedback and impressions in the comments below!
P.S. If you liked the article, tell your family and friends about it. We will welcome new readers and will always welcome them warmly and comfortably. Don’t get lost, follow the blog news - we still have so much unknown and interesting things ahead. No goodbyes, see you soon!
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Carob is an overseas miracle product that has long been loved by adherents of healthy eating and fans of culinary experiments. What are the benefits of carob and how can you use it to improve your usual dishes?
Sweet gift of nature
Externally, carob is a flat, long pod with brown beans inside. These are the fruits of the carob tree, which grows in the Mediterranean countries. Raw seeds are absolutely unsuitable for food. How to use carob? The beans are carefully dried in the sun and ground into powder. At first glance, it is practically no different from dry cocoa, except that it has a lighter brown tint. But carob tastes much sweeter. It is only this natural sweetness that makes the product so useful. It is enough to compare the calorie content of carob and cocoa. 100 g of carob contains 222 kcal, while cocoa contains as much as 374 kcal.
Pantry benefits
The chemical composition of carob is impressive with an abundance of useful elements. It contains a fair amount of potassium, calcium, magnesium, phosphorus, iron, copper and manganese. It is rich in vitamins A, group B and D. The protein present in carob reduces cholesterol intake. Slow carbohydrates provide the body with energy for a long time. Tannins bind and remove toxins. The beneficial properties of carob include the fact that it is caffeine-free. This means that high blood pressure, depletion of nerve cells and addiction do not threaten you, even with frequent use. Unlike chocolate, carob does not contain harmful substances that cause acne and allergies.
Not an ounce of harm
How is carob used in cooking? Mainly as a sugar substitute in homemade baked goods and desserts. Mix 100 g of wheat and oat flour, 2 tbsp. l. rye flour and 1 tsp. baking powder. Add 2 tbsp here. l. carob, ½ tsp. cinnamon and turmeric, ¼ tsp each. crushed cloves and cardamom. Pour 100 ml of boiled water and 3 tbsp into the dry mixture. l. vegetable oil, 200 g medium chopped nuts to your taste. Knead the dough, form identical gingerbread cookies and place in an oven preheated to 180°C for 20-25 minutes. Let them cool and brush with honey. This simple but delicious dessert can be enjoyed even if you have diabetes. Carob makes it useful and absolutely harmless.
tropical vortex
Any pastry chef will tell you how to prepare a delicacy with. It is used to make delicious icing, for example for cupcakes. Using a blender, puree a mixture of 200 g of pitted dates, ripe banana and 100 ml of orange juice. Pour 130 ml of coconut or any other vegetable oil into it. Pour 250 g of flour with 1 tsp. soda, a pinch of vanilla and knead the dough. Place it in muffin tins and bake for 30 minutes at 180°C. Meanwhile, mash ½ banana with 2 tbsp. l. coconut oil and 1 tbsp. l. carob. Spread the tops of the cupcakes with this glaze and decorate with berries. If you have vegetarians in your family, they will be the first to approve of this dessert.
Pleasant trifles
There is also an excellent way to prepare carob for those who are crazy about delicious sweets. Melt 10 g of butter over low heat. Pour in 1 tbsp. l. cream and honey, pour 4 tbsp. l. carob and continue cooking. Scald 70 g of prunes with boiling water, dry and finely chop. Place it in a saucepan with coffee glaze, season with 1 tsp. cinnamon and a pinch of ginger, mix well. Place in the refrigerator for 2 hours. Make round candies from the cooled mass, sprinkle with fine almond crumbs and place in the refrigerator overnight. You will have a wonderful dessert for a friendly party.
A cheerful morning without caffeine
In the form of a delicious fruit smoothie. Soak a handful of raw almonds in water overnight and peel them in the morning. This way the drink will taste better and be absorbed much better. Place a ripe banana, cut into slices, a cup of frozen raspberries and peeled almonds into a blender bowl. Add here 150 ml of coconut milk, 3 tbsp. l. carob and beat the ingredients into a homogeneous air mass. Pour the smoothie into glasses and sprinkle with crushed hazelnuts. This hearty cocktail will be a great start to the day and will charge your body with fresh energy.
We hope your acquaintance with carob was not in vain. If so, it's time to move from theory to practice. And if you have long discovered this wonderful product, share interesting recipes using it.
Humanity has known about the benefits and harms of carob for several millennia. According to historical data, what carob was for food was known to the contemporaries of John the Baptist and the authors of the Talmud.
