It was a popular on the shelves of health food stores in the 1960s and 1970s when the natural food movement was in full swing. Now carob has gone general public. Portugal is the world’s largest producer of carob, a fruit that thrives in a hot and dry climate. This flowering evergreen tree of the legume family is widely cultivated for its edible pods.

Carob is sweet substitute for chocolate. And a healthy one, too, with its known health benefits dating back 4,000 years to ancient Greece while people who have added carob to their diet have enjoyed benefits like weight loss. The carob tastes somewhat like chocolate and is loaded with vitamins, particularly vitamins A and B-2, fiber and anti-oxidants. It is also gluten free and can be used as a substitute for chocolate in recipes on a one on one basis.

A Portuguese-based company, Carob World, has just introduced its carob powder on the heels of its carob bars and carob spreads. The powder is both vegan and gluten free and has all of the health benefits of the carob. The young company worked in tandem with the Department of Food Engineering at the University of Algarve in Portugal to develop their line of healthy carob products.The current line is composed of six carob bars and two spreads as well as the powder. The products are available in Switzerland, Germany, Singapore and the United States and will be introduced into the land of gastronomy, France in the near future. ©The Gourmet Gazette
The carob products are also available on the on-line boutique:
http://www.carobworld.com