Carob chips are chocolate chip’s earthy, nutty, caffeine-free neighbor. Many people trying to cut back on artificial sweetener and caffeine opt to include carob chips in to their baked good and sweet snacks. It’s important to understand the ingredients you put in your body and how these ingredients fit into dietary requirements. One common question asked is, are carob chips vegan?
Carob chips are considered vegan. Though rare, some brands may add ingredients that are not vegan friendly. It’s important to always read the label and review the ingredients. The best vegan alternatives to carob chips are Hu Gems, Navitas Organic Cacao Nibs, Pascha 100% Cacao Baking Dark Chocolate Chips, and Bake Believe Dark Chocolate Chips.
When deciding whether to include carob chips into your diet, it’s important to understand what carob is, the benefits, the flavor profile, and the best alternatives. Let’s dive in.
Is Carob Healthy?
Carob comes from the pod of a tree that is native to the Mediterranean. Carob is a common naturally sweet snack in these areas, but it is less common in Western countries. However, carob chips and powder are often available at local health foods stores.
The ripe pods of carob trees have a sweet pulp. This pulp is dried, roasted, and then ground into a sweet powder. This is often kept in powder form and sold, or it can be turned into chips (similar shape and size to chocolate chips).
Carob contains incredibly high levels of fiber, vitamins, minerals, and antioxidants. Per 2 tablespoons, carob contains 0.35 mg of iron, 6 mg of Magnesium, 99 mg of Potassium, and 0.228 mg of niacin.
Carob is also rich in antioxidants, thanks to a high concentration of polyphenol compounds. Carob is high in certain types of antioxidants which help to reduce the number of free radicals and cancer cells in the body. These antioxidants have been shown to be anti-inflammatory, reduce the risk of cancer, reduce the risk of diabetes, and help improve cognition.
Is carob good for digestion?
It also contains 5 grams of fiber, which is 1/5 of your recommended daily amount. Because of the high fiber content, there are digestive benefits such as more regular digestion, decreased bloating, and improved stomach comfort.
Carob also contains tannins, which are known to help diarrhea. It is also safe to be used in this way for babies from 3 months onwards.
Carob Chip Nutritional Information
Missy J’s Carob Chips
Nutrition Facts (Per 1 Tbsp./14 gram):
- Calories: 77
- Fat: 6 gram (9% DV)
- Carbs: 5 gram (2% DV)
- Fiber: 0.07 gram (3% DV)
- Sugar: 4 grams (0 grams of added sugar)
- Protein: 0 grams
- Sodium: 6 mg (0% DV)
- Iron: 1% DV
- Calcium: 3% DV
Ingredients:
- Organic carob powder
- Organic palm oil
- Organic inulin
- Organic sunflower lecithin
- Organic cinnamon
- Salt
Landau Carob Chips
Nutrition Facts (Per 1 Tbsp./15 gram):
- Calories: 80
- Fat: 4 gram (5% DV)
- Carbs: 11 gram (4% DV)
- Fiber: 0 gram (0% DV)
- Sugar: 10 grams (10 grams of added sugar)
- Protein: 0 grams
- Sodium: 0 mg (0% DV)
- Iron: 0% DV
- Calcium: 0% DV
Ingredients:
- Sugar
- Palm kernel
- Palm oil
- Carob powder
- Sunflower lecithin
Australian Raw Organic Carob Kibble
Nutrition Facts (Per 1 Tbsp./10 gram):
- Calories: 30
- Fat: 0 gram (0% DV)
- Carbs: 8 gram (3% DV)
- Fiber: 3 gram (11% DV)
- Sugar: 5 grams (0 grams of added sugar)
- Protein: 1 grams
- Sodium: 0 mg (0% DV)
- Iron: 2% DV
- Calcium: 2% DV
Ingredients:
- Australian Certified Organic Carob
Carob vs Cocoa
Despite being commonly swapped, carob and cocoa have very different flavor and nutritional profiles.
- Carob has twice the amount of calcium as cocoa, and is also free of caffeine, fat, and a compound that has been linked to triggering migraines called tyramine. Cocoa, on the other hand, is higher in sodium and fat, as well as containing oxalic acid, which can lessen calcium absorption. It also contains tyramine.
- Carob is naturally low in fat; it actually has virtually no fat at all. This makes it an excellent choice for those following low-fat diets.
- Carob is also low in sodium, which is important, especially in Western countries where the sodium intake is often much higher than the recommended healthy amount. In fact, most Americans average over twice as much sodium than is recommended by the American Heart Association (recommends 1500 mg per day, average American consumed 3400 mg of sodium per day.
Vegan Alternatives to Carob Chips
If you are looking for vegan and other healthy alternatives to carob powder, we have some great recommendations for you!
