Carob

Carob is rich in antioxidants, and an alternative to using cocoa powder. Powdered carob, which is easily found in supermarkets or stores specializing in natural products, has 38 calories per tablespoon and is a good source of vitamins A, B1 and B2, niacin, calcium and magnesium. In addition, it has no fats, gluten or any other protein.

It is possible to find carob powder to mix in milk and add to recipes traditionally made with chocolate such as biscuits and cakes, but there are also industrialized carob products such as cereal bars and jams.

One of the main advantages of using carob instead of chocolate is that carob does not have caffeine as it does with cocoa or chocolate and therefore it can be ingested by people sensitive to caffeine, even at night, without decreasing the quality of sleep.

What is Carob for?

Carob can be used as a substitute for chocolate but due to its medicinal properties, it can be indicated as an ally in cholesterol control, to lower triglycerides, to stop vomiting and diarrhea, being also useful against indigestion and heartburn. In addition, it has anti-reflux action being a good option to be used in infant formulas.

Foods enriched with locust beans can reduce the glycemic index of foods and therefore this is a good option to decrease the frequency of hypoglycemia or hyperglycemia, helping to control diabetes.

How to use Carob

Carob can be used in powder form in the preparation of foods such as cakes, puddings, cookies and sweets, but locust bean gum serves as a thickener and can be used to thicken baby bottles that suffer from reflux to decrease the frequency of vomiting.

Locust bean gum for vomiting

Mix 1 tablespoon of the gum with 1 glass of water and then take it. For babies the measure should be 1 g of gum for 100 ml of milk.

Locust bean gum is made with the locust bean pod, before being processed and transformed into powder and it contains the fibers that help to reduce vomiting and is normally used as a thickener by the food industry in anti-reflux milks for example.

Carob flour against diarrhea

Mix 25g of flour in 1 cup of warm water or milk. Drink after each diarrhea.

This recipe for carob flour when mixed with sunflower seed and rice flour can be used against diarrhea even for babies and pregnant women.

Recipes with carob powder

Gluten-free carob cake

This recipe is easy to make and contains no gluten, making it a good option for those who have gluten intolerance or celiac disease.

Ingredients

• 350 g of sugar5 eggs150 ml of soy oil200 g of natural yogurt30g of carob powder200 g of rice cream150 g of sweet starch150 g of potato starch10 drops of vanilla essence10 g of baking powder

Method of preparation

Beat the eggs, oil, sugar, plain yogurt and vanilla essence in a blender. Then add the dry products, mixing well until a uniform dough is left. Finally add the yeast and stir gently to mix well. Bake in greased and floured form for 25 minutes, at 210ºC.

Carob cream for dessert

Ingredients

• 200 ml of milk2 tablespoons cornstarch2 tablespoons carob powder1 spoon of sugar1 cinnamon stick

Method of preparation

Mix the cornstarch with the milk while still cold and after dissolving add the other ingredients and bring to low heat for a few minutes, until it thickens. When you reach this point, turn off the heat, remove the cinnamon stick, distribute in small molds and refrigerate for 1 hour. Serve chilled.

Nutritional information of carob powder

The following table provides the nutritional information for 100 g of carob powder, also called carob flour:

Quantity: 100 g of carob powder
Energy	368 kcal	Niacin (vit. B3)	1.3 mg
Carbohydrate	85.6 g	Folate	29 mcg
Protein	3.2 g	Potassium	830 mg
Fat	0.3 g	Calcium	350 mg
Fibers	5 g	Magnesium	54 mg

Thus, in addition to having a much lower fat content than cocoa, carob powder also has fibers and does not have caffeine, not causing the worsening of problems such as insomnia, gastritis and migraine.

When not to be used

Carob should be used with care by people with intestinal obstruction or with esophageal or intestinal stenosis.

Carob is a pod from a tree called carob, dark brown to black in color with a sweet taste that can be used as a healthy substitute for chocolate. The carob can be found in the form of a pod with 8 to 12 seeds inside, which can be used in powder form to be used in the manufacture of food.

In addition to exchanging chocolate and cocoa for carob, see other healthy exchanges that you can make for a better life and with fewer diseases, in this quick, light and fun video by nutritionist Tatiana Zanin: