Phytopharmaceuticals GmbH conducted a study to evaluate carob’s effectiveness in lower-
ing cholesterol. For a period of eight weeks, 47 volunteers with moderately high cholesterol
levels (232–302 mg/dL) were fed 15 g of carob per day in breakfast cereal, fruit grain bars,
and a drink made from powdered carob pulp as supplements to their normal diet. After four
weeks, the volunteers’ total cholesterol levels fell an average of 7 percent and their LDL (low
density lipoprotein—“bad” cholesterol) levels fell an average 10.6 percent. At six weeks,
the numbers were 7.8 percent and 10.6 percent. There was no effect on HDLs (high density
lipoproteins, a.k.a. “good” cholesterol).
Adverse Effects Associated with This Food
Food/Drug Interactions
Carob