Carob Usage

Carob is rich in insoluble fiber. Like other sources of fiber, carob has shown some promise for improving cholesterol profile. In a small (58 participants) double-blind, placebo-controlled study, use of carob powder at a dose of 15 grams daily significantly reduced levels of LDL (“bad”) cholesterol as compared to placebo. ¹ Carob also contains tannins, astringent substances found in many plants. Foods rich in tannins are often recommended for treatment of diarrhea. (Your mother may have recommended black tea when you came down with diarrhea, on the same principle.) A double-blind clinical trial of 41 infants with diarrhea found that carob powder (at a dose of 1 gram per kilogram per day) significantly speeded resolution of diarrhea as compared to placebo. ² The portion of carob that is made into locust bean gum contains soluble fiber in the galactomannan family. Like other forms of soluble fiber, it has shown potential (though not proven) benefit for enhancing weight loss and controlling blood sugar levels . ³ Some infants have a tendency to regurgitate after eating. A small double-blind, placebo-controlled study found that use of locust bean gum as a thickening agent significantly reduced the amount and frequency of regurgitation. ⁴