Carob beans how to use. Ceratonia or Carob Tree: Room Care Tips

The carob tree has many names - ceratonia, sweet horns, Tsaregrad pods, John's breadfruit, chocolate tree, charuv, jewelry tree. People have known about the sweet taste of fruits for centuries, and every nation on whose lands these trees with spreading crowns can be found gave them their own name.

There are references to sweet carob beans in the Bible - they were eaten prodigal son and John the Baptist. The healing and nutritional properties of beans are well known to the inhabitants of the Mediterranean, and merchants brought Tsaregrad pods to us from Constantinople until the beginning of the last century, then a period of oblivion began. With the beginning of the new millennium, carob (a sweet powder made from dried and roasted fruits), chocolate-flavoured syrup and locust bean gum reappeared on the domestic market. Now the number of fans of Ceratonia Siliqua is growing exponentially.

Interesting information about the carob tree:

Ceratonia - unique tree, which has many amazing properties:

Where does the carob tree grow and what does it look like?

Usually an evergreen carob tree reaches a height of 10 meters. You can meet him on the rocky slopes in the oak, pine and juniper forests of the Mediterranean. In the homeland of ceratonia - in Italy, Spain, Israel, Portugal, Turkey, Cyprus - hundred-year-old and older trees are not uncommon. Also, ceratonia grow in the tropics and subtropics of India, Argentina, Brazil, Egypt, America, Australia and Africa. The carob tree is successfully cultivated in the Caucasus.

Industrial plantings in Spain occupy over 150 thousand hectares, and in Cyprus 70,000 tons of sweet pods are harvested every year, most of crop is intended for feeding livestock.

An unpretentious tree feels great on infertile stony soils. Strong roots go deep into the crevices and supply the plant with moisture. Brown bark covers strong trunks with a branched crown. The twisted branches intertwine and the hard oval leaves form a dense crown.

At seven years, ceratonia begins to bloom and bear fruit with fleshy beans, reaching 30 cm, which contain hard grains and light tart flesh. Green fruits have an astringent and pungent taste, they are unsuitable for consumption. Once ripe, the indehiscent beans turn dark brown and have a sweet taste.

Useful substances in the fruits of the carob tree

Only the pulp of the beans is eaten; gum is produced from the seeds. In addition to an attractive sweet taste, the fruits are interesting for their rich content of nutrients. The pulp is 56% fructose, sucrose, maltose. Carob tree contains gallic acid and polyphenols, cellulose, B, E and A vitamins, calcium, potassium, copper, sodium, zinc, magnesium, manganese.

• With high saturation with sugars, carob (dried fruit powder) is a dietary product. Bean fibers slow down the absorption of sugar, blood glucose levels rise slowly, so chocolate, cocoa, carob syrup in moderation are allowed for diabetes.
• The pulp is rich in vegetable proteins. Dried bean flour is mixed with cereal to produce mixtures that are nutritionally comparable to animal protein and yet free from gluten. This is important in a gluten-free diet.
• There are practically no fats in carob beans, but there are fatty acids that are not synthesized in the body. In particular, the use of carob or syrup allows you to get linolenic and oleic acids.
• In sweet fruits there is a natural antioxidant tannin, which prevents cancer.
• Fibrin, pectin and lignin eliminate pathogenic microflora in the intestine and promote the formation of lactobacilli.
• Pectin protects the mucous membranes of the digestive tract from dangerous heavy metals.
• Bean tea acts as a cough medicine and other symptoms of colds.
• Decoctions from the fruits of the carob tree help to heal damage to the mucous membranes with gingivitis, stomatitis and pharyngitis. Lotions relieve inflammation of the eyes and soothe inflammation of the throat well.

The bones of the carob tree.

Locust bean gum

Gum is better known as food additive E410. It is used in the food and pharmaceutical industries as an emulsifier and stabilizer. Chemical composition locust bean gum is closely related to guar gum. It is a light yellow odorless powder, which is the remains of monosaccharides.

