Do you love chocolate but worry about fitting into your favorite jeans? What if you could snack on something that has fewer calories and is natural, plus it tastes like chocolate?
Seem too good to be true?
Let me introduce you to carob! Carob is a great-tasting substitute for chocolate with a history of its own.
What Is It?
Most people know that chocolate comes from the pods of a Theobroma cacao tree and grows only near the equator. The beans inside pods are collected and processed several times to make all kinds of chocolate products: cocoa, milk chocolate and sweet chocolate.
But what’s carob, and where does it come from? Carob comes from the Ceratonia siliqua tree. This tree is native to Mediterranean countries. Carob trees also produce pods. Before the pods are roasted and ground into powder, the seeds are removed first. The seeds are used to make gum called locust bean gum. This gum is used in many processed foods as a thickener and stabilizer.
Is It Really Yummy?
It’s amazing that carob tastes almost just like mild chocolate! But tasting like chocolate and being like chocolate are two different things. Chocolate provides your body with caffeine, potassium, iron and protein but is high in fat, and that means more calories. Because chocolate is naturally bitter, much sugar must be added to make it sweet. Carob contains no caffeine and is much lower in fat content. Another plus? It’s extremely low in sodium. Carob also provides your body with a good source of calcium and fiber. And best of all, carob is sweet by nature!
How to Use it
Carob powder can be substituted for cocoa powder in equal amounts, but since carob is already sweet, you’ll need to cut the amount of sweeteners. You can use chocolate chips and carob chips exactly the same. Three tablespoons of carob powder, one tablespoon of water and two drops of vanilla extract mixed equals one square or one ounce of baker’s chocolate.
Also, be aware that carob needs a little more attention than chocolate when cooking. Because carob contains virtually no fat, it burns easily. Set the oven temperature at least 25 degrees lower when baking.
Carob is a great treat that can be substituted for chocolate in any recipe, and you can find it at your local health food store. If you love chocolate snacks but don’t want the extra calories, try fitting carob into your diet. Carob is one of God’s naturally sweet snacks, and it hits the spot every time!
Carob Drink
• 1 cup milk (try soy milk or rice milk for less fat)
• 1 tablespoon carob powder
• Add honey or other sweeteners if desired
Mix on high speed in a blender for 10 seconds. Enjoy!
