Carob is king
When you hear the word “carob”, do you have visions of rice cakes or dried fruit dipped in this chocolate substitute? And then the thought of the taste, which does nothing to satisfy your craving for genuine chocolate?
These days, there is so much literature about the benefits of dark chocolate and how it can be good for you in moderate quantities that it doesn’t make sense to substitute it for carob. Don’t, however, underrate the carob tree (Ceratonia siliqua). Not only is carob powder considered a superfood, but the pods and the tree also have their uses, not least of which is the shade this tree casts.
This superplant can provide everything from livestock feed to affordable snacks for humans. Carob is a key ingredient in a range of health-food products that are rich in fibre and minerals, and thanks to the natural sweetness of carob no sugar needs to be added.
Carob trees originated in Mediterranean countries such as Syria and