When dissolved in hot water(85°C) the stabilizer becomes viscous, retains its properties in a salty and acidic environment, and when heated. When cooled, the product with E410 acquires a gel-like texture. These properties make gum an ingredient widely used in the production of ice cream, processed cheese, dairy desserts, bread, fruit and vegetable preserves.

• E410 does not react in gastrointestinal tract, is not absorbed and is completely excreted from the body.
• The harmlessness of the additive allows it to be used in the manufacture of baby food. Carob gum is allowed as a dietary supplement in almost all countries.
• Gum, like fresh locust beans, acts as an astringent. The supplement facilitates digestion, helps with upset and other disorders in the stomach. In addition, it is recommended for the treatment of asthma, cystitis and laryngitis, and has an expectorant effect.
• Also, gum is widely used in pharmaceuticals and cosmetology, it is added to creams for mature and problem skin, gels and other care products.

Carob bean flour - carob

Carob flour is more commonly referred to as carob. After grinding the pulp of mature beans, a powder is obtained with a high content of carbohydrates and vegetable proteins. Flour resembles cocoa in taste and color, but has its own sugars and does not require sweetening for culinary use. Chocolates and sweets are made from the powder, it is used in baking and for making delicious drinks.

Carob is obtained by grinding raw or roasted beans, after heat treatment almost all useful substances are preserved in the powder, and fiber, which is not completely dissolved in water, promotes digestion.

Although carob is called chocolate for those who are contraindicated in caffeine, the similarity of these products is more superficial. However, the taste of the fruits of ceratonia is pleasant, and there is still a slight aftertaste of cocoa.

Carob Benefits:

• Ceratonia is not susceptible to pests, so there is no need to treat trees with pesticides.
• Beans do not contain caffeine and theobramine, which excite the nervous system and are addictive. Carob can be safely consumed with high blood pressure and heart problems.
• The product does not cause allergic reactions, it is approved for use during pregnancy and breastfeeding.
• Chocolate from cocoa often provokes the appearance of acne, especially in adolescents. Carob does not contain oxalic acid, which leaches zinc and potassium from the body, so the skin receives sufficient nutrition and is not irritated.
• Carob from unroasted fruits acts as a reliable remedy for diarrhea, soothes the stomach. An environmentally friendly product is recommended even for infants.

Syrup from ceratonia

Carob syrup or molasses is obtained by boiling the crushed pods and evaporating the water. Thick sweet substance is in high demand in many countries - syrup is added to pastries and drinks, sweets are made with it, ice cream, cottage cheese, pancakes and desserts are poured. Delicious natural sweetener can be added to tea and other hot and cold drinks. In molasses, all useful substances are concentrated, so it is often used as a medicine for coughs and stomach disorders.

Useful properties of syrup:

• Children love the sweet taste. The syrup can be given to strengthen the immune system and recover from illness. Kids are happy to eat dishes with this product and at the same time receive vitamins, proteins and trace elements.
• The absence of refined sugar makes the product acceptable for diabetics. Natural sugars do not provoke sharp jumps in blood glucose levels and are recommended for diabetics when consumed in moderation.
• Syrup has three times more calcium than milk.
• The healing properties of the syrup are recognized by folk and official medicine; medicines for coughs, sore throats, insomnia and diarrhea are prepared on its basis.
• The syrup normalizes the work of the gastrointestinal tract, it is equally effective for constipation, diarrhea and poisoning.

A system for losing weight on ceratonia syrup has been developed. It has been noticed that excess weight goes away if you drink a glass of water with a tablespoon of syrup and a teaspoon of lemon juice before meals. Substances of the carob tree suppress appetite, the first results of the diet are noticeable after 7-10 days.

Tea with carob

Carob pods are used in the preparation of herbal tea. Crushed dry beans are brewed with boiling water and a sweet drink is obtained that tastes like spicy compote. Carob tea can be drunk every day, it retains all the beneficial substances of the carob tree and does not contain caffeine, which is not always useful for everyone.

