
Carob
Carob is the fruit of the carob tree and is a food of "many carats". The carob tree was known to the ancient Greeks who cultivated it for its fruits. It is also known as hornbeam, wood horn and its Latin name is Ceratonia siliqua. It belongs to the family Favides or Hedropa (Leguminosae). It gets its name from the shape of its fruit, the carob tree, which resembles a wooden horn (wood horn). It is found naturally in many areas of the Mediterranean and in Greece. In Crete there is the largest natural forest with carob trees in Europe, the carob forest of the Three Churches. The carob tree is the fruit of the carob tree that carries hard seeds called horns, which always have the This weight is always between 189 and 205 millimeters per gram and that is why in ancient times horns were used as a unit of weight (scales) for precious stones and gold. From this came the word horn, which research has shown that, due to their high fiber content, locusts and consequently carob honey have the ability to lower blood cholesterol levels. In addition, locust bean powder contains about 4% protein, as well as large amounts of amino acids, lysine and arginine. The consumption of carob honey is suitable for athletes who are mainly in the training season. Carob is a pleasure for chocolate lovers, as it is not only delicious, but low in fat and calories, without caffeine and without health effects. In addition, carobs do not contain oxalic acid, which tends to reduce the body's ability to absorb calcium. They contain vitamin B1, vitamin A, vitamin B2, calcium, magnesium, potassium, and the trace elements iron, manganese, chromium, copper and nickel. It contains about 8 percent protein and is a good source of fiber. Compared to chocolate, locust beans are three times richer in calcium, with one-third fewer calories and seventeen times less fat.