10 Health Benefits of Carob
While we don’t see much of the carob in the west, it has been popular in the Mediterranean and the Middle East for hundreds of year. The carbs are considered to be in the same family as peas, but it isn’t usually eaten like peas. Some people eat the seeds, but it is most often ground and used as a type of flour. In this article, we will discuss the health benefits of carob in its flour form, but these benefits can also be related to carob in any form.
High in Fiber, Everyone needs some fiber in their diet, and it’s really easy to get enough fiber if you eat bakery made out of carob flour. One cup of carob flour contains over 100% of your daily value of fiber. Fiber is important because it helps to regulate your digestive system, making it run more smoothly, which will make your stomach feel better in the long run.
A Good Source of Protein One serving of carob flour has about 10% of your daily protein value. It isn’t easy to find high protein foods that are not made of meat. If you are a vegetarian or vegan, then it is important to know about other sources of high protein foods.
Low in Fat Carob flour is low in fat, containing only 1% of your daily value of fat. Less than a quarter of the fat in carob flour is saturated or “bad” fat. This can make sure that your blood pressure levels do not get too high. Avoiding saturated fats can even help to reduce your risk of heart attacks.
Low in Sodium Carob flour is also low in sodium. One serving of carob flour has only 2% of your daily sodium intake. Like eating low in fat food, this can also help to reduce your risk of high blood pressure and the complications that come with it.
No Cholesterol There is no cholesterol in carob flour. This can also be a big help when it comes to keeping your blood pressure levels low. Cholesterol, when you have too much of if, can block arteries which can lead to further cardiovascular problems. Eating low or no cholesterol foods, like carob flour, can help to avoid these complications.
Contains Vitamin E One great vitamin in carob flour is vitamin E. Vitamin E is known for helping to boost a person’s immune system. This can help a person to get over the cold and flu faster, as well as helping to make sure that you get sick less often to begin with.
High in Calcium Even though it may not seem like it, carob flour contains 36% of your daily intake of calcium. Just like it works in milk, the calcium in carob flour helps to build stronger bones and teeth, which is obviously great for your health.
A Good Source of Phosphorous Another great mineral in carob flour is phosphorous. Like calcium, it also helps to keep your bones and teeth strong. The combination of these two helpful minerals can even help to prevent and treat osteoporosis.
Full of Antioxidants Like vitamin E, antioxidants are another component in carob flour that can help to boost a person’s immune system. Eating carob flour can help with keeping a person generally healthier by protecting your body from germs and harmful free radicals.
Antibacterial Properties Bacteria can wreak havoc on your body in all sorts of ways, one way to fight off this bacteria is to eat more carob flour. The antibacterial properties in carob flour can help to fight off bacteria before they make you sick or fight them off later if you are already sick.
While carob flour may seem strange to people who have not grown up eating it, it’s now clear to see all of the great health benefits that it has to offer. The next time you go to a world’s food store try to pick up some of this flour and make it into something tasty and take in all of the health benefits that you can get from it.
