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Limited evidenceGut health

Carob

The tannin-rich pod of Ceratonia siliqua, traditionally used to shorten diarrhoea and as a chocolate substitute. The one supportive trial is a small paediatric study from 1989; the modern work is mostly about blood sugar.

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What the science says

  • Acute diarrhoea in infants Limited evidence

    A randomised placebo-controlled trial in 41 hospitalised infants found tannin-rich carob pod powder (1.5 g/kg/day) shortened diarrhoea from 3.75 to 2.0 days alongside oral rehydration. It is one small trial from 1989 and has not been repeated.

  • Postprandial glucose and insulin sensitivity Limited evidence

    A systematic review of 15 clinical trials found carob-containing solid foods tend to blunt postprandial glucose responses, while isolated carob powder or fibre in liquid form gave weaker and more variable results. One 12-week trial of an inositol-enriched carob extract in 40 healthy adults reported lower insulin and HOMA-IR.

  • Cholesterol lowering Limited evidence

    Carob fibre has been claimed to lower LDL, but the trials are few, small and confounded by other dietary fibre in the same products.

Dosage & safety

Studied doseThe diarrhoea trial used 1.5 g/kg/day of tannin-rich carob pod powder, capped at 15 g/day, for up to 6 days. Adult metabolic studies used roughly 5–20 g/day of carob fibre or powder. There is no established supplement dose.
SafetyWell tolerated and used as a food. The tannins can cause constipation, nausea or reduced iron absorption at high intakes, so keep it away from iron supplements. Carob bean gum has been linked to feeding problems in very young infants and should not be given to babies without medical advice.

How to take it

TimingTiming does not matter.
With food?With food, or whisked into milk or water.
Worth knowingCarob pod powder and carob bean gum are different ingredients, and the gum is a thickener rather than the tannin-rich powder used in the diarrhoea trial.

Interactions

With other supplements

  • iron

    The tannins in carob bind iron and reduce its absorption. separate by at least 2 hours

Well-established interactions only — this is not a complete list. Always tell your doctor and pharmacist what you take.

Frequently asked questions

Does carob help diarrhea?

The evidence is limited: one small 1989 placebo-controlled trial in 41 infants found tannin-rich carob pod powder shortened diarrhoea from 3.75 to 2.0 days alongside oral rehydration, and it has not been repeated.

Does carob lower blood sugar?

A systematic review of 15 trials found carob-containing solid foods tend to blunt post-meal glucose, while isolated carob powder or fibre in liquid gave weaker, more variable results, so the evidence is limited.

How much carob powder should I take?

There is no established carob supplement dose; adult metabolic studies used roughly 5–20 g/day of carob fibre or powder. Separate carob from iron supplements by at least 2 hours, since its tannins reduce iron absorption.

Is carob bean gum safe for babies?

Do not give carob bean gum to babies without medical advice; it has been linked to feeding problems in very young infants. Carob bean gum is a thickener, different from the tannin-rich carob pod powder.

Scientific references

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