Carob Tree

Carob (Pods) (Ceratonia siliqua) Maltese: Harrub

Carob is native to the eastern Mediterranean, probably the Middle East, where it has been in cultivation for at least 4000 years.

This product is used in the manufacture of food stuffs, especially confectionary. It be used as a stabiliser, emulsifer, thickener or to to prevent sugar crystallisation. The other major food source derivrd from Carob is from the ground up pod itself, which forms a high protein powder that is an effective substitute for Cocoa powder.

Carob powder has a number of advantages over Cocoa powder and as such is often used to make what has come to be known as 'healthy chocolate' .

Apart from the health benefits obtained by subsituting Carob for Cocoa and synthetic sweeteners in our diet, Carob also has excellent nutritional value. Along with up to 80% protien, it contains Magnesium, Calcium and Phosphorus; For this reason, it is used in the fight against osteoporosis. It also contains,

Iron,

Manganese, Barium, Copper, Nickel and the vitamins A, B, B2, B3, and D.

Other medicinal uses includes: treatments of coughs , diarrhea, flu, anemia and osteoclasis.

In Cosmetics Carob acts as an antioxidant, Adsorbent and demulcent, while being used as a soothing skin powder.

The active component in carob is Gallic acid which acts as an analgesic, antibacterial, antiviral (polio) and an antioxidant.