Carob bean pods, c/s

Background:

The various names for Carob bean include locust bean, and St. John's bread—as it was likely the eaten by John the Baptist in the wilderness as in Biblical reference. Carob is used also for curing tobacco, in paper making, and as a stabilizer in food products. It has been claimed that the seeds were the original karat, the measurement of weight for precious jewels and metals. The pods filled with a sweet pulp, were eaten, fresh and dry and were a favorite food with the ancients. Specimens were exhumed Pompeii. The ancient Egyptians extracted a honey-like liquid from the hull of the pod in which they preserved fruits; in Sicily, a spirit and a syrup are prepared.

Spanish missionaries introduced carob into Mexico and California. In 1854, seeds of this tree were distributed from the United States Patent Office and subsequently 8,000 seedlings were distributed around the US South. Many were later planted in Texas, Arizona, California and Florida as ornamental, shade trees.

High in carbohydrates, Carob has been used for its nutritional value for over centuries, possibly millennia. Carob pods were the most important source of sugar before the spread of sugarcane and sugar beets. Dried carob fruit is traditionally eaten on the Jewish holiday of Tu Bishvat.

Carob is naturally sweet and is similar to sweetened cocoa, but containing no caffeine, theobromine or other psychoactive substances, it is often used as a hypoallergenic, drug-free substitute. Unlike chocolate products, carob is non-toxic to dogs and is used in dog treats

Two distinct products are derived from its pod, which is high in carbohydrate: carob bean gum and carob powder. Carob bean gum is made from the beans encased in the pod, used extensively in food manufacturing for binding. Carob powder, noted for its similarity to cocoa powder, is made by drying, roasting, and grinding the carob pod after the beans have been removed. The color and flavor of carob vary depending upon the roasting process—the longer carob is roasted, the darker its color and the blander its flavor. Solid carob, carob chips, and carob syrup are made from carob powder.

Dosage:

Carob pod chips and powder are used for tea, added to tea formulas and to food and beverage recipies for flavor and nutrition.

Applications:

This pulp is used as a laxative and demulcent, and as an ingredient in expectorant mixtures.

Often used as a substitute for chocolate or cocoa powder in cakes, cookies, and candy. To substitute carob powder for cocoa,: 1 1/2 to 2 parts carob by weight. Carob, unlike cocoa, is naturally sweet. Carob chips are easily substituted for chocolate chips recipes, and carob powder is viable as a substitute for cocoa.