Carob
Excerpt from God's Banquet Table
Everybody loves the taste of chocolate. Chocolate
pudding, chocolate milk, chocolate pies, chocolate
almonds, chocolate bars, chocolate covered ants and the
list goes on of the huge number of treats commonly eaten
from the cocoa bean. The problem is that cocoa contains
caffeine, making it addictive and unhealthy for children
who are large consumers of chocolate.
Caffeine is a stimulant. In the bloodstream, it acts as
a vascular constrictor which causes the arteries to
contract. The excess acid required to break down
caffeine increases calcium loss. Caffeine has also been
linked to male infertility and birth defects. Research
done by Dr. Bruce Aims, from the University of
California, discovered a substance called theobromine
that is present in cocoa. This substance encourages
certain carcinogens to be present in the cell, which can
damage DNA. Caffeine increases heart rate and adrenaline
in the bloodstream, forcing the body into wakefulness.
The problem is that our body adjusts to the stimulation,
causing us to become dependent on caffeine to maintain
mental alertness. Cocoa is a common substance that
causes allergic reactions. It is also linked to the
all-too-common problem of acne amongst teenagers.
How would you like to have the delicious flavor of
chocolate without the unhealthy properties of cocoa? To
have your cake and eat it too! Like
cocoa, carob is bitter and not palatable alone. When
mixed with Sucanat or honey or added to nut butters, it
becomes a safe healthy alternative. Carob’s nick name is
St. John’s bread because it is suspected of being one of
the foods that sustained John the Baptist in the
wilderness. Carob is grown in the Middle
East producing a long pod which is ground into powder.
It contains a high amount of carbohydrates, calcium,
phosphorus, magnesium, silicon, iron and is plentiful in
trace minerals. It is also a good source of B vitamins,
thiamin riboflavin and niacin. It is approximately 7%
protein and has a very small amount of fat. Carob is an
excellent source of pectin which makes it a good colon
cleanser. Carob flour has been used widely in
controlling diarrhea in children during sickness. One
tablespoon in a cup of water, a few times a day, will be
highly effective. Carob powder and carob products can be
found in your local health food store. You can use it in
any of our nut butters. Mixed with Sucanat it makes an
excellent garnish on fruit salads or breakfast mixtures.
Works well in avocado milk-less milkshakes, and nut
milks.
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