Did you Know? - Carob VS Chocolate

What is Carob?

Carob is an edible tropical bean or pod that grows on carob trees in the Mediterranean region where people have been enjoying it for thousands of years.

Carob tastes really good and it looks a lot like chocolate. But in the end, it's NOT chocolate. I don't recommend trying to pass carob off as chocolate. You can't fool a true chocolate lover! They'll know right away that you've made a switch. That could make for a very awkward situation

Carob vs Chocolate: The Good

~ Carob ~

-Carob has it's own natural sugars similar to what you find in honey and fruits.
-Unlike chocolate, you don't have to add a lot of sweetener to make it taste good.
-It's an alkaline food
-Contains 3 times as much calcium as chocolate.
-High in fiber and protein
-Full of antioxidants and polyphenols
-Low in fat (contains about 1% fat compared to 24% fat in cocoa)
-High in vitamins and minerals (contains iron, vitamin B, phosphorus, and magnesium)
-Hypoallergenic
-Doesn't contain any harmful stimulants such as caffeine, theobromine, or theophylline
-Not addictive
-Safe enough for dogs to eat unlike chocolate which can seriously injure or kill them

~ Chocolate ~

-Dark chocolate is high in flavanoids (antioxidants) which may help to lower blood pressure
-Some of the fats in chocolate may help to lower cholesterol levels
-Eating chocolate causes your body to produce endorphins which make you feel good
-Chocolate also contains serotonin which acts like an antidepressant


Carob vs Chocolate: The Bad


~ Carob ~
-Carob doesn't taste like chocolate. But that's not really a problem if you're willing to accept the fact that carob has its own unique and delicious flavor.
-Some brands of mainstream carob chips and candy may contain animal ingredients. Again, not a real problem if you're into reading labels to make sure you're getting a vegan product. Or, you can buy carob powder and make your own carob candy at home.


~ Chocolate ~

-A lot of the antioxidants in chocolate are destroyed during traditional methods of roasting and fermenting the cocoa.
-Chocolate is high in calories and fat (contains about 24% fat)
-One of the fats in chocolate is palmitic acid, a saturated fat. It can raise your cholesterol levels and your risk for heart disease.
-To get chocolate bars smooth and creamy even more oil is usually added
-Chocolate is very bitter on its own. So, manufacturers add other ingredients such as milk, corn syrup, sugar, and artificial flavors to improve the taste.
-Chocolate contains caffeine which is an addictive drug. It stimulates your heart and raises your blood pressure. It can also cause damage to your DNA.
-Contains theobromine which is an alkaloid drug and a stimulant like caffeine. Theobromine may cause acne for some people.
-Contains oxalic acid which binds with calcium in your digestive system and prevents you from being able to use the calcium. It also robs your body of stored calcium and causes you to lose it in your urine.
-Also contains tyramine which is a trace amine that comes from the amino acid tyrosine. It can cause you to have headaches.
-Chocolate makes your body acid rather than alkaline


Here are some of the nutrients you'll find in carob:

Vitamin A
Vitamin B (e.g, B1, B2, B3, B6)
Vitamin D
Calcium
Potassium
Iron
Magnesium
Manganese
Selenium
Fiber
Antioxidants
Protein

Carob is also great because it is:

An alkaline food
Low in fat (contains less fat than cocoa)
Good for your gums, teeth, and bones
Able to help lower cholesterol levels
Free from harmful stimulants such as theobromine or caffeine
Info from Natural Health Restored

Did You Know - Defrosting the Freezer

Okay
raise your hands
if you despise
defrosting your freezer

Let me tell you
you will be singing
my praises after this post

My mom,
she's so very smart
and willing
to defrost my
very large chest freezer
she's amazing
and so is the
fact that she can
defrost and clean
my large chest freezer
in 45 minutes or less
it's true!

here is everything
out of the freezer
I'm grateful
that we didn't
have very must waste this year

here is my chest freezer
you can see it's an oldie
I think my mom told me
that they bought it
just after I was born
and now I have inherited it

and if you are wondering
that is indeed
a vacuum hose coming out
of the chest freezer
that's the secret
for painless freezer defrosting
you need a vacuum
not a built in
but a canister type one
we use our shop vac

you place the vacuum
right into the empty freezer
this will work for an upright freezer too
let the hose hang out
turn it on
close the lid/door
check it every 10 minutes or so
and you will be able
to just pull the ice off
with very little melting

the freezer was defrosted
and cleaned in less
than 20 minutes
the rest was just organizing

thankfully my freezer
was not very bad this year
last year, it had been some time
and it was worse
but still took very little time
be sure to have a bucket for the ice
or a sink nearby
we use the laundry tub
once the ice is all taken out
it gets a good wipe down
and restocked

now, my freezer is organized
and I know what I have
it's such a great feeling
sad but true
to have a defrosted freezer

my mom tells me
you can defrost your
fridge freezer
just as easy
by using a hair dryer
on the cold setting
I don't have a fridge freezer
so you will have
to let me know if it works

this will be one
of those household tips
you will want to remember

is it wrong
that this makes me happy?

Did you Know

We are all sick
it's been close to
three weeks
it's crummy

Did You Know

people say
if you put
vicks vaporub
on your feet
then put socks on
at bedtime
it's supposed to
stop you from coughing
during the night
when you know
you cough the most

I have done this
it's smelly
my feet feel gross
but it really does work
HONEST
I'll be doing
this tonight
this is not the
face of a person
who would lie to you



so during this cold season
give it a try
what do you have to loose
if nothing else
you will get some nice soft feet

Did You Know?

Did you know that those little produce brand stickers are used for more than just the clerks at the checkouts to know what type of produce you purchased?
I discovered a few years ago that they actually have another use that we as consumers can benefit from!
Those numbers actually tell the consumer how the produce was grown. And it's a pretty easy system to remember for people like me who have no memory.

If you see a 4 digit number the produce was conventionally grown. This means it was grown using fertilisers and pesticides to allow for higher yield specifically when out of season, greater longevity and larger size. This would be your most common produce brand stickers at most stores.

If you see a 5 digit number starting with a 9, it was organically grown. Organic produce is becoming higher in demand with 0.8% of farmland worldwide now being farmed as organic.
"Organic agriculture is a production system that sustains the health of soils, ecosystems and people. It relies on ecological processes, biodiversity and cycles adapted to local conditions, rather than the use of inputs with adverse effects. Organic agriculture combines tradition, innovation and science to benefit the shared environment and promote fair relationships and a good quality of life for all involved.."
—International Federation of Organic Agriculture Movements
I myself buy some organic but I'm still on the fence about it and think you should try to buy local and get to know your farmers and see how truly organic the produce is. For example, they may say they are organic, but the field beside them could be using pesticides and who controls where those fly on the wind or in the soil and water system? Just some food for thought.

And lastly if you see a 5 digit number starting with an 8 this produce has been genetically modified (GMO - genetically modified organism). There is so much information regarding the GMO's that I'm sure you would leave this post after the first few sentences. Let's just say that it's exactly as it states. It's been modified from it's original state for various reasons depending on the product.
So now hopefully you feel more educated the next time you head to the produce section of your local store!

Here is my little man helping me make pizza tonight....and mmmm, it smells good! Keep a look out and I might give you a peek of the yummyness (that's my new made up word)