Navitas Organic Cacao Nibs
Nutrition Facts (Per 3 Tbsp./30 gram):
- Calories: 190
- Fat: 14 gram (18% DV)
- Carbs: 10 gram (4% DV)
- Fiber: 8 gram (29% DV)
- Sugar: 0 grams (0 grams of added sugar)
- Protein: 4 grams
- Sodium: 0 mg (0% DV)
- Iron: 1 mg (6% DV)
- Potassium: 230 mg (4% DV)
Ingredients:
- Certified organic cacao
Pascha Dark Chocolate Baking Chips
Nutrition Facts (Per 1 Tbsp./15 gram):
- Calories: 90
- Fat: 7 gram (9% DV)
- Carbs: 5 gram (2% DV)
- Fiber: 2 gram (7% DV)
- Sugar: 2 grams (2 grams of added sugar)
- Protein: 2 grams
- Sodium: 0 mg (0% DV)
- Iron: 4% DV
- Potassium: 2% DV
Ingredients:
- Organic chocolate liquor
- Organic cane sugar
- Organic cocoa butter
Hu Chocolate Gems
Nutrition Facts (Per 2 Tbsp./30 gram):
- Calories: 180
- Fat: 13 gram (17% DV)
- Carbs: 13 gram (5% DV)
- Fiber: 3 gram (10% DV)
- Sugar: 9 grams (9 grams of added sugar)
- Protein: 2 grams
- Sodium: 15 mg (1% DV)
- Iron: 25% DV
- Potassium: 6% DV
Ingredients:
- Organic cacao
- Organic unrefined coconut sugar
- Organic fair-trade coca butter
Bake Believe Baking Chips, Dark Chocolate
Nutrition Facts (Per 1 Tbsp./15 gram):
- Calories: 60
- Fat: 4.5 gram (6% DV)
- Carbs: 9 gram (3% DV)
- Fiber: 5 gram (18% DV)
- Sugar: 0 grams (0 grams of added sugar)
- Protein: 1 gram
- Sodium: 0 mg (0% DV)
- Iron: 2% DV
- Potassium: 2% DV
Ingredients:
- Chocolate liquor
- Inulin
- Erythritol
- Cocoa butter
- Sunflower lecithin
- Vanilla extract
- Stevia leaf
Simple Truth Organic Semi-Sweet Vegan Chocolate Chips
Ingredients:
- Organic Sugar
- Organic Chocolate Liquor
- Organic Cocoa Butter
- Organic Soy Lecithin (emulsifier)
Nutrition Facts (per 1 tablespoon):
- Calories: 70
- Protein: 1 gram
- Carbohydrates: 9 gram (3% DV)
- Fiber: 1g (3% DV)
- Sugar: 8g
- Fat: 1 gram (7% DV)
- Cholesterol: 0mg (0% DV)
- Sodium: 0 mg (0% DV)
How to Eat Carob Chips
Because they are less common in Western countries, there are less recipes that include carob organically. It is often up to the cooker to identify potential ways to swap in or add carob to their foods. Here are some ways we recommend incorporating carob into your diet:
- Substitute carob chips for chocolate chips (one to one sub)
- Replace some of the cocoa powder in recipes with carob powder
- Make hot chocolate by mixing carob powder into hot milk on the stove until fully incorporated
- Add a tablespoon of carob powder to bread dough
- Make granola with nuts, maple syrup, and carob chips
- Blend into smoothies. Mix carob chips with bananas, dates, peanut butter, and chocolate
- Eat mixed with fresh fruit. Top with non-dairy whipped cream if desired
- Melt carob chips and top ice cream or fruit
Carob is often treated like chocolate, so it can be easily swapped in for most recipes without difficult conversions.
How to make Carob Chips
Carob is usually available at local health food shops or through ordering online (there are amazon venders), but it make not always be available in chip form. But no worries here! Carob powder is much more common and can easily be turned into chip form.
A standard vegan recipe for carob chips requires:
- 1 cup carob powder
- 1 cup coconut oil
- Honey to desired sweetness (start with 2 tablespoons)
Instructions:
- Once you have these ingredients, melt the coconut oil on the stovetop.
- Slowly mix in the carob powder until the mixture is smooth, and then transfer the mixture to a silicone baking dish.
- Place the mixture in the freezer to solidify.
- Then, put briefly in a blender or food processor to chop (must be very solid for this method). Alternatively, chop or break apart by hand.
Related Questions
Are carob chips safe for dogs?
Carob is safe for dogs, but we recommend consulting with a vet to be sure. If you buy a prepaid treat, we recommend reading the label to ensure there are no toxic ingredients.
Is carob gluten free?
Yes! Gluten is a type of protein found in wheat, barley, rye, and other grain products. Many people have gluten intolerances and allergies that leave them seeking gluten-free ingredients. Thankfully, carob is naturally gluten free.