The Ingredients in Raw Meals - Carob Powder

Carob (from Wikipedia)

Carob Tree

Carob pods (top, unripe; bottom, ripe)

Traditional uses

Carob was eaten in Ancient Egypt. It was also a common sweetener and was used in the hieroglyph for "sweet" (nedjem). Dried carob fruit is traditionally eaten on the Jewish holiday of Tu Bishvat. Carob juice drinks are traditionally drunk during the Islamic month of Ramadan.

Carob pods were an important source of sugar before sugarcane and sugar beets became widely available.^{[citation needed]}

Modern uses

Carob, dried or roasted and having a slightly sweet taste, in powder or chip form, is used as an ingredient in cakes and cookies. Carob is sometimes used as a substitute for chocolate. The seeds, also known as locust beans, are used as animal feed. They are also the source of locust bean gum, a thickening agent used in numerous processed foods. In Egypt, carobs are consumed as a snack. Crushed pods are used to make a refreshing drink. Compotes and liqueurs are made from carob in Turkey, Malta, Portugal, Spain and Sicily. Carob has proven effective in relieving diarrhea in infants.^[9]

Carob has also been used as a non-toxic alternative to chocolate in dog treats as the theobromine in chocolate is toxic to most dogs.^[10]

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