What Is Carob?

The carob plant is an evergreen tree that is part of the legume family. It is native to the Mediterranean areas of the world, however, it is also grown commercially in Florida and California. The carob has many beneficial properties and is often used as a cocoa substitute. It has a somewhat similar taste with only a fraction of the calories.

Carob Tree

• The carob tree grows approximately 1 foot a year, reaching a height of 50 feet. A fully mature tree can yield up to 1 ton of beans in a single harvest.

  The carob pods are green, eventually turning a dark brown as they ripen. They weigh about 1.5 oz., and grow to between 4 and 10 inches long. The seeds are similar in appearance to a watermelon seed, and each individual seed pod yields about 15 seeds. Both the seeds and pods are edible.

Food Uses

• Carob pods have many food uses. These pods can be processed into a powder that is similar in form to cocoa and can be used as a chocolate replacement. Carob has also been used as a flour for confectioneries, bread and pancakes. Some bakeries have even used the component Tragasol, which is found in carob as a stabilizer and a thickener. Tragasol can be found in some ice creams, jellies, salad dressings, cheeses, mustards, salami and even bologna.

  Overseas, carob seeds have been used as a coffee substitute and a coffee additive. Other places have even used the extracted sugars infused with the pulp to make alcoholic drinks.

Wellness Uses

• The U.S. Food and Drug Administration has determined that carob is safe for consumption.

  Carob is used by herbalists to control several common ailments. It has been shown useful in treating high cholesterol, diarrhea, and for regulating blood sugar. Because of the serious nature of these ailments, it is important to speak with a health care professional before treating any of them with a carob supplement.

Hypersensitivity

• Some people have experienced hypersensitivity when using carob, or derivatives of it. Some people have reported asthma, rhinitis, explosive vomiting, hives and rashes after taking products containing carob. There are also warnings that people who are allergic to peanuts could possibly have reactions to this plant as well.

  Carob use should be avoided by people who have certain mineral deficiencies, such as chromium, cobalt, copper, iron or zinc.

  Carob should not be used by anemics, or pregnant or nursing women.

Side Effects

• Carob has been recorded as having an effect on blood sugar levels, and because of this, extreme caution should be taken when used by diabetics who are taking insulin or other medications for blood sugar.

  People taking cholesterol medication should also be careful before consuming carob because carob may lower cholesterol.

  Carob may also inhibit the effectiveness of laxatives.