In stores you can find green tea with carob. In this combination, carob powder is traditionally brewed in the East. The fortified drink has a pleasant aroma and an interesting tart-sweet taste. Tea with carob is brewed in the usual way: a teaspoon of the dry mixture is placed in a warm teapot for each cup and one more spoon, poured with water at a temperature slightly below boiling (+ 90-95 ° C) and infused for about 10 minutes.

Contraindications: So that a useful product does not cause harm

All the gifts of the carob tree are a real treasure. An excellent cocoa substitute, healing, nutritious and rich in nutrients, it will bring many benefits if used wisely.

• There are practically no contraindications to the use of carob, syrup and gum, but individual intolerance cannot be ruled out. If this is your first time opening a pack of this herbal product, start with a small portion and see how your body reacts to a new dish.
• It is not recommended to consume carob with milk, so as not to provoke indigestion and nausea.
• It is problematic to lose weight on a carob diet - carob substances slow down metabolic processes, and an abundance of fructose does not contribute to weight loss. The effect will come only with a decrease in the caloric content of the diet.
• With fructose intolerance, it is better to refuse carob.
• Diabetic patients should be cautious about introducing a new product into the diet. Natural sugars do not lead to sharp spikes in blood glucose levels, but if consumed in moderation, the condition can worsen. Check with your doctor.

Carob beans diversify the diet, for vegans and raw foodists they will be a real gift in the form of factory-made and home-made chocolate. The benefits of chocolate paste, syrup and carob fruit drinks in baby food also proven in practice. Carob is becoming more and more popular among people leading healthy lifestyle life.

Representative of the genus Ceratonia, legume family.

Homeland of the carob tree: Mediterranean.

Lighting: light-loving.

Soil: loose, nutritious, drained, rocky, calcareous.

Watering: moderate.

Average life expectancy: up to several hundred years.

Landing: seeds. A feature of carob seeds is a long germination period with undemanding soil composition. It is recommended to plant them after pre-soaking in a mixture of soil for tropical flowering plants and peat in a ratio of 2: 1.

After the appearance of the first shoots, it is recommended to move the plant to a well-lit place, the southern window sill will be the best solution. The seedling should be accustomed to the open space gradually, taking it out to the balcony or terrace for 15-20 minutes, gradually bringing the “walk” time to 3-4 hours.

Ceratonia - evergreen fruit tree reaching in nature (not in a pot) up to 10 m in height. The crown is hemispherical, wide, with long, outstretched branches. The trunk is thick, with brown-brown, rough bark. The leaves are dense, leathery, pinnate, dark green, up to 20 cm long, up to 7 cm wide.

The flowers are small, white, collected in numerous racemes. The calyx is inconspicuous, without a rim. Most trees have bisexual flowers. Females have one pistil, males have 5 stamens. From the flowers comes a sharp specific smell, reminiscent of the smell of sperm. The flowering of the carob tree occurs in the 6th year of life in the fall. Pollination by wind and insects. By spring, fruits begin to form from the female flowers.

The fruits are flat, non-opening pods 20-25 cm long, 4 cm wide, green at first, brown when ripe. The pods are filled with juicy, sweet pulp and seeds. The tree brings yields up to 80 - 100 years. Young individuals give up to 5 - 10 kg of fruit per year. As they grow older, the yield increases to 100 - 200 kg. Strong and healthy trees can bear up to 250 kg.

Growing a carob tree in open ground:

Since culture belongs to the category tropical plants, grow it in middle lane recommended at home, although adapted varieties show good results in open ground.

Growing a carob tree is not easy, but interesting. In warm regions, it can be grown outdoors as a ornamental plant and for beans. When growing, it should be borne in mind that it grows rather slowly.

Seedlings are planted in a permanent place in the spring when warm weather. The soil should be nutritious, drained, rocky and calcareous.

In countries where the carob tree grows, mild humid climate, therefore, having planted a culture at home or on garden plot should take into account her preferences. This plant is light and thermophilic. Grows in conditions high temperature and illumination. To bring conditions close to tropical, you need to place it on the southern windowsill. If there is not enough light, use additional lighting. In summer, carob is recommended to be taken out into the open air, but to protect the tree from sudden changes in temperature, which will negatively affect its well-being. Exotics are accustomed to the open air gradually. First, 3 - 4 days are kept in a semi-shaded area, and when the tree adapts, they are placed in a place lit by the sun.

