Culinary Nutrition Guide to Carob and Carob Recipes

Carob products are making a comeback. Once considered the domain of eccentric hippies in the 1960s and 1970s, and a pale imitation of chocolate, carob is being recognized as a delicious ingredient in its own right that can enhance a lot of recipes! Let’s dive into carob and the carob recipes that might inspire you to use it!

What Is Carob?

The carob tree, Ceratonia siliqua, is mainly grown in the Mediterranean and the Middle East. It bears fruit in the shape of a long, flat pod and its pulp and seeds are used for culinary purposes, as well as in the pharmaceutical and cosmetic industries. Carob’s popularity began to grow in the 1950s and 1960s when experts proclaimed it was a ‘healthier’ alternative to chocolate (we now know that isn’t true). Recipe creators and home cooks began swapping carob into all kinds of recipes – mainly baked goods and sweet treats – that called for chocolate.

You’ll commonly find carob in a few forms:

Carob Powder

Carob powder is fashioned by drying out the carob pods, removing the seeds, and then grinding the pods into a fine powder. It has the same texture and consistency as cocoa powder or cacao powder. You can even try making your own if you have access to carob trees!

Carob Chips

An alternative to chocolate chips, carob chips are typically made with carob powder, oils, and sugar. You’ll want to read labels carefully if purchasing carob chips, as many brands can contain unhealthful cooking oils, gluten, dairy products, and refined sugars.

Locust Bean Gum

Locust bean gum, also called carob gum, is a polysaccharide extracted from the endosperm of carob seeds. It has a thick, gooey consistency and is frequently used by food producers as a thickener and stabilizer in their products. Pharmaceutical and cosmetic companies also draw on these thickening and stabilizing properties.

Culinary Nutrition Benefits of Carob

Carob has many beneficial health properties! Carob is:

Rich in antioxidants, which help protect our cells from damage
High in fibre for digestive health, cardiovascular health, and blood sugar balance
Caffeine-free (unlike chocolate)
A source of calcium and iron
A source of hydroxyproline, which helps us produce collagen
Anti-inflammatory

Research indicates that the compounds in carob can inhibit cancer cell growth, reduce cholesterol levels, help regulate blood sugar, and have anti-diabetic effects. It can also benefit the digestive tract, reducing diarrhea, constipation, acid reflux, and ulcers. The fibre content of locust bean gum has been shown to benefit digestion, the cardiovascular system and have anti-cancer effects.

And a side note: unlike chocolate, carob is safe for dogs!

Carob Recipes Versus Chocolate Recipes

Carob has lived most of its modern life in the shadow of chocolate, often declared inferior and less flavourful. Carob has a nutty, earthy flavour and it’s actually very sweet. If you’ve ever tried cacao powder, cacao nibs, or 100% dark chocolate, you’ll likely have noticed that chocolate is very bitter. Carob isn’t – and for this reason, you can typically reduce the natural sweeteners you add to carob recipes or sometimes leave them out entirely.

Carob is often used as a substitute for chocolate, particularly in the Autoimmune Paleo Diet (AIP). It’s nice to have the option of swapping carob for chocolate 1:1 in recipes, but remember that carob will taste different!