Check out the awesome health benefits of carob!
Carob is an alternative to chocolate. It’s a tree-grown bean that has been cultivated for at least 4,000 years. While the natives of the West Indies and the New World were growing their chocolate, cultures around the Mediterranean Sea were growing carob and using it to flavor their food.
The rich, naturally-sweet chocolate-like flavor is delicious, but you’ll find that carob is also quite amazing for your health!
Here are some of the main health benefits of carob in your diet:
- Loaded with gallic acid : The name gallic acid may not mean much to you, but wait until you find out what it can do! Not only can gallic acid kill off bacteria and viruses, but it’s also a powerful antioxidant that can reduce free radical damage, an analgesic that can help to manage pain, an antiseptic to prevent and treat infections, and even an anti-allergic that can reduce allergy symptoms.
- Aids in digestion: One of the main wonderful properties of carob is its ability to aid in digestion. Not only is carob loaded with insoluble fiber (which scrubs out your intestines), but the various acids and compounds in carob will help to aid in the production of digestive acids and enzymes that break down your food.
- Rich in Vitamin E: Vitamin E isn’t just useful for your skin, but it also works wonders for your heart health. It protects your arterial walls and prevents cholesterol from sticking to the walls, thereby reducing your risk of heart attacks and strokes. But Vitamin E plays a huge role in the health of your hair and skin, promoting a healthy cellular turnover rate and speeding up repair of wounds.
- Prevent diarrhea: Thanks to the tannins in carob, you can treat and prevent diarrhea. The tannins stop acids from being produced in excess, preventing the food you eat from breaking down TOO much—leading to diarrhea. It can also stabilize your digestive system, helping you to be more regular.
- Regulate blood sugar:: Not only is carob fairly low in carbohydrates, but it also contains fiber that can help to regulate blood sugar levels. Seeing as diabetes is one of the primary health threats in the country, the fact that carob can help to prevent the problem makes it a valuable food to consume for improved health.
- Promote weight loss: In one study, people consumed a preparation of carob, which resulted in a decrease in ghrelin, the hormone that signals to your body that you are hungry. It also caused the body to release more triglycerides to be burned as energy, rather than storing them. While carob isn’t a weight loss remedy per se, it can definitely aid in your struggle to drop those last few pounds!
- Improve bone health –– For those worried about osteoporosis, eating carob is totally the way to go! Carob is loaded with calcium and phosphorus, two of the minerals needed by your bones. Children suffering from polio are recommended to consume carob, as the gallic acid and calcium in carob can help to stave off the disease.
- Fight colds –– If you’ve got a cold or a flu, it’s time to add a bit of carob to your diet. The Vitamin E, polyphenols, and antioxidants in the carob will do wonders for your health, and can fight off colds, coughs, flus, and even help with problems like anemia.
Definitely some great reasons to add a bit more carob to your life!
Our favorite carob products to try:
- Organic Carob Powder: Use a spoonful of this cocoa-like powder in your favorite latte for a mocha-like effect, put a bit in your nutella hot chocolate recipe, or bake it right into cakes. The choice is yours!
- Carob Chips: Top your yogurt sundae with carob chips, bake mind-blowing vegan carob chip muffins or just eat ’em straight out of the bag.
- Whole Carob Pods: Or, be a purist and go straight for the entire chewy carob pod. Just be sure to eat around the seeds at the center. They’re hard, and the bark-like part is really where all the flavor is, anyway.