Growing carob at home:

Carob also grows well indoors, in a tub or container. For the winter, it is placed in a cool place, providing conditions for a dormant period. To obtain fruits, female specimens are grown together with male ones.

When grown indoors, it is kept at a temperature of 25 - 27°C and an air humidity of 85%.

Knowing how to grow a carob tree, you can achieve good results and get a rare exotic crop with valuable fruits.

Carob tree care at home is carried out in the same way as for any other houseplant. For irrigation use filtered or settled water at room temperature. AT hot weather the volume of irrigation is increased, watering is carried out immediately after the earthen clod dries. In winter, watering should be limited. Significantly affects the state of ceratonia air humidity. During the heating season, it is usually dry, so you should regularly spray the foliage and give the plant a warm shower. During the growing season, top dressing is applied using liquid complex fertilizers.

Although the carob tree is a slow growing plant, it needs to be transplanted into a container. bigger size through transshipment. This method will allow you to transplant without damaging the root system. This work it is enough to do it every 2-3 years.

Can be grown in bonsai style.

Since the carob tree has been known to man since ancient times, its use is also diverse.

Carob is widely used to this day as pet food, and the most sugary varieties are used as an oriental delicacy.

Large carob seeds were used as a measure of weight in the Middle East - the weight of one seed is approximately 200 mg. The name ‘carat’ itself also takes its origin from the Greek name for the carob tree (κεράτιον), which came to Europe, having somewhat transformed in the Arabic languages.

Used as a remedy for internal injuries, mouth wounds, coughs, breathing problems, and even diabetes. For treatment, you need to pick a pound of pods, rinse them, break them into pieces and boil for about an hour in a liter of water, and then pour it into a bowl - and we got a sweet, healthy syrup.

The substance contained in the fruit is called "carob resin" and is used as a stabilizer and thickener in the food, cosmetic and pharmaceutical industries.

Nature never ceases to amaze mankind. In the legume family, varieties of valuable cultivated and wild plants have united. It has representatives herbaceous plants, shrubs and trees. interesting view legumes, the carob tree is considered, also called ceratonia, john's bread and Tsaregradsky pod.

Biological features of the carob tree

Evergreen ceratonia, reaching a height of 10 meters, covers rocky slopes and gorges, is found in evergreen oak, juniper and pine forests Mediterranean. Spain, Italy, America, India, Greece are countries where the carob tree is cultivated. Cypri Levanta is supplied with the best Tsaregrad pods. They are slightly inferior to the beans collected by the Spaniards and Italians.

The mighty trunk of the tree is covered with bark of brown and dark gray shades, twisted branches and branches extend from it in all directions. A wide crown of ceratonia is formed by dense pinnate leaves. At seven-year-old trees, rapid flowering begins. Flowers with inconspicuous, fast-falling calyxes without corollas are collected in purple-red clusters.

Stony soils influenced the development of the root system of John's bread. The carob tree has roots that are strong and tenacious, with many branches in the crevices and fissures that cut through the badlands.

The tree is cultivated for its fruits, indehiscent horn-like beans, beautiful and very hard wood suitable for carpentry. Pods in the form of a horn, growing up to 30 cm long, are filled with medium-sized round seeds and juicy pulp, saturated with sugars.

Nutritional value of ceratonia beans

Carob is saturated with natural sugars, proteins, minerals, vitamins, fats and fibers. The benefit of fibers is that they slowly convert sugars during digestion. Pods containing up to 50% sugars are a source of incredible energy nutrition (315 kcal per 100 g).

The saturation of sweet beans with proteins is such that when cereals are mixed with carob flour, nutrient mixtures are obtained. Such products are equivalent in value to animal proteins. There is no gluten in the flour from the seeds of Tsaregradsky horns. Products from it are important for the nutrition of people suffering from celiac disease.

