Carob
OTHER NAME(S): Algarrobo, Carob Flour, Carob Gum, Carob Pods, Carob Syrup, Carouge, Charoupomelo, Fève de Pythagore, Figuier d'Égypte, Garrofero, Koumpota, Kountourka, Locust Bean, Locust Bean Gum, Locust Pods, Pain de Saint Jean-Baptiste, St. John's Bread, Sugar Pods, Tylliria, Ceratonia siliqua, Algarrobo (Garrofero), Caroube
Overview
Carob (Ceratonia siliqua) is a tree native to Mediterranean regions. Its fruit are broad pods that are eaten as food and also used in medicine.
The carob fruit contains dietary fiber and antioxidants. Chemicals in carob might have weight loss effects, reduce blood sugar and insulin levels, and lower cholesterol levels.
People use carob for diarrhea and high cholesterol. It is also used for athletic performance, diabetes, prediabetes, nausea and vomiting, obesity, and many other conditions, but there is no good scientific evidence to support most of these uses.
Uses
Possibly Effective for
- Diarrhea. Drinking juice from raw carob bean or taking carob pod powder by mouth before taking standard oral rehydration solution (ORS) seems to reduce how long diarrhea lasts in children and infants.
- High cholesterol. Taking carob by mouth seems to reduces total cholesterol and low-density lipoprotein (LDL or "bad") cholesterol in people with moderately high cholesterol.
There is interest in using carob for a number of other purposes, but there isn't enough reliable information to say whether it might be helpful.
Side Effects
When taken by mouth: Carob is commonly consumed in foods. It is possibly safe when used in larger amounts as medicine, short-term. It's generally well-tolerated, but some people might be allergic to carob.
Precautions
When taken by mouth: Carob is commonly consumed in foods. It is possibly safe when used in larger amounts as medicine, short-term. It's generally well-tolerated, but some people might be allergic to carob.
Pregnancy and breast-feeding: There isn't enough reliable information to know if carob is safe to use when pregnant or breast-feeding. Stay on the safe side and stick to food amounts.
Children: Carob is possibly safe when used as a thickener in formula for full-term, healthy infants. But it is possibly unsafe to use carob-based milk thickener in preterm infants. There have been two deaths thought to be related to the use of this thickener in preterm infants.
Interactions
Minor Interaction
Be watchful with this combination
- Medications taken by mouth (Oral drugs) interacts with CarobCarob is a type of fiber. Fiber can change how much medicine the body absorbs. Taking carob along with medicine you take by mouth can change the effectiveness of the medicine. To prevent this interaction, take carob 30-60 minutes after medications you take by mouth.
Dosing
Carob is commonly consumed in foods. Carob fiber, flour, gum, pod extract, pod powder, and pulp have all be used as medicine in varying doses. Speak with a healthcare provider to find out what type of product and dose might be best for a specific condition.
References
- The Review of Natural Products by Facts and Comparisons. St. Louis, MO: Wolters Kluwer Co., 1999.
- Leung AY, Foster S. Encyclopedia of Common Natural Ingredients Used in Food, Drugs and Cosmetics. 2nd ed. New York, NY: John Wiley & Sons, 1996.
- Electronic Code of Federal Regulations. Title 21. Part 182 -- Substances Generally Recognized As Safe. Available at: https://www.accessdata.fda.gov/scripts/cdrh/cfdocs/cfcfr/CFRSearch.cfm?CFRPart=182
- Birketvedt GS, Travis A, Langbakk B, Florholmen JR. Dietary supplementation with bean extract improves lipid profile in overweight and obese subjects. Nutrition 2002;18:729-33..
- Savino, F., Muratore, M. C., Silvestro, L., Oggero, R., and Mostert, M. Allergy to carob gum in an infant. J.Pediatr.Gastroenterol.Nutr. 1999;29(4):475-476.
- Bosscher, D., Caillie-Bertrand, M., and Deelstra, H. Effect of thickening agents, based on soluble dietary fiber, on the availability of calcium, iron, and zinc from infant formulas. Nutrition 2001;17(7-8):614-618.
- Zunft, H. J., Luder, W., Harde, A., Haber, B., Graubaum, H. J., and Gruenwald, J. Carob pulp preparation for treatment of hypercholesterolemia. Adv.Ther. 2001;18(5):230-236.
