What Is Carob Powder Good For and Is It Healthier Than Cacao?

Carob powder is a dark sweetener from the pods of the carob tree. Carob is healthier than cacao because it contains more nutrients and fiber and it is lower in fat and calories.

If you enjoy baking and eating delicious desserts, you may find recipes calling for carob powder. Bakers frequently use this sweet brown ingredient as a substitute for cacao and cocoa powder. For example, many people use carob powder in brownies, fudge, and sweet drinks similar to hot chocolate. 

Carob powder — also known as carob flour — is frequently promoted as a healthier, caffeine-free alternative to cacao, the main ingredient in chocolate and cocoa powder. However, which ingredient is genuinely better for you? 

When comparing carob powder and cacao, it’s essential to consider each ingredient’s uses and nutritional values. 

Producers of carob powder create this dark sweetener from the pods of the carob tree (Ceratonia siliqua L.). The pods contain edible, sugar-dense pulp. 

After removing the seeds, manufacturers roast the pulp and make carob powder, carob juice, carob syrup — more commonly known as molasses — and other food products.  

Carob powder has recently grown in popularity as a substitute for cocoa powder for several reasons, including its:  

• Health-promoting molecules that can help fight various diseases
• High percentage of dietary fiber
• Low amount of fat 
• Relatively low cost to produce 
• Resilience as a crop, which makes it more profitable and reliable for farmers to grow than some other foods
• Unique, nutty flavor that resembles chocolate but isn’t identical 

You can find carob powder at many grocery and health stores. It comes in light, medium, and dark versions. Like chocolate, darker carob powder has a bitter, more pungent taste than lighter versions. You can also purchase raw carob powder, which has a purer taste. 

Some cosmetic products also contain carob powder. 

Many people use carob powder as a low-saturated-fat substitute for chocolate. You can replace 1 oz of unsweetened baking chocolate with 3 tablespoons of carob powder and 1 tablespoon of margarine. When substituting carob powder for chocolate, you should also reduce the amount of sugar in the recipe by 25% to account for the sweeter taste of the carob powder. 

You can use carob powder to make many desserts and other sweet foods, including: 

• Bread 
• Brownies
• Cakes
• Cookies
• Fudge
• Pancakes 
• Pudding
• Smoothies
• Truffles

Some recipes call for raw carob powder, so it’s a good idea to check which version you need before you start baking. 

What’s the difference between carob powder and cacao? Examining nutrition labels can help determine which ingredient is healthier.

A 100g portion of carob powder contains these nutrients: 

• 222 calories
• 4.62g of protein 
• 0.65 g of fat 
• 88.9g of carbohydrates
• 39.8g of dietary fiber
• 49.1g of sugar
• 348 mg of calcium 
• 827 mg of potassium 

In contrast, a 100g portion of unsweetened cocoa powder contains: 

• 228 calories
• 19.6g of protein 
• 13.7g of fat 
• 57.9 of carbohydrates
• 37g of dietary fiber
• 1.75g of sugar
• 128 mg of calcium 
• 1520 mg of potassium 

As this comparison shows, carob powder has several nutritional advantages over cocoa powder, including: 

• Approximately three times more calcium, an essential mineral that promotes strong bones and teeth
• Moderately more fiber, which aids digestion and weight control  
• Significantly less fat 
• Slightly fewer calories 

However, unsweetened cocoa powder does have a few benefits over carob powder. It contains almost twice as much potassium, a mineral that aids many bodily functions, such as fluid balance and muscle contractions, as well as significantly more protein. Unsweetened cocoa powder also has much less sugar than carob powder. 

Based on these nutritional components, carob powder is an overall healthier choice than cacao if you are looking for a diet that offers high calcium content and low fat, whereas unsweetened cocoa may be the better choice if you prioritize protein and less sugar. 

Carob powder contains significant amounts of these essential vitamins: 

• Folic Acid: This synthetic vitamin helps prevent anemia, cancer, folate deficiency, and miscarriage. 
• Niacin: This vitamin helps the body maintain healthy fats and regulates the functions of fats and sugars. It treats high cholesterol, migraine headaches, and Vitamin B3 deficiency. 
• Vitamin B6: The human body needs this vitamin for development, growth, and the function of fats, proteins, and sugars.  
• Vitamin C: The immune system requires vitamin C to function properly, treating the common cold and other infections. 
• Vitamin D: This vitamin helps maintain healthy bone structure by regulating calcium and phosphorus. 
• Vitamin E: The body uses vitamin E to keep organs functioning smoothly. This vitamin also has antioxidant properties, which means it reduces cell damage.

As carob powder enjoys its popularity boom, it has attracted attention from many health and nutrition researchers. Here are some of the exciting health benefits of carob powder that have been discovered in recent scientific studies:  

• Carob can improve insulin resistance and regulate glycemia levels in prediabetic people. This can reduce the risk of prediabetes escalating into diabetes. 
• Carob contains significant amounts of condensed tannins. These water-soluble polyphenols have anticarcinogenic and antimutagenic properties that can help fight cancer and other serious diseases.
• Unlike cacao, carob powder contains no caffeine. Caffeine can cause side effects like anxiety, dehydration, insomnia, and restlessness. 
• Carob promotes metabolic health and may reduce the risk of obesity. 
• Carob may help treat gastrointestinal issues. One study, for example, found that carob helped alleviate acute-onset diarrhea in infants. 

Carob powder can be a healthy addition to your diet when consumed in moderation. This sweetener is an excellent source of many essential vitamins and minerals, including calcium, potassium, and multiple B vitamins. It also contains antioxidants and tannins that may help prevent various diseases, including cancer and diabetes. 

Carob powder offers several nutritional advantages over its more famous counterpart, cacao. Both foods have similar tastes and uses, but carob powder has more calcium and fiber than cacao. It also has lower levels of saturated fats, so it’s healthier for your heart. Additionally, carob powder is caffeine-free, so it won't bother you if you have a caffeine sensitivity. 

Overall, carob powder is a healthier alternative to cacao for many people. Because carob powder is so versatile, you can substitute it in many recipes that call for cocoa powder and chocolate. Then, you can eat your tasty, healthy desserts and enjoy all the wonderful benefits of carob powder (while perhaps remaining conscious of the sugar content).