Carob...

Hmm... carob. I'm sure most of you have heard of it, or maybe even used it. Some sub it for cocoa powder (I'd be one of those people). But, what's the point? It doesn't necessarily taste better than cocoa. In fact, it almost has a slightly odd flavor at first. Where does it even come from anyway? Well, I thought I'd let you know, then maybe you'd add it to your pantry, too. ;)

Carob powder is the ground up pods of the carob tree, also knows as St. John's Bread. It is dark in color, similar to cocoa powder. One of the major differences that sets it apart from cocoa, though, is it's lack of caffeine. It is also higher in fiber, and contains many vitamins that cocoa does not have. It is high in calcium (great news for our bones!), B vitamins, iron, phosphorus, and carotenoids. Carob is also naturally sweet, whereas cocoa is naturally bitter. Because of it's sweet taste, you can sub it for cocoa powder in a recipe and use less sugar to obtain the same sweetness. Carob also has medicinal qualities. It can be used in the treatment of diarrhea (I know you wanted to know that!). Because it contains no stimulants, it is safe to give to babies, children, and adults.

So, think about replacing cocoa in some of your favorite recipes with carob and see what you think. I love knowing that when I do this, I am giving myself and my family more calcium and fiber, and no caffeine! I also love being able to use carob with hot milk (like hot chocolate) and know I will still be able to fall asleep at night. ;)