- Corsi, L., Avallone, R., Cosenza, F., Farina, F., Baraldi, C., and Baraldi, M. Antiproliferative effects of Ceratonia siliqua L. on mouse hepatocellular carcinoma cell line. Fitoterapia 2002;73(7-8):674-684.
- Wenzl, T. G., Schneider, S., Scheele, F., Silny, J., Heimann, G., and Skopnik, H. Effects of thickened feeding on gastroesophageal reflux in infants: a placebo-controlled crossover study using intraluminal impedance. Pediatrics 2003;111(4 Pt 1):e355-e359.
- Vivatvakin, B. and Buachum, V. Effect of carob bean on gastric emptying time in Thai infants. Asia Pac.J.Clin.Nutr. 2003;12(2):193-197.
- Owen, R. W., Haubner, R., Hull, W. E., Erben, G., Spiegelhalder, B., Bartsch, H., and Haber, B. Isolation and structure elucidation of the major individual polyphenols in carob fibre. Food Chem Toxicol 2003;41(12):1727-1738.
- Zunft, H. J., Luder, W., Harde, A., Haber, B., Graubaum, H. J., Koebnick, C., and Grunwald, J. Carob pulp preparation rich in insoluble fibre lowers total and LDL cholesterol in hypercholesterolemic patients. Eur.J.Nutr. 2003;42(5):235-242.
- van, der Brempt, X, Ledent, C., and Mairesse, M. Rhinitis and asthma caused by occupational exposure to carob bean flour. J.Allergy Clin.Immunol. 1992;90(6 Pt 1):1008-1010.
- Miyazawa, R., Tomomasa, T., Kaneko, H., and Morikawa, A. Effect of locust bean gum in anti-regurgitant milk on the regurgitation in uncomplicated gastroesophageal reflux. J.Pediatr.Gastroenterol.Nutr. 2004;38(5):479-483.
- Clarke, P. and Robinson, M. J. Thickening milk feeds may cause necrotising enterocolitis. Arch Dis.Child Fetal Neonatal Ed 2004;89(3):F280.
- Papagiannopoulos, M., Wollseifen, H. R., Mellenthin, A., Haber, B., and Galensa, R. Identification and quantification of polyphenols in carob fruits (Ceratonia siliqua L.) and derived products by HPLC-UV-ESI/MSn. J Agric.Food Chem 6-16-2004;52(12):3784-3791.
- Gruendel, S., Garcia, A. L., Otto, B., Mueller, C., Steiniger, J., Weickert, M. O., Speth, M., Katz, N., and Koebnick, C. Carob pulp preparation rich in insoluble dietary fiber and polyphenols enhances lipid oxidation and lowers postprandial acylated ghrelin in humans. J Nutr 2006;136(6):1533-1538.
- Loeb, H., Vandenplas, Y., Wursch, P., and Guesry, P. Tannin-rich carob pod for the treatment of acute-onset diarrhea. J.Pediatr.Gastroenterol.Nutr. 1989;8(4):480-485.
- Harmuth-Hoene, A. E. and Schelenz, R. Effect of dietary fiber on mineral absorption in growing rats. J Nutr 1980;110(9):1774-1784.
- Zavoral, J. H., Hannan, P., Fields, D. J., Hanson, M. N., Frantz, I. D., Kuba, K., Elmer, P., and Jacobs, D. R., Jr. The hypolipidemic effect of locust bean gum food products in familial hypercholesterolemic adults and children. Am.J.Clin.Nutr. 1983;38(2):285-294.
- Feldman, N., Norenberg, C., Voet, H., Manor, E., Berner, Y., and Madar, Z. Enrichment of an Israeli ethnic food with fibres and their effects on the glycaemic and insulinaemic responses in subjects with non-insulin-dependent diabetes mellitus. Br J Nutr 1995;74(5):681-688.
- Scoditti, A., Peluso, P., Pezzuto, R., Giordano, T., and Melica, A. Asthma to carob bean flour. Ann.Allergy Asthma Immunol. 1996;77(1):81.
- Aksit, S., Caglayan, S., Cukan, R., and Yaprak, I. Carob bean juice: a powerful adjunct to oral rehydration solution treatment in diarrhoea. Paediatr.Perinat.Epidemiol. 1998;12(2):176-181.
- Borrelli, O., Salvia, G., Campanozzi, A., Franco, M. T., Moreira, F. L., Emiliano, M., Campanozzi, F., and Cucchiara, S. Use of a new thickened formula for treatment of symptomatic gastrooesophageal reflux in infants. Ital J Gastroenterol.Hepatol. 1997;29(3):237-242.
