Carob Properties And Benefits
Carob is an evergreen, large tree, up to 10 meters although its average height is 5-6 meters. It leaves are alternate, compound and pinnate.
The folioles are oval shape, dark and bright by the beam and pale green on the underside. The flowers are small, red and without petals. The fruit called carob is a legume ( pod) hanging between 8-20 inches of chocolate color when it reaches maturity.
The flowers appear in summer and early autumn when the fruits ripen from last year. The aroma has the characteristic of sweet smell coming from the tree when it is in bloom.
This tree is native from drier regions of the Mediterranean. It usually lives as spontaneous and isolated individual in dry and infertile soils,on slopes bathed in sunshine and sea breeze.
Supports high temperatures (40 ° C) and warm, dry winds,but what hurts it is particularly excessive humidity during flowering.
The young leaves and fruits are a good food for cattle. The effect of grazing goats and sheep, the leaves and lower branches are the first that are consumed, leaving for the following year the same location of the newest leaves.
With the fruit, carob is possible to prepare a chocolate substitute called carob, widely used in diet foods. The pods have a sweet flavor and can be used in baking, for making cakes, pastries and ice cream, combined with walnuts and other nuts. It has been widely consumed in times of famine and war. Its popular name in several languages is " San Juan Bread ".
The use of carob wood varies among species and regions as it deteriorates with moisture, but generally is used for fuel and rural infrastructure where there is significant demand for carpentry and craft purposes.
Seeds of uniform size and weight, were the original pattern of carat, unit of weight used in jewelry to determine the purity of gold .The term carat comes from the Greek word used to designate carob, whose seeds are used as weight in antiquity. Carob is also a valuable shade tree in areas of low rainfall.
Carob Properties
* It is an energy food because it contains 50% of natural sugar and 10 % of protein.
The seeds are rich in soluble fiber which help digestion.
* It has no gluten so it is a suitable food for coeliacs.
* Carob is rich in fiber, benefits the intestinal flora increasing lactobacilli.
* Mixed with cranberry juice stimulates kidney function.
* It is very rich in tannins, a powerful natural antioxidant.
* Grinding the carob gets a flour with that is preparing a bread called Patay.
* Fermenting carob obtains an alcoholic drink called Host.
* Can be used to replace cocoa in chocolate production.
* Used as a thickener in the preparation of some foods.
* Carob exerts a favorable action against inflammation of mucous membranes, reducing irritation, both respiratory and digestive tract.
Nutritional information (per 100 g . )
* Proteins 10 %
* Total Carbohydrate 67 %
* Natural sugars 50 %
* Calories 315.
* Insoluble fiber 11.5%
* Soluble Dietary Fiber 0.5 %
* Vitamin B6 2 mg . / Kg .
* It is a good source of B vitamins such as B1 or thiamine, B2 or riboflavin (1 mg . / Kg . ) , B3 or niacin and pro - vitamin A or beta- carotene.
* It is rich in potassium, magnesium , phosphorus ( 0.2 % ), iron ( 20 mg . / Kg . ), Calcium ( 0.2 % ) and silicon.
Other interesting details Carob Tree
* Carob should be stored in cool and dry places.
* It has been recognized as "natural food."
* Carob is used as a sweetener and digestive complement in Ancient Egypt .
* The bean, also called gum ceratonia carauba or rubber is widely used in the food industry as an additive in the manufacture of all kinds of sauces.
* The "chocolate" carob is a good alternative to the cocoa as it is much lower in fat ( only 3% ) compared with 40 % cocoa.
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