Monday, October 15, 2012

Cocoa Nibs Vs. Carob Chips

I have always wanted to know the difference so I'm sharing!
Chocolate is made from cacao, while carob is a popular chocolate alternative. Besides a similarity in color, texture and flavor when processed properly, both also contain cancer-fighting antioxidants. Differences between the two include their respective nutritional composition and cooking considerations.
PROCESSING
Carob pods are edible in their entire, original state, whereas only the cacao seeds are edible, and even then only after they're processed first. Cocoa powder is made from the cacao seeds, or beans, contained in rows inside the cacao pods. The beans are dried, fermented and ground, and then the fat is removed. This fat is called cocoa butter and is used to make chocolate. To make carob flour, the entire carob pods are ground.
NUTRITIONAL DIFFERENCES: MACRONUTRIENTS
Carob contains approximately one-third of the calories of chocolate, with about 222 calories per 100 g, versus 598 calories per 100 g of chocolate containing 70 percent to 85 percent cacao solids. Carob also contains only .65 g of fat per 100 g, in comparison to chocolate, which has approximately 42 g or close to 50 percent fat. One-hundred grams of carob contains 4.62 g of protein, 88.88 g of carbohydrates and 39.8 g of dietary fiber, while chocolate contains 7.79 g of protein, 45.9 g of carbohydrates and 10.9 g of dietary fiber.
NUTRITIONAL DIFFERENCES: MICRONUTRIENTS
Carob is high in calcium and potassium. It also contains iron, magnesium, phosphorus and trace amounts of other minerals. Chocolate is high in iron, magnesium, phosphorus and potassium, and it contains calcium, sodium, zinc and trace amounts of other minerals. Carob is void of most vitamins, except for folate and choline. Chocolate has vitamin A, B, E, K and trace amounts of thiamine, riboflavin, niacin and pantothenic acid. Chocolate contains oxalic acid, which has been found to interfere with calcium absorption. Carob contains no oxalic acid. Also, unlike chocolate, carob is nonallergenic.
http://www.livestrong.com/article/467552-carob-vs-cacao/
I really like both-carob has a creamy flavor and not as bitter. Carob doesn't need added sweetness where as nibs contain very little sweetness. Either way, one or the other is always in my daily eats.

WHICH DO YOU PREFER?

2 comments:

  1. Excellent products, the truth nothing you see them crave.
    I recently found the recipe for carob cookies. It is not very complicated to do it, I just do not know where to find the carob powder to do it.

    regards

    ReplyDelete
  2. u said they had no sugar in the carob chips?

    ReplyDelete