Many people are just as addicted to chocolate as others are to cigarettes and alcohol. We all know that eating too much chocolate can be bad for your health. The fats found in chocolate can pack on the pounds and raise cholesterol levels. Is there a healthier alternative? Back in the1970s carob became a popular chocolate substitute. But how much healthier is carob than chocolate?

Carob is a healthier alternative to chocolate because it doesn’t contain the caffeine of cocoa (the basis of chocolate.) Carob trees have been farmed in the Middle East for more than 4,000 years; the edible pods from these trees were traditionally eaten on Tu B’shevat, a Jewish holiday celebrating trees. The seeds inside the pods were also used to weigh diamond. The word carob is derived from the word carat.