Carob is a tree. Don’t confuse carob with Jacaranda caroba which is also known as carob tree. People use the carob fruit for medicine and in foods.
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Uses
- Medicinally, carob is used for digestion problems including diarrhea, heartburn, and the intestine’s inability to properly absorb certain nutrients from food. These absorption disorders include celiac disease and sprue.
- Other uses of carob include treatment of obesity, vomiting during pregnancy, and high cholesterol.
- In infants, carob is used for vomiting, retching cough, and diarrhea.
- In foods and beverages, carob is used as a flavoring agent and as a chocolatesubstitute. Carob flour and extracts are also used as ingredients in food products.
Benefits
- Carob improves digestion
- Carob lowers bad cholesterol level in the blood
- Carob is used to treat diarrhea in children and adults
- Carob can prevent cervical and lung cancers
- Carob has anti-oxidant properties that can help repair damaged cells.
- Carob has anti-allergic, antibacterial, antiviral and analgesic action.
- Carob can prevent anemia, treat cough and flu
- Carob is rich in phosphorous and calcium and is used to prevent and treat osteoclasis and osteoporosis
Cautions
- Carob is LIKELY SAFE for most people when taken by mouth in food amounts or as a medicine. There don’t seem to be any unwanted side effects.
- Special Precautions & Warnings:
Pregnancy and breast-feeding: There is not enough reliable information about the safety of taking carob if you are pregnant or breast-feeding. Stay on the safe side and avoid use in greater than food amounts.
Interactions
- We currently have no information for carob Interactions
Other names
Algarrobo, Caroube, Carouge, Ceratonia siliqua, Fève de Pythagore, Figuier d’Égypte, Garrofero, Locust Bean, Locust Bean Gum, Locust Pods, Pain de Saint Jean-Baptiste, St. John’s Bread, Sugar Pods
References
Source: WebMD, http://www.webmd.com/vitamins-supplements/ingredientmono-321-carob.aspx?activeingredientid=321&activeingredientname=carob
MedicalHealthGuide, http://www.medicalhealthguide.com/herb/carob.htm