Raw and Roasted Carob Powder - what's the difference?!
Raw and Roasted Carob Powder - what's the difference?
How do they differ in looks, taste and properties? :) Thanks in advance!
Answers:
raw is just scrapped from the root, and roasted is baked for a time first...thus roasting it
Carob powder is made from the pods of the carob tree (Ceratonia siliqua). The pods are ground into a powdered form and used as a chocolate substitute.
Carob pods have vitamin A, B vitamins, and several important minerals. They are a good source of potassium. Carob has only one-third the calories of chocolate and is virtually fat-free (chocolate is half fat), Carob is rich in pectin, is nonallergenic, has abundant protein, and has no oxalic acid (which chocolate has), which interferes with absorption of calcium.
The raw carob is perceived as bitter by most taste buds so roasting it improves the flavor dramatically
I use carob primarily because it doesn't contain amines. Amines are natural chemicals that can cause food intolerance reactions in some people, with symptoms like depression, aggression and irritability. Amines are found in chocolate, meat, nuts, caffeine, some vegetables and fruits, and aged cheeses or wines, etc.
When some things are roasted/toasted (eg nuts, toast) this can cause the food to accumlate amines. Amines occur in any food that is browned or burnt, and increase in food as it ages. (I don't know if roasting carob causes amines or not.)
Also, bitter carob (eg Turkish) has been known to cause more intolerance problems than the milder flavoured ones (only in sensitive people).
Hope that is useful for you. :)