Today, this powder from carob pods is widely used in cooking, dietetics and medicine.
Carob is a powder made from the pods of the carob tree. Many scientific works have been written about the beneficial properties of food products. Carob carob tastes like cocoa, so it is an excellent alternative for those with a sweet tooth who value their figure. The article below will help you learn more about what carob is and where it is used.
Unique composition
The chemical composition of carob is worthy of respect.
The pulp of the pods and seeds of the plant contain a huge amount of useful substances, including:
- B vitamins, vitamin A, E and others;
- micro- and macroelements (calcium and zinc, magnesium, potassium, as well as manganese, phosphorus, etc.);
- complex sugars;
- essential amino acids, in particular arginine;
- phenolic compounds with antioxidant properties;
- natural hepatoprotector pinitol;
- tannins that bind toxins and act as antidotes to heavy metals;
- galactomannans, which remove waste.
There is virtually no fat in carob pods. Carob BJU looks like a ratio of 12%/3%/85%.
Both powder and seeds are low-calorie products.
The calorie content of carob is approximately 230 kcal per 100 g of raw material.
Beneficial features
What are the benefits of carob?
This natural cocoa substitute is famous for the following beneficial properties:
You will learn all the details about the benefits of carob from the video:
The advantages of carob pod powder include its hypoallergenicity. Carob will not harm during breastfeeding and pregnancy. On the contrary, it will allow the young mother’s body to be enriched with valuable substances, which she can pass on to the baby with milk.
In addition, the low hypoglycemic index of carob allows this product (preferably fried) to be introduced into the diet of people prone to hyperglycemia or impaired glucose tolerance, as well as patients with diagnosed forms of diabetes.
Roasted carob is better than unroasted carob in this case, since the former contains several times less sugar than the raw product.
Are there any possible side effects?
When discussing the health benefits and harms of carob, it would not be superfluous to mention the negative effect of carob pods on the human body. Like any other food product, the cocoa substitute carob has its side effects, although they are observed extremely rarely in exceptional cases.
It is no secret that some people may have a congenital intolerance to one or several components of carob powder or seeds. Such increased sensitivity is an absolute contraindication to carob, since sooner or later it can provoke the development of life-threatening allergy variants. 
Carob can cause allergic reactions
Other contraindications to the use of this food product are not known to modern science, so people with various diseases of internal organs and constitutional features can safely eat it.
Carob in cooking
What is carob in cooking? In modern culinary art, carob is used as a natural sweetener, which, moreover, contains a huge amount of vitamins and nutrients. At the moment, there are many recipes for preparing carob, among which the most popular are brewing the powder and using it as a base for desserts.
People who prefer a healthy lifestyle speak positively about a drink made from carob with milk and flaxseed porridge with carob and sesame, which allow you to charge the body with energy, enrich it with valuable substances and do not provoke the development of illnesses.
Pods
It is most convenient to store carob in dry pods. Before preparing a drink from carob, the pods of the plant should be broken and ground in a coffee grinder, after which a tasty and healthy decoction should be brewed from the resulting powder. You can also buy ready-made carob powder. It is also important to know how to brew carob correctly so that it retains maximum vitamins and amino acids. It is better to prepare a healing drink in Turk, like coffee, so it will acquire a rich taste and bring many benefits to the body.
You can also make a carob drink based on milk.
You will learn the detailed recipe from the video:
Syrup
Carob syrup is also widely used in cooking. Before consuming carob in syrup, you need to make sure that the person is not intolerant to fructose, which carob fruits are rich in. In addition, the syrup can slightly increase blood glucose levels, which should be taken into account when consuming it for people suffering from complex types of diabetes.
Sweets
Many people know how to drink carob, but they don’t even suspect that it can be consumed in the form of sweets, which in moderation practically do not harm the figure. Carob sweets are the most popular dessert based on carob powder.
They taste like sweet cocoa products, so they are an excellent alternative to unhealthy chocolate.
How to make chocolate from carob? Raw carob chocolate is prepared by mixing ground nuts, dried fruits, coconut flakes with carob pod powder. Balls with a diameter of about 2 cm are formed from the finished composition, which are rolled in sesame seeds, chia seeds, and the like. In any case, before cooking carob or making sweets from it, you should look for recipes on the Internet or ask culinary experts about them.
You will learn one of the recipes for making chocolate from carob in the video:
Where can I buy?
Where is carob sold? A similar question interests many people who have decided to replace chocolate and sugar in their lives with a healthier sweetener.
