What is carob and what is it for? Carob is a species of flowering evergreen shrub that belongs to the Fabaceae family.
The carob tree is inherent in the Mediterranean region, such as North Africa, Southern Europe, the larger Mediterranean islands, North Africa, the Levant and the Middle East from western Asia to Iran and the Canary Islands and Macaronesia. It is grown for its edible pods and is grown as an ornamental tree in gardens.
The carob tree has the ability to tolerate heat and drought and is well adapted to the Mediterranean climate. The carob tree is grown on marginal land in the Mediterranean basin, where few crops are grown economically. The carob is interspersed with grapes, olives and walnuts.
The tree could reach 15 feet in height with a trunk 3 feet in circumference. The branches bear evergreen, oval-shaped leaves with clusters of red flowers. It develops into seed pods. The immature pods are soft, fleshy, and bright green in color and have a pea pod-like appearance. The ripe pods have a sweet taste due to the high content of isobutyric acid which releases the aroma reminiscent of Limburger cheese.
The dry ripe pods have hard seeds that provide a rattling effect. The pods are slightly curved, long, thick, and dark brown in color that are 4 to 10 inches long.
Raw carob has a subtly sweet and pleasant flavor like the taste of caramel. The fresh pods are the nutritious form of carob. Dried carob pods are used to make fresh raw carob powder. The carob was the primitive source of sugar until sugar cane became widely available. Currently, it is used as a substitute for chocolate that contains theobromine, an enzyme that is highly toxic to dogs and some people.
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Nutritional value of carob
The fruit is used for both human nutrition and animal feed. It is rich in protein, carbohydrates and low in fat. It also has calcium, magnesium, phosphorus, iron, manganese, potassium, copper, barium, nickel, copper, and vitamins like B, A, D, B3, and B2. Carob is free of caffeine, oxalic acid and bromine, tyramine and niletilamine.
Carob has antioxidants in the form of polyphenols. It has a significant role in human health. The natural thickening substance obtained from the endosperm that is used as confectionery. It is also used in the food, cosmetic and pharmaceutical industries. In addition, the carob is a multipurpose tree that helps prevent soil erosion.
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Carob medicinal benefits
digestive health Carob is a medicinal plant that is used in traditional medicine for the treatment of gastrointestinal disorders. It is analyzed that the phytochemical components, as well as the pharmacological activities of carob in the gastrointestinal tract. The study carried out on carob leaves and pods showed a high content of carbohydrates, minerals, dietary fiber, flavonoids, polyphenols and a low content of lipids and proteins.
The plant has antimicrobial, anti-inflammatory, antioxidant, antidiarrheal, anti-constipation, anti-ulcer, and anti-glucose absorption activities in the gastrointestinal tract. It is concluded that this species has therapeutic and preventive properties in the digestive tract based on chemical and pharmacological characteristics.
Promote healthy cholesterol. Carob pulp has insoluble fiber which is known to affect blood lipids in animals like soluble dietary fiber. The study was conducted to investigate the beneficial effect of carob pulp preparation on serum cholesterol in humans.
Regular intake of food products rich in carob fiber has beneficial effects on the lipid profile in human blood by reducing the level of bad cholesterol and improving the ratio of LDL to HDL cholesterol. The study concluded that the consumption of carob fibers effectively prevents and treats hypercholesterolemia. It could reduce the risk of cardiovascular problems such as atherosclerosis, high blood pressure, stroke, and heart attack.
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What is carob and what is it used for?
What is carob and what is it for Childhood Diarrhea #1: Cook an ounce of carob bark in 3/4 of a liter of water until reduced by half. Drink between 4 to 5 cups per day.
What is carob and what is it used for Childhood Diarrhea #2: mix andn lukewarm water 1/4 of carob cocoa. Take 3 cups a day.
What is carob and what is it for Clean and refresh the kidneys Pour 3 tablespoons of carob leaves with 1 tablespoon of papaya or milky in 3 liters of water. Let boil until only 1 1/2 liters remain. Take 3 cups a day for a week.
What is carob and what is Gastroenteritis used for: Cook 100 g of carob flour in a liter of water. Take the liquid throughout the day. In small children under one year old, provide three tablespoons every three hours.
learn more Benefits and contraindications of carob
Caution
Some cases of intestinal occlusion have been described due to the abusive use of carob flour, which should be used with caution.
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