Deciding which product provides more health benefits requires careful comparison. Focusing on single characteristics or following popular trends can make one food appear to be healthier than another, even though each provides needed nutrients. Comparing equal portions reveals interesting facts about the health benefits of carob and chocolate. Processing, including the need to add sugar or other sweeteners, also affects the nutritional value of carob and chocolate. Contamination and adulteration during processing can affect the healthiness of both products.
Calcium
Carob provides 303 mg of calcium per 100 g serving, 23 times as much calcium as the same amount of chocolate and more than 2-1/2 times as much as a 100 g serving of whole milk. This makes carob a calcium-rich alternative to milk for vegans. The calorie count offsets this benefit, however, since carob has eight times as many calories per serving as milk.
Protein and Cholesterol
Carob has more than twice the protein of the same amount of whole milk, and almost 50 percent more protein than chocolate. Combined with zero cholesterol -- versus the 7 mg in chocolate and the 10 mg in milk per 100 g -- and carob takes the crown as a heart-healthy source of protein.
Potassium
Carob has 633 mg of potassium per 100 g, giving it 65 mg more potassium than chocolate and nearly twice as much as the same amount in a banana. Potassium works with sodium, calcium and magnesium to regulate heart function. Symptoms of potassium deficiency include weakness, lack of energy, muscle cramps, stomach disturbances, irregular heartbeat and an abnormal electrocardiogram, or EKG. Carob's pleasant flavor makes getting additional potassium into your diet less of a challenge.
Other Nutrients
Chocolate has five times less sodium than carob, six times more iron, and four times more magnesium. It also has almost five times more vitamin A than carob. Chocolate also supplies lutein and zeaxanthan, while carob has none. Lutein and zeaxanthan reduce the risk of age-related macular degeneration and cataracts by protecting the retina, at the back of the eye, from ultraviolet light. Balance these benefits against the other nutrients in carob, then choose the food that best meets your individual nutritional needs, after consultation with your doctor.
Environmental Health Issues
Carob's natural sweetness means it needs no added sugar, making it more environmentally friendly than chocolate as a food source due to less need for processing. Less processing requires less energy. Using less energy means cleaner water and air, which ultimately do affect overall health.
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