Those who do not yet know where to buy carob should inquire about the availability of this food product in the following places:
- tea trading places and market stalls with oriental spices;
- health food and sports nutrition stores;
- specialized retail outlets for vegetarians and raw foodists;
- dietary departments of large shopping malls, hypermarkets, etc.;
- online stores selling herbs, spices, healthy food.
Naturally, it is better to buy carob from a trusted and reliable seller who can provide the necessary certificates of quality and authenticity of their products, as well as prove their suitability for food use.
At the moment, the price of carob per 1 kg can hardly be called cheap, but it still remains affordable for the majority of our fellow citizens.
The most expensive is raw carob powder, the cost of which is about one thousand rubles per kilogram of raw materials. At the same time, a similar volume of roasted carob powder can be purchased 25-30% cheaper. The same price awaits those who want to purchase dry pods of the plant or its raw fruits.
Similar materials
Carob - what is it? This product is used in dietary nutrition as a substitute for cocoa and chocolate. It is the fruit of the carob tree, from which raw materials are produced in the form of a powder that resembles cocoa in taste and appearance. The finished product does not contain flavorings and various chemicals that are often added to cocoa powder.
Homeland of the carob tree is Mediterranean and is currently cultivated in many countries around the world. The benefits of carob have been known since ancient times; it has been used in European medicine and cooking since the 5th millennium BC. In ancient Greece, the fruits of the tree, having the same size and weight, were used as a measure of weight and were called "carat". Nowadays the concept of carat is used as a unit of mass measurement in the jewelry industry.
Plant quite unpretentious in content and can go for a very long time without watering, which does not affect fruiting at all. The carob tree is not affected by diseases such as wood sponge, so it is not treated with chemicals. Best quality product Produced in Spain, Portugal, Italy, Australia and Cyprus.
Usually , carob fruits may be contained in several types.
Carob is often purchased and stored unprocessed in the form of pods. The advantage of this storage method is the long-term preservation of the beneficial properties of the product. If necessary, the pods are cleaned and ground in a coffee grinder before cooking. The powder is brewed like coffee.
Powdered carob may be raw, not fried. In terms of taste, it has the greatest sweetness and does not at all resemble chocolate. The lightly roasted powder has a light caramel taste with a slight sourness. Medium roast carob is more like dark chocolate, it has a bitter taste and a dark hue. This product in powder form is widely used in cooking for adding to baked goods.
Like natural sweetener carob produced in the form of syrup. It contains a large amount of sugar, while retaining all its positive qualities.
The highest cost is found in raw carob, since the likelihood of counterfeiting is minimal here and therefore it is the most useful. Cheapest product– This is a medium roasted powder. With the growing popularity of carob fruits, cases of counterfeit goods are not uncommon. According to consumer reviews, it is best to buy a quality product in specialized health or sports nutrition stores.
Harm of carob: contraindications for use
Since carob is an analogue of coffee, it is consumed as a drink, mixed with milk, and added to cocktails and liqueurs.
The fruits are used in the manufacture of confectionery products, sweets, for which it is mixed with nuts, seeds, and dried fruits. Used for various dishes and desserts in the form of an additive made from carob powder (photo of dishes below).
Confectionery products made from carob are able to retain their beneficial and tasteful qualities for a long time. Since, compared to cocoa, carob fruits have a lower (10 times) fat content, which oxidizes over time, causing the product to have a rancid taste. If storage conditions are violated, properties of carob products practically do not change.
The gum (resin) contained in the fruit is used in the manufacture of a stabilizer and thickener. Due to this, the finished products have viscosity, thickness, and acquire shine.
This product is not a drug or a panacea. However, if you need an ideal substitute for coffee or chocolate, then an excellent solution is to use carob. Consumer reviews give preference to healthy eating.
Beneficial and harmful properties of carob
Hello, my dear readers!
She has her own small cafe and is constantly inventing healthy recipes and sharing them with her visitors.
It was while visiting her that I first tried a drink made from carob - carob powder and fell in love with it.
Let's take a closer look at the benefits of carob and how it can be used in cooking.
From this article you will learn:
Carob - beneficial properties and methods of use
Carob tree, or Ceratonia pods, or Constantinople pods (lat. Ceratōnia silīqua), or carob (eng. carob) - a plant of the legume family ( Fabaceae)
Description and benefits of carob
Carob is included in many healthy home cooking recipes and is also widely used in industry and cooking.
