Carob - a healthy cocoa substitute

People who, for various reasons, cannot eat chocolate can breathe a sigh of relief. There is a healthy substitute for cocoa - its allergenic component available on the market. It is about carob, of course. What is it, how can you use it and why should you include it in your diet? Let's see.

Cocoa, the main ingredient in chocolate, is not only an allergen, it also causes some discomfort in non-allergic people. It includes, among others caffeine and theobromine, substances stimulating metabolism and stimulating (causing, among others, an increase in blood pressure, acceleration of the heart rate, and even nervousness). That is why its replacement - carob is becoming so popular.

What is carob?

Carob is actually carob flour - a plant that not only tastes but also looks cocoa. It also occurs under the names: carob tree or carob tree. Cocoa replacer is obtained by grinding the de-seeded and sun-dried and then roasted carob tree fruits.
The resulting powder does not contain theobromine present in cocoa and is much more nutritious. Why? It has 3 times more calcium than chocolate and 7 times less fat.
In addition, it is a rich source of many vitamins and microelements. It contains B vitamins, vitamin A and potassium, magnesium and iron. You cannot forget about fiber and protein - the most important ingredients for people on a diet.

But it is not everything…

Carob improves digestion - it contains tannins. It is also a good antioxidant due to the gallic acid it contains. It also shows the effect of lowering the level of bad cholesterol. In addition, it has been proven that, like cocoa, it inhibits diarrhea - the tannins contained in it bind with toxins and inhibit the multiplication of pathogenic bacteria.
Where can carob be used?
It is best to put on carob powder, which is deceptively similar to cocoa - but it is a bit lighter and does not have such an intense smell. Then we can use it as a healthy replacement. We can use it for any baking or desserts. So wherever we would add cocoa.

How much carob should you add instead of cocoa? Instead of cocoa specified in the recipe, add exactly the same amount of carob - available from us to the dishes. However, carob is naturally sweeter in taste, so reduce the amount of sugar added to your baked goods.

Recipes using carob

"Chocolate" cream with coconut flakes

To complete it, we will need:

• 100 g of clarified butter
• 2 tablespoons of carob
• approx. 10 dates without seeds
• 5 tablespoons of cooked millet
• 2 teaspoons of coconut shrims

Execution:
Add the carob, dates and millet cut into small pieces to the melted butter. Blend everything until smooth. Finally, add the coconut flakes and mix thoroughly. Serve the cream with seasonal fruit. It can also be used in place of "Nutella".

Oatmeal cookies with carob

Ingredients:

• 2 eggs
• 4 tablespoons of cane sugar
• 2 cups of oatmeal
• ½ cup of spelled flour
• 1/3 a cube of butter
• 1 teaspoon of baking powder
• 3 tablespoons of carob

Execution:
Beat eggs with sugar, add flour and melted butter and mix thoroughly. Then add the carob, baking powder and oatmeal. Form cookies from the resulting dough, place them on a sheet lined with paper and bake for about 20 minutes at 180 degrees.

One more note: Remember to buy organic carob . Then you will be sure that you are getting the highest quality product from certified crops.