Carob

Carob (Ceratonia siliqua) is an evergreen native to and cultivated throughout the Mediterranean and Middle East. Although the tree is shrub-like in appearance, this member of the legume family can reach a height of nearly 60 feet and have a trunk more than three feet in circumference. The branches of the carob tree sport oval-shaped evergreen leaves and clusters of delicate red flowers. But carob’s most interesting feature is its seedpods. The unripe pods are bright green, soft and fleshy and look very much like a pea pod. Ripe pods (sans the seeds) taste sweet when chewed but--due to a high isobutyric acid content—release an aroma reminiscent of Limburger cheese when opened. When the pods are fully ripe and dried, the hard seeds inside detach from their “cells,” which produces a rattle effect.

According to legend, carob pods were the “locusts” that sustained St. John the Baptist as he preached throughout the desert wilderness. For this reason, carob pods are commonly called St. John's Bread and, less often, locust bean. Of course, the preacher didn’t actually eat insects as suggested by the term locust, which was later ascribed to swarming grasshoppers.  Some scholars speculate that reference to the word may stem from two factors: the translation of kerátiοn, the Greek word for the genus name of the carob tree, the root of which means “horn”; and the simple fact that, like locusts, the tree is highly resistant to the harsh environmental conditions of its native climate. This means that carob likely represented a reliable food source during times of famine triggered by drought or war. In fact, this idea is expressed in the parable of the Prodigal Son, who, after squandering his father’s wealth, is tempted to consume the carob pods used as swine fodder because he is starving--spiritually as well as physically. Aside from the moral lesson gained from the story, feeding carob pods to agricultural animals eased the burden of the poor farmer—a boon during the social and political turmoil of the Biblical period. However, carob pods proved to be a life-saving food source to regional inhabitants of other eras, such as the residents of Malta during World War II.

The seeds of the tree were used by the ancient Romans as a weight comparison against pieces of gold. Over time, a standardized method of determining the purity of the metal was established based on the fact that a single gold coin called a solidus was the same weight as 24 kerátiοn, or carob seeds. Eventually, the term for this unit of measurement evolved into carat, and a label of 24-carat meant the object was 100% pure gold.

Carob was once the primary source of sugar until cane sugar became widely available. Today, it’s a substitute for chocolate, which contains an enzyme called theobromine that is highly toxic to dogs and some people. Flour made from ground carob seeds provides a gluten-free alternative for people with celiac disease. Carob is also considered a traditional remedy for nausea, vomiting and diarrhea.