How do you get carob?
Carob is a natural, nutritious substitute.
It is obtained from the pods of the carob tree (Ceratonia capita), a flowering evergreen Mediterranean shrub.
Inside each pod contains sweet, edible pulp.
They are specially dried and fried (for 10-12 minutes at 400 degrees Fahrenheit), and then ground into a powder called carob flour or “carob powder.”
Composition of carob powder
In terms of its external properties, carob powder is similar to cocoa powder, but it contains more natural sugar, fiber, much less fat (17%), minerals (main Calcium, Potassium and Phosphorus).
And most importantly, unlike cocoa fruit, it does not contain caffeine and theobromine.
These substances can cause a number of negative phenomena in our body: increase heart rate, cause insomnia and sleep disorders, bedwetting, fatigue, obesity, dizziness, irritability, psychomotor agitation, anxiety, acne and much more.
Therefore, carob, which in its taste and external qualities is very similar to cocoa, is a worthy alternative to it.
Important!!!
Carob fruits contain as much vitamin B1 as asparagus or strawberries.
It has more niacin than Roman beans, lentils or peas; more vitamin A than eggplant, asparagus and beets.
It also contains vitamin B2, magnesium, the minerals iron, manganese, chromium, copper and nickel, about 8 percent protein and is a good source of fiber.
What does carob taste like?
Carob has a wonderful taste and aroma of chocolate, but does not pose any health risks.
In addition, carob is naturally sweet and does not require added sugar, which makes it possible for people with diabetes to use it.
What are the benefits of carob?
So, the benefits of carob:
- Carob tannins contain gallic acid, which works as an analgesic, antiallergic, antibacterial, antioxidant, antiviral and antiseptic.
- Carob improves digestion and lowers cholesterol levels in the blood.
- It is used to treat diarrhea in children and adults.
- Since it does not contain caffeine, it can be consumed by people with high blood pressure.
- Regular use of carob helps in preventing lung cancer.
- Consumption of carob is a good prevention of osteoporosis due to its high phosphorus and calcium content.
- Carob removes toxins and normalizes metabolism.
How to use carob in medicine?
In alternative medicine, there are medicinal recipes with carob powder.
Recipe No. 1
Used for diarrhea, nausea, vomiting and stomach upset in adults, children and animals. Dissolve one tablespoon of the box in a cup of liquid and drink.
Recipe No. 2
French doctors successfully treat kidney failure with carob powder. Approximately 2 teaspoons of carob powder should be dissolved in 1 glass of unsweetened cranberry juice and taken four or five times a day.
How to use carob in cooking?
Carob is most often used as a stabilizer and thickener in baked goods, ice cream, jellies, cheese, sauces, canned meats, and other food products.
Carob powder is also used as a substitute for cocoa powder or chocolate in cakes, cookies and candies.
Video about carob
Be sure to watch this interesting video about the beneficial properties of carob, I recommend it!!!
- Carob is an excellent substitute for cocoa drink. Just dissolve 1 teaspoon of powder in hot water and a tasty and healthy drink will be ready.
- Carob can be used in place of cocoa powder in baking. Add a tablespoon of carob powder to the batter to give it a beautiful, rich, dark color.
- When replacing cocoa powder, use the same amount of carob powder. But remember that you will need to reduce the amount of sugar in the recipe due to the natural sweetness of carob.
- Add a spoonful of carob powder to homemade or frozen yogurt.
- Carob can be sprinkled on fresh berries and fruits instead of sugar. This is delicious!
- You can make chocolate with carob. Just dissolve 1 tsp in one mug of hot milk and a tasty and aromatic drink is ready!
- Carob is very tasty mixed with butter or coconut oil, honey, spices (cinnamon, nutmeg, ginger, cardamom). This makes a dessert pasta for breakfast.
- Carob powder can be used to make icing, breading truffle-type candies, and topping baked goods.
Video recipe for carob cake, watch it, it’s very tasty!
In fact, you can make a wide variety of desserts and baked goods from carob.
Where to buy carob powder?
Fortunately, today natural carob powder can be found in ordinary stores.
I buy it at a regular supermarket in the health department. This is the manufacturer.
Online stores offer a lot of carob powder from various manufacturers.
For example, Here you can buy real organic carob powder.
Try it and share your impressions and experience!!!
I would be glad if this article is useful to you and you share it with your friends on social networks.
Send me your recipes for delicious desserts using carob.
Alena Yasneva was with you, See you again!
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