Carob earned the common names of St. John's bread and locust bean
because of a passage in the Bible that describes John the Baptist as
surviving on locusts [locust bean] and wild honey. Because the tree
withstands drought conditions often encountered in its native regions,
carob pods have long been considered a “famine food” during times of
scarcity.
Carob pods were eaten both fresh and dry and were seemingly a
favorite food with the ancients: specimens were exhumed in Pompeii; ancient
Egyptians extracted a honey-like liquid from the hull of the pod in which
they preserved fruits; in Sicily, the pods have yielded a spirit and a syrup.
The pods consist of a sweet pulp and a dozen or more small, brown seeds
that were once used as weight measurements in the Mediterranean region.
Today, we refer to these units as carats, which are used to measure
diamonds and gold.
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, the obromine or other psychoactive substances. 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.
Carob pod chips and powder are used for tea, added to tea formulas and to
food and beverage recipes for flavor and nutrition.
Often used as a substitute for chocolate or cocoa powder in cakes, cookies,
and candy. To substitute carob powder for cocoa,: 1 ½ 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.
Nutritional Breakdown: Carob pod is a reliable source of dietary carbohydrates and calcium, potassium,
and riboflavin. The seed residue after gum extraction can be made into a starch-
and sugar-free flour of 60% protein content.
