Carob Powder

Our Carob Powder is naturally grown in . It is free, anti- inflammatory and loaded with minerals. Carob powder is a natural and healthy alternative to in the form of cocoa powder. Carob powder is used whenever a recipe calls for chocolate or cocoa.

Carob powder comes from the pod of the carob bean. Carob beans grow on trees that are part of the family. The trees can live up to 100 years and do not bear for the first 15 years, but after that they bear fruit prolifically. Carob is a tropical pod that contains a sweet, edible pulp and inedible . After drying, the pulp is roasted and ground into a powder that resembles cocoa powder, but does not have the same flavor and texture of chocolate.

Ancient Egyptians used the gummy properties of carob by using it as an adhesive in binding mummies and the pods and seeds have been found in Egyptian tombs. The Romans are said to have eaten the pods when green and fresh for their natural sweetness.

Many scholars believe that lived on carob pods as “the bean” in another name for carob. Another biblical reference to carob pods is also probable in the parable of the prodigal son who squandered his inheritance and so became a servant, looking after the pigs. “He would gladly have fed on the pods that the swine ate ...”- the pods would most probably have been the pods of the carob trees which would still produce crops in times of drought and .

Carob has rightly been coined the healthy alternative to chocolate. Carob is so different nutritionally and chemically from chocolate that people allergic to chocolate can enjoy carob. A 1973 university study clearly indicated that children who were allergic to chocolate could safely consume carob. Carob is free from phenylethylamine which can trigger migraines and allergic reactions. Carob is free from and which can be addictive and can cause allergies. Caffeine and theobromine are stimulants. Caffeine is the most active and works directly on the brain stimulating the senses, inspiration and alertness. It can be transmitted through breast milk and pregnant women are advised to restrict their caffeine intake. Caffeine has analgesic properties but also has side-effects such as anxiety, nervousness, nausea, and palpitations. Caffeine not only stimulates the brain and other organs but also increases the heart rate. It can provoke emotional reactions. It stimulates the gastric juices and acts as a diuretic and so can cause excess loss of the water soluble vitamins B & C. Caffeine stimulates release of the body’s stored energy reserves, meaning that are released into the blood. This can increase the risk of diabetes and possibly obesity and can cause mood swings.

Carob is known for its medicinal properties. Reports in medical journals in the 1950’s showed that carob powder added to milk formulas could help infants keep down their meals. According to a study reported in Canadian Medical Association Journal, out of 230 infants with diarrhea, only three were not cured by the addition of carob powder to their formula. Carob is also used for the treatment and prevention of diarrhea in livestock, and for the prevention and cure of human dysentery. The main constituents of carob are large carbohydrates (sugars) and . The sugars make carob gummy and able to act as a thickener to absorb water and help bind together watery stools. Tannins from carob, being water insoluble, do not bind proteins as some do. Carob tannins do bind to (and thereby inactivate) toxins and inhibit growth of , both of which are beneficial when it comes to diarrhea. Dietary fiber and sugars yma make food more viscous in the stomach and thus interfere with reflux of acid into the esophagus. According to Marian

www.HempUSA.org International Distribution Center / USA [email protected]

Office: 888-910-HEMP (4367) FAX: 908-760-0211 Seddon, writing for Desert magazine, “The pectin and in carob not only regulate digestion, they combine with harmful elements (even radioactive fallout) in digested food and carry them safely out of the body.”

Carob is an incredibly rich food source, and it is perhaps the ideal “survival food” since it lasts a long time, requires no special storage conditions and can be eaten with no preparation. Carob is up to 8% protein and contains vitamins A, B, B2, B3 and D. It is also high in calcium, phosphorus, potassium and magnesium and contains iron, manganese, barium, copper and nickel. Carob contains no oxalic acid which tends to interfere with the body’s ability to assimilate calcium.

One tablespoon of unsweetened carob powder has 25 calories, no fat, no saturated fat, no cholesterol, and 6 grams carbohydrate. It is also naturally sweet, so carob products will generally contain substantially less than their chocolate counterparts. Carob also contains three times more calcium as cocoa powder. Carob powder can be substituted for cocoa powder in any recipe. While unsweetened carob powder may be naturally sweeter than cocoa powder, carob is not as flavorful as chocolate. To substitute carob powder for cocoa powder, replace one part cocoa with 2-1/2 parts carob powder by weight.

HempUSA.org has two sources of carob powder for your healthy diet. You can buy our 1 lb resealable bags of 100% carob powder to use in recipes that call for cocoa powder. We also have Carob Micro Powder that contains 50% carob and 50% original micro plant powder. The recommended dosage for the Carob MPP is the same as for any micro plant powder. You will get the benefits of the micro plant powder with a great chocolaty taste!

www.HempUSA.org International Distribution Center / USA [email protected]

Office: 888-910-HEMP (4367) FAX: 908-760-0211