Fats in beans are kept to a minimum. The pods contain fatty acids that are not produced by the human body. The use of carob products allows you to replenish the reserves of linolenic and oleic acids. The composition of sweet horns is enriched with tannin, a substance from the category of powerful natural antioxidants that protect against cancer.

Benefits of ceratonia fruit

Caratonia beans are rich in fibrin, pectin and lignin. These substances, influencing in a special way on the intestinal flora, reduce the number of pathogenic microorganisms, which leads to the growth of colonies of beneficial lactobacilli. Pectin, a well-known thickener, along with a laxative effect, has a coagulating and bactericidal effect.

It prevents the appearance of tumor neoplasms of a benign and malignant nature. It is used to remove heavy metals from the body and radioactive substances. Thanks to him, the level of "bad" cholesterol falls. Pectin is involved in education cell membranes helps protect the mucous membranes lining the intestines.

From sweet beans, antitussive teas are brewed to relieve colds. Decoctions of them help reduce inflammation and heal wounds caused by gingivitis, stomatitis and pharyngitis. Lotions are made from infusions that heal inflamed eyes, and gargling of an irritated throat is carried out.

Since ancient times, the carob tree, whose properties are amazing, has been used in pharmaceuticals. Products (flour, gum and syrup) obtained from its pods have been considered excellent medicines for centuries.

Healing properties of gum

The beans of the tree are enriched with gum, a soluble fiber with an astringent effect. The fiber prevents inflammatory processes that occur on the mucous membranes. Thanks to it, digestion is facilitated, diarrhea disappears, pain in the gastrointestinal tract disappears, and the work of the stomach normalizes.

An unusually healing substance is locust bean gum. It prevents the appearance of anxiety in the stomach and effectively relieves digestive disorders. It is recommended for use in asthma, cystitis, laryngitis, as an expectorant to clear the respiratory tract.

Medicinal properties of flour

Fresh pods have a laxative effect. Flour from them is used as an antidiarrheal agent. It helps fight childhood diarrhea and gastroenteritis in infants. It heals ulcers and suppresses intestinal infections. In addition, flour is able to absorb toxins from the digestive tract.

Flour fibers have a triple action. When mixed with a liquid, they contribute to the formation of a useful colloidal gel, help to relax the intestinal walls and debug the work of the digestive tract.

Uses of the carob tree

There are white and black carob fruits. White pods are good for cooking, black - for the production of alternative chocolate, surrogate cocoa and medicines. Sweet beans are suitable for making honey, syrup and wine. They are used to make pastries, gourmet delicacies, compotes and refreshing drinks.

White and black "crane peas" are fed to livestock. Substances isolated from the bark tan the skin. The seeds are used to make parachute glue. In Israel, folk craftsmen produce expensive souvenirs from wood.

The carob tree has found application in jewelry. The resin that flowed for tens of millions of years along the trunks of trees that grew on South American lands turned into amber. In Atlantic amber, pure as a tear, an incredible number of inclusions. It is recognized as the most valuable jewelry material. The extraction of the Atlantic (Haitian or Dominican) mineral is carried out by an artisanal method. Makeshift mines have been built in the Dominican Republic, Nicaragua and Mexico.

Constantinople horns have an interesting application. Their seeds have become the standard for weighing precious metals and stones. The absolute uniformity of the shape and weight of the seeds made it possible to make them a unique and reliable model of trade.

Even in pagan Rome, the seeds became a kind of "weights" having the same weight - 0.189 g. Taking advantage of the unique quality of the seeds, jewelers invented an unshakable measure that allows you to determine the mass of stones and metals - carat (from the Greek keratos - "horn").

Properties and uses of gum

Locust bean gum - extracted from bean juice. The chain of this polymer includes molecules represented by residues of various monosaccharides. For a powder related to food additives and practically odorless, yellowish-white color.

Heating, salty and acidic environment do not destroy the properties of the thickener. The stabilizer has a high viscosity. To dissolve it, water is required, the temperature of which is not lower than 85 ° C. It turns all kinds of liquids into jelly.

