Carob is fast emerging as a healthier alternative for chocolate in many parts of the world though there are many who do not know about carob at all. Chocolate comes from coca powder, and carob is from a tropical plant, whose pulp is roasted and ground to produce powder that looks and tastes similar to coca powder. There are many who cannot differentiate between a hot chocolate drink and a drink made of carob. However, there are many differences between chocolate and carob, which will be highlighted in this article.
Chocolate
Chocolate is usually associated with good times in life as it is consumed in many different forms such as candies, cakes, ice-creams and hot chocolate drink. However, chocolate contains caffeine in the same way as coffee and tea, the only difference being the name, as it is found in a chemical called theobromine in chocolate. This is the substance that is linked with insomnia, obesity, irritation, anxiety, acne, sleep disturbances etc. Experts are of the view that overeating chocolates can even lead to exacerbation of depression in individuals.
Another thing with chocolate is its distinct bitter taste that forces people to add a lot of sugar and fat in order to cover up this bitterness. Sugar and fat provide the smooth and velvety texture to chocolate but also lower the immunity of people to diseases. These ingredients also cause indigestion. There are more additives before the final product is ready.
Carob
The above said problems justify looking for alternatives to chocolate. Carob is one such product coming from carob tree or shrub that is pruned to force into a tree. This tree is native to the Mediterranean though it is being grown in warm climates of southwestern US also. Carob powder is produced from the pods of this tree and is naturally sweet thus requiring much less sugar in making recipes such as carob cake, pudding, candy, muffins, and many beverages. This makes for a good substitution of chocolate powder with much less sugar used in the same recipe.
Thus, carob does not contain caffeine that brings bad name for chocolate. However, there are many other nutritious substances in carob that make it a healthier alternative for chocolate. Carob contains vitamin B, B2, Vitamin A, magnesium, calcium, and several trace metals such as chromium, copper, nickel and iron. Carob has therapeutic uses also. It is used to treat diarrhea in adults and used to treat nausea, vomiting and upset stomach.
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What is the difference between Carob and Chocolate? • Compared to chocolate, carob has three times more calcium thus proving to be good for teeth and bones, whereas chocolate is considered harmful for teeth of children. • Chocolate has three times more calories than carob thus leading to weight gain while carob is becoming popular among the health conscious. Carob also has 17 times less fat than chocolate. • Carob does not have caffeine that brings bad name for chocolate. • Carob contains more vitamins and minerals than chocolate. • Chocolate is a better stimulant because of caffeine. Carob contains no caffeine.
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