Carob

Carob is often confused as being related to chocolate but it actually is not. It is a bean, sometimes referred to as the Locust Bean – it is the pod of the tamarind tree. It can be a great substitute for chocolate as it has similar taste without the caffeine. So its great for kids and those that can’t tolerate caffeine. Although it doesn’t have the abundance of health benefits that chocolate or raw cacao have.
It does have some protein, mostly carbohydrate with some calcium, phosphorus and B vitamins. It also has some good phytonutrients.

Its naturally sweeter than cocoa so not as much sugar is needed when its made into chocolate substitutes. Its used in baking, as a drink – a warm carob drink can actually help with diarrhoea.

Some people prefer the flavour over chocolate. So anywhere you would usually use cocoa you can substitute with carob powder.