As the thickener, which has been ground from carob, cools, ice crystals form at a slower rate, helping to form a structured gel. Gum helps keep cheese, yogurt and other dairy products in shape.

It is added to baked goods, sauces, frozen desserts, canned vegetables, fish and mushrooms. In addition to the food industry, the stabilizer is widely used in cosmetology and pharmaceuticals. It is added to anti-aging creams, serums, gels and medicines.

A natural additive is considered harmless to humans (with the exception of hypersensitivity to gum). The stabilizer is not able to break down in the body. It comes out unprocessed. This thickener is even added to baby food.

The use of syrup from ceratonia pod

The carob tree, or rather its pods, are used to make syrup - a product suitable for dietary nutrition, treatment, culinary products, cosmetics and chemicals. The delicacy is made by boiling finely chopped pods with water and evaporation.

Syrup is one of the ingredients of sweets, pastries, drinks, sweets, sauces served with dessert dishes. It is served with pancakes, pancakes, ice cream. It is used to sweeten water, coffee, tea and other drinks.

Useful carob syrup is added to medicines that cope with colds, coughs and bronchitis. Syrup-based preparations strengthen the immune system, treat gastrointestinal disorders.

The benefits of syrup

Delicious carob syrup has an immunomodulatory and tonic effect. It is saturated with B vitamins, minerals, tannins and natural sugars. Its composition is not deprived of organic acids, starch, pectin and proteins.

Since no sugar is added to this product, it is approved for use by diabetics. According to the calcium content, carob syrup, the use of which is justified in diet food, exceeds milk by 3 times.

The delicacy is not inferior to chocolate in sweetness, taste and aroma, but the bitterness characteristic of cocoa and addictive tonic substances are absent in it, therefore it is recommended as a natural substitute for chocolate.

The healing power of syrup

Not only folk, but also official medicine recognizes carob syrup. Its use to obtain a variety of medicines confirms medicinal properties product. With the help of treats, they get rid of toxins that clogged organs and tissues. They treat insomnia, diarrhea and colds.

The syrup relieves nervous disorders, promotes weight loss. It is taken for poisoning. Saturation with calcium and zinc helps to strengthen teeth and bones. The syrup perfectly treats coughs and sore throats.

It eliminates shortness of breath, fights anemia, prevents heart palpitations, lowers blood pressure and bad cholesterol. A syrup enriched with a vitamin-mineral complex is useful for people suffering from beriberi.

The syrup has no contraindications for use. It is used as a common food product.

Syrup for weight loss

The syrup reduces excess weight. To do this, dilute 1 tablespoon of the product and lemon juice squeezed from one slice in a glass of water. Drink a weight loss drink before lunch and dinner (5-15 minutes before). After 14 days, they begin to use it even before breakfast.

Carobs are dry pods that release a yeast-like flavor when broken. They can reach a length of 10 to 25 cm, while the width will be 2-4 cm. The pods are green, but turn dark brown when ripe. When they become dry, they are ground into a powder called.

The benefits and harms of carob

The powder obtained from the fruit is used to make various drinks, pastries, and the beans themselves are eaten as sweet candies.

Useful properties of carob fruits:

1. Dry pods have a calming effect and have a positive effect on activity. nervous system.
2. By eating fruits, you can get rid of hunger and feel full, which will contribute to weight loss, since a person will eat less other food than usual.
3. Carob and carob have a beneficial effect on the activity of the digestive tract and work digestive system generally.
4. Experiments have shown that the use of pods is an excellent prevention of cancer.
5. Another important property of locust beans is that they lower cholesterol levels in the blood.
6. Carob will be a great alternative for people who are allergic to. Drinks based on this powder can be consumed by pregnant and breastfeeding women who refuse coffee.

The fruits of the carob tree can bring harm to people who have an individual intolerance. The syrup made from this product should be used with great care, as it increases blood sugar levels. That is why it is worth refusing to use syrup for diabetics and people who are sensitive to fluctuations in blood sugar levels.

