Carob powder has been substituted for chocolate or cocoa powder in recipes for many, many years by the health-conscious who believe that it is healthier for them. Just what is carob, though, and is it really healthier for you?
Carob powder can generally be used in any recipe that calls for chocolate or cocoa powder. Simply use the same amount of carob as you would chocolate or cocoa.
Carob can be used as a sugar, as well. Since it is 50% natural sugar, it can be used as a sugar substitute in almost all bread and pastry products. Using carob when cooking, however, will result in chocolate-brown colored foods and a slight chocolate taste. If this is not desirable, try mixing various amounts of carob powder and honey to find a suitable combination.
Carob powder has a flavor similar to the flavor of chocolate, but a fresh carob pod has a flavor similar to that of a date.
Carob has a variety of non-food uses, as well. The small hard seeds inside the pod were once used as weights for goldsmiths and gave us the term “carat.” The seeds can also be cooked into a thick gum, which is used as an ingredient in toothpastes, cosmetics, and more.
Although carob powder is healthier for you, carob candy is not any better than chocolate candy. Extra fat is added to carob powder to turn it into candy, so its fat and calorie counts are usually the same as chocolate. The difference is that the cocoa butter that is added to chocolate bars is rich in stearic acid, a saturated fat that has been shown tonot raise blood cholesterol levels. Any type of fat, including artery-clogging palm kernel oil or coconut oil, can be added to carob.