- Klenow, S., Glei, M., Beyer-Sehlmeyer, G., Haber, B., and Pool-Zobel, B. L. Carob Fiber - Functional effects on human colon cell line HT29. Poster, Functional Food: Safety Aspects. 2004;
- Tsai, L. B. and Whistler, R. L. Digestibility of galactomannans. Unpublished report to the World Health Organization 1975;
- Ruiz-Roso B, Quintela JC, de la Fuente E, Haya J, Pérez-Olleros L. Insoluble carob fiber rich in polyphenols lowers total and LDL cholesterol in hypercholesterolemic sujects. Plant Foods Hum Nutr. 2010;65(1):50-6.
- Aceti A, Corvaglia L, Faldella G. Infant formulas thickened with carob bean gum causing false-positive galactomannan test reactivity. Pediatr Infect Dis J. 2008;27(8):769.
- Bañuls C, Rovira-Llopis S, López-Doménech S, et al. Effect of consumption of a carob pod inositol-enriched beverage on insulin sensitivity and inflammation in middle-aged prediabetic subjects. Food Funct. 2016;7(10):4379-4387.
- Komericki P, Kränke B. Immediate hypersensitivity to carob pods. Contact Dermatitis. 2009;61(4):239-40.
- Bosscher D, Van Caillie-Bertrand M, Van Cauwenbergh R, Deelstra H. Availabilities of calcium, iron, and zinc from dairy infant formulas is affected by soluble dietary fibers and modified starch fractions. Nutrition. 2003;19(7-8):641-5.
- Jedrzejczyk M, Bartnik K, Funkowicz M, Toporowska-Kowalska E. FPIES Induced by Locust Bean Gum in an Infant. J Investig Allergol Clin Immunol. 2020;30(3):197-199.
- Aghajani MMR, Mahjoub S, Mojab F, et al. Comparison of the Effect of Ceratonia siliqua L. (Carob) Syrup and Vitamin E on Sperm Parameters, Oxidative Stress Index, and Sex Hormones in Infertile Men: a Randomized Controlled Trial. Reprod Sci. 2020.
- Gaamouri N, Zouhal H, Hammami M, et al. Effects of polyphenol (carob) supplementation on body composition and aerobic capacity in taekwondo athletes. Physiol Behav. 2019;205:22-28.
- de la Fuente-Fernández M, González-Hedström D, Amor S, Tejera-Muñoz A, et al. Supplementation with a Carob (Ceratonia siliqua L.) Fruit Extract Attenuates the Cardiometabolic Alterations Associated with Metabolic Syndrome in Mice. Antioxidants (Basel). 2020;9(4):339.
- EFSA Panel on Food Additives Nutrient Sources added to Food (ANS), Mortensen A, Aguilar F, et al. Re-evaluation of locust bean gum (E 410) as a food additive. EFSA J. 2017;15(1):e04646.
- Pazzi F, Adsuar JC, Domínguez-Muñoz FJ, García-Gordillo MA, Gusi N, Collado-Mateo D. Ganoderma lucidum effects on mood and health-related quality of life in women with fibromyalgia. Healthcare (Basel) 2020;8(4):520.
- Sanagoo S, Farshbaf-Khalili A, Asgharian P, Hazhir S, Oskouei BS. Comparison of the effect of Ceratonia siliqua L. fruit oral capsule and vitamin E on semen parameters in men with idiopathic infertility: a triple-blind randomized controlled clinical trial. J Complement Integr Med 2021;18(4):791-6.
- Tounian P, Meunier L, Speijers G, Oozeer R, Vandenplas Y. Effectiveness and tolerance of a locust bean gum-thickened formula: a real-life study. Pediatr Gastroenterol Hepatol Nutr 2020;23(6):511-20.
- de la Fuente-Fernández M, de la Fuente-Muñoz M, Román-Carmena M, et al. Carob extract supplementation together with caloric restriction and aerobic training accelerates the recovery of cardiometabolic health in mice with metabolic syndrome. Antioxidants (Basel) 2022;11(9):1803.
- Papaefstathiou E, Agapiou A, Giannopoulos S, Kokkinofta R. Nutritional characterization of carobs and traditional carob products. Food Sci Nutr. 2018;6(8):2151-2161.