Assalyamu alaikum …

Carob (carob) - grows in the Mediterranean climate, the legume family. It is evergreen and can grow as a tree or a shrub. This tree is considered one of the most powerful sources of food, as well as an important and useful medicine for many illnesses and diseases. Therefore, read carefully my article, and share with your family about such an important and useful product.

In Arabic, the carob tree is called - "kırrattır" ("kirrattir").

In Greek - keratin "("keratin").

In English - "carob" ("carob").

In Turkish - narnup; narup, voynuz, uynuz ("harnup", "harup" Z).

Carob seeds never change their weight even if stored whole century. In addition, carob seeds weigh almost the same. Thanks to this feature, ancient history seeds have, for centuries, been used to weigh the weight of a diamond.

The word "carat", is a unit of measure precious metals. And it comes from Arabic word"kırrattır". We know that in the Middle East, gems and gold was weighed with the seeds of the carob tree. Also later, a coin made of pure gold, which was called "Solid", was equated to the mass of 24 seeds carob, or 24 carats of gold (approximately 4.5 grams).

After that, the carat becomes a measure of the purity of gold in a product or coin. Today we know that 100% pure gold is marked as 24 carat. And an alloy containing 50% gold is marked as 12 carat. 14 carat gold - 585 assay, which we all know.

And also carob is also called:

"The bread of the prophet Yakub (Jacob), peace be upon him."

Prophet Yakub, peace be upon him, used this fruit instead of bread while living in the desert. Therefore, this tree has been known to mankind for at least 5000 years. And in those places where the carob tree grows, it is called “Breadfruit of the prophet Yakub (Jacob)”.

Traditional sweets in many countries are made from carob pods. Molasses or syrup is made from seeded pods. Such a syrup is excellent for many diseases, for example, for a prolonged cough, asthma, even lung cancer. Muslims, during Ramadan, prepare various teas and drinks from carob, sweets, and even coffee. Pods, in the past, were a source of sugar, before the advent of cane and beet sugar.

This unique tree grows in Syria, Cyprus, Greece, Spain, Morocco, Tunisia, Algeria, Palestine and Libya and in southern Turkey: Antalya, Mersin.

The carob tree lives for about 50-55 years, and can grow up to 10-15 meters on average. One tree can produce about 1 ton of ripe pods per season. Carob blooms in September and October. Therefore, you can also bring a beehive with bees at this time, and then collect very useful and natural honey.
The ripe fruit of this plant is about 10 -15 cm long and weighs 20 to 40 grams. Inside the fruit are round, like peas, grains.

Benefits of carob

Carob contains gallic acid and polyphenols

Carob tree - for children

Molasses (syrup) from carob

Recipes with carob

most important feature carob is that it is very effective for shortness of breath. The active substance in this product is also effective in allergic diseases and asthma. Therefore, it is highly recommended to be used for health problems caused by allergies.

Until now, the benefits of carob for our health have not been fully calculated. There are a lot of them. So let's take a look at at least some of them.

Carob Benefits:

• This plant is a pain reliever
• antiallergic,
• anti-inflammatory for asthma,
• bactericidal,
• anti-inflammatory for bronchitis,
• cleanses the liver of toxins, free destructive radicals,
• strengthens immune system,
• antimicrobial,
• antiseptic,
• protects against cancer
• helps with diarrhea and constipation,
• against poliomyelitis.
• calms the nerves
• stops bone resorption
• helps with pulmonary edema,
• helps with wet cough
• increases sexual desire and increases energy,
• promotes good memory and improves attention,
• useful for the stomach and intestinal disorders,
• increases the movement of spermatozoa,
• cleanses the blood of cholesterol and renews it,
• also used as a thickener,
• crushed and added to coffee with milk, to various sweet products, and even make Turkish delight.

