Carob Powder vs. Cocoa Powder

I get asked a lot about what is the best powder to use when baking. In this post I’m going to briefly talk about the differences in the two and give you nutritional facts from my preferred brand – Chatfield’s Carob Powder & Chatfield’s Cocoa Powder. There are pros and cons to both, so you can make your decision based on your desires/needs.  No matter which phase you are on, you should always limit your use of either of these products.

Carob Powder
I personally prefer to use carob because I like the smooth, sweet flavor it brings. Carob powder is made from the toasted, then ground, pods of the Carob tree.

These pods are edible in their entire, original state and the whole pod is used in making the powder. In the nutritional facts you will notice sugar. This is sugar in it’s natural state and not an added ingredient. Because it is more naturally sweet, you can use less of it than cocoa.

Carob is caffeine free and is more alkalizing for the body. Carob powder is often used instead of cocoa for those with chocolate allergies.

Nutritional Information based on 1 Tbsp. 
Calories 25
Total Fat 0 g
Carbohydrates 5 g
Sugars 3 g **IMPORTANT** this is a natural sugar and not added
Protein 0 g
Fiber >1 g

Cocoa Powder
Cocoa Powder is produced from a cacao bean which is then fermented and dried. Cocoa powder is typically roasted and processed with heat and is usually treated with alkali to produce a dark, mellow-flavored powder. Because of this process, it does make for a dryer product and may need to add more butter or oil in your recipes.

Always limit your intake of cacao. Some people report “side effects” such as headaches and jitteriness when using cacoa. It contains the mood enhancing chemicals caffeine and theobromine which we know can be addicting.

Nutritional Information based on 1 Tbsp. 
Calories 25
Total Fat .5 g
Carbohydrates 2 g
Sugars 0 g
Protein 2 g
Fiber 2 g

You can also purchase raw Cacoa powder  – You will find it at most whole food stores or you can purchase online.