Until recently, I’d always considered carob nothing more than a lame chocolate substitute after years of feeling cheated out of chocolate chips in healthy trail mixes that substituted carob chips instead. I know better now. Carob stands on its own as a great addition to your diet.

Fiber-rich carob is incredibly nutritious. Vegans take note: carob contains twice as much calcium as milk! It’s also high in protein, potassium, phosphorus, with some iron and magnesium, too. Not bad for a food that’s widely known as a “substitute.”

I use carob powder to add richer flavor to smoothies and deserts, especially those using cacao. Cacao has a cool, bitter taste and a spoonful of carob powder will round that out nicely. It’s also high in natural sugars, so it’ll sweeten your smoothie, too.

Images: carob tree and pods, wikipedia