As well as:

1. Gluten free
2. Improves digestion (may help with obesity)
3. Acts as an antioxidant
4. Can be used to treat diarrhea in children and adults.
5. Contains an active substance that is effective against asthma.
6. Carob is also used to treat asthma caused by allergies.
7. Good expectorant
8. Decaffeinated
9. May help prevent lung cancer if used regularly
10. Carob is used to treat polio in children.
11. And also gallic acid from carob tannins helps prevent polio.
12. Helps soothe sore throats and coughs.

Carob contains gallic acid and polyphenols!

Gallic acid is a substance with universal functions. Carob contains gallic acid, which is considered an antiseptic, antibacterial, antiviral, and antioxidant. The tannins in carob are believed to effectively bind to toxins and flush them out. They also help in inhibiting the growth of bacteria. Strengthen the immune system and prevent allergies, as well as a great helper in the prevention of polio. because of high percentage phosphorus and calcium carob supports healthy bones and teeth and reduces the risk of osteoporosis.
Studies have shown that gallic acid prevents uterine cancer and is recommended for the prevention of lung cancer. It also lowers cholesterol and blood sugar levels.

This plant is rich in polyphenols, which have a strong antioxidant activity. Due to their specific biological activity, they protect the heart and blood vessels. Consuming foods rich in complex carbohydrates, such as carob, greatly aids in lowering cholesterol and blood sugar levels.
In one study, a group of subjects who consumed daily carob decreased general level cholesterol by 18% and LDL cholesterol by 23%. Therefore, nowadays we simply have to eat foods that contain a large percentage of gallic acid.

Please remember that all the benefits from food, which we may or may not receive, are only due to the will of Allah.

Nutrients and health benefits of carob

Carob is sweeter than cocoa because it contains over 40% sucrose. Its protein content is about 8%, and carob is also a good source of plant fiber. It contains vitamin A, B1, B2 and D, as well as magnesium, potassium, calcium and trace elements of manganese, iron, copper, nickel and chromium, folic acid, sodium, zinc and choline.

Natural carob tree remedies are excellent for indigestion. Dissolved carob powder in water can stop severe diarrhea. One French doctor was able to cure kidney failure, taking five times a day , a dose of powder mixed with cranberry juice .

In Islamic medicine, the leaves and bark of the carob tree or shrub have been used for many other ailments, including epilepsy.

Those people who think about their health and what they feed their body prefer to use carob instead of chocolate, cocoa, sugar and other harmful ingredients.

After conducting various studies, it was found that the carob tree also has:

• High calcium content (3 times more than in milk)
• Helps with menopause, with osteoporosis for the elderly and women, and also helps children strengthen bones.
• Due to the high content of phosphorus, carob effectively helps in the development of the nervous system and brain cells.
• The high potassium content helps cure diarrhea.
• The high content of crude fiber helps to cure gastritis in the intestines.
• The high content of potassium and sodium helps to solve the problems of the liver, lungs, blood pressure.
• Carob is also a natural natural source of sugar, rich in minerals, vitamins (C, E, B, B2, B3, D).
• used in cosmetology, paper and fabric industries.
• Due to its cheap price, carob is used as a thickener for food, as well as for the production of glues and paints.

Carob tree - for children

This unique tree is rich in tannin, which is known to inhibit bacterial growth and protect the body from certain toxins and free radicals. It has been popular in pediatric care since 1941, when Spanish physician Ramos noted that hungry children in Spain who were fed carob rarely suffered from digestive problems compared to other children.

This is also supported by a study in which infants were treated for diarrhea with carob. The group of infants who received carob began to recover within two days, while the group who received conventional medication recovered only after 4 days.
The first group also normalized normal temperature body and weight much faster.

dried pods is healthy alternative for babies when their teeth are growing.

The safety of carob for the treatment of diarrhea in infants is another not unimportant benefit. You can mix 15 grams of ground carob with mashed sweet potatoes. This mixture also helps with enteritis and dyspepsia, and other digestive problems in infants and young children.

Due to the valuable composition and medicinal effects carob Suitable for children aged 6 months and older.

Carob Molasses And Its Benefits:

In the following articles, I will write about the benefits and uses of syrup (several recipes), carob powder, thickener, and even how to grow trees at home.