What is carob powder???!
What is carob powder???
i have heard alot about carob powder, and i was just wondering exactly what it is? i have heard that it is caffeine free chocolate. is that true, and if so, where can i find it, and what are its uses??? thanks in advance.
Answers:
The Carob Tree
The carob tree is a member of the legume (pea) family and it grows in Mediterranean areas. It favours arid conditions which are naturally alien to fungus and pests so little or no chemical sprays are needed in its cultivation. It is a large tree and grows to 15m in 50 years. It produces no fruit for the first 15 years of its life, but will fruit well into its old age. A large tree can produce one ton of beans in one harvest.
The carob tree flowers in September and October. The flowers on female carob trees must be pollinated by pollen from the male trees. Developing carob pods have the appearance of green broad beans but they turn a dark glossy brown with maturity. They are between 4"and 10"long and weigh 0.75 to 1.5 oz\. The pods contain four series of oval holes, each bearing a seed like a watermelon seed. Each pod can contain up to 15 seeds. Carob seeds and pods are edible. The ground seeds are used as a substitute for cocoa and as a food (also known as algarroba, St. John's bread, and locust bean gum). The pods are commonly used as cattle feed. Carob powder is also used as a food stabilizer and as a darkening agent.
Check your health food stores for sources.
I believe Carob is a Vegan form of chocolate, and can be used where-ever you need to use cocoa-powder. Sounds yummy!
a chocolate substitute
Carob powder is made from a different plant than chocolate. It tastes kind of different. I don't think it contains caffeine but don't quote me on that. Is caffeine really such an issue for you that you won't eat chocolate?