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Carob (Ceratonia siliqua Pod Fiber and Extract)

Ceratonia siliqua
Evidence Level
Limited
5 Clinical Trials
6 Documented Benefits
2/5 Evidence Score

Carob (Ceratonia siliqua) is a Mediterranean tree whose sweet pods are milled into carob flour and used as a cocoa substitute. Supplement research has looked at two pod products. Carob pod fiber is a mostly insoluble fiber preparation made from the pulp and is rich in polyphenols, including tannins. Carob pod extracts, syrups and concentrates come from the sugary pulp and are often standardized to inositols, mainly D-pinitol. The two behave differently: the fiber has been tested on LDL cholesterol, post-meal blood fats and the hunger hormone ghrelin, while the inositol-rich extracts have been tested on blood sugar and insulin markers. Most trials are small and short and come from a handful of research groups. Locust bean gum (carob bean gum) is made from the seed, not the pod, and is a food thickener rather than the subject of this page.

Studied Dose Carob pod fiber: 15 g/day in foods (6 to 8 weeks) or 4 g twice daily of a polyphenol-rich fiber (4 weeks). Inositol-enriched carob drinks: about 2 g of inositols twice daily (12 weeks). Carob liquid concentrate: 6.66 g/day (90 days).
Active Compound Carob pod fiber (insoluble, rich in polyphenols including tannins); inositol-enriched pod extracts and syrups (mainly D-pinitol, plus myo-inositol and D-chiro-inositol).

Benefits

LDL cholesterol with carob pod fiber

In a placebo-controlled trial of 58 adults with high cholesterol, 15 g/day of carob pulp fiber baked into bread and a fruit bar was followed by a 10.5% fall in LDL cholesterol over 6 weeks. A second trial in 88 adults taking 4 g twice daily of a polyphenol-rich insoluble carob fiber reported a 22.5% LDL drop from baseline after 4 weeks, while the placebo group's lipids did not change significantly. Both trials were small and short.

Supported by Trial 2, Trial 1

Insulin and blood sugar markers with inositol-rich carob extracts

In 40 healthy adults, a carob extract drink with about 2 g of inositols taken twice daily for 12 weeks lowered insulin, HOMA-IR and post-meal glucose, while a comparison group on a sugar-sweetened drink gained BMI and fasting glucose. A 90-day maker-funded trial in 52 adults with prediabetes found lower HbA1c and glucose than placebo. In a 44-person trial, insulin and HOMA-IR improved only in participants without obesity.

Supported by Trial 3, Trial 4

Post-meal blood sugar response to carob foods and carob fiber

Results depend on the form. A carob snack had a glycemic index of 40 versus 78 for a chocolate cookie and, eaten before lunch, lowered the blood sugar rise after the meal. But 5 or 10 g of carob pulp fiber stirred into a glucose drink raised blood glucose 47% and 64% more than the drink alone. A review of 15 carob trials found that fiber or powder taken in liquid form gave weak or variable effects.

Supported by Trial 5, Trial 3

Ghrelin, appetite and food intake

In 20 healthy adults, a liquid meal with carob fiber lowered post-meal acylated ghrelin, the active form of a hunger hormone. The effect did not hold in other settings: the day after eating 50 g of carob fiber, fasting acylated ghrelin was higher. Separately, a carob snack eaten before lunch reduced hunger ratings and calories eaten at the meal in 50 adults, a same-day effect of a snack food.

Supported by Trial 3, Trial 4

Body weight and waist size

In 72 healthy adults taking 10 g of carob syrup on 6 days a week for 6 weeks, waist size fell 3.6 cm while it rose in the control group, but the 0.5 kg weight difference was not significant. In young taekwondo athletes, one report found more weight loss on carob than placebo over 6 weeks, while a later report from the same team found about 2 kg lost in both groups. Weight did not change in the 90-day prediabetes trial.

Supported by Trial 5, Trial 4

Oxidative stress markers during athletic training

In a double-blind trial of 22 taekwondo athletes, 40 g/day of carob pod powder in water for 6 weeks raised the antioxidant enzymes catalase and superoxide dismutase, lowered malondialdehyde, a marker of fat oxidation, and improved repeated kick performance compared with a carob-flavored placebo drink. This is a single small trial from one research team.

Supported by Trial 3, Trial 4

Mechanism of action

1

Tannin-rich fiber binds bile acids in the gut

In a laboratory study, carob flour bound large amounts of bile acids, mainly through its tannins and insoluble components, and roasting cut that binding by up to 40%. Bile acid binding is one proposed route for the LDL results in carob fiber trials, but it has not been measured in people taking carob.

2

D-pinitol and insulin signaling

Carob pod syrups and extracts contain D-pinitol, an inositol studied as an insulin mimetic. In healthy volunteers, oral D-pinitol was absorbed slowly, and a single 15 mg/kg dose lowered insulin without changing glucose. Taken in a carob syrup, its peak blood level was about 40% of that expected, probably because the syrup's sugars compete for absorption.

3

Polyphenol-rich fiber and gut hormones

In an acute human study, carob fiber lowered post-meal acylated ghrelin, triglycerides and free fatty acids and shifted fuel use toward fat, while total ghrelin and insulin did not change. Why a polyphenol-rich insoluble fiber would do this is not known, and in a next-day study by the same group, fasting acylated ghrelin was higher after carob fiber.

Clinical trials

1
Carob Pod Fiber 15 g a Day and LDL Cholesterol: 6-Week RCT
PubMed

Randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled parallel trial of bread and a fruit bar with or without carob pulp fiber, 15 g/day for 6 weeks (Zunft et al. 2003, Eur J Nutr)

58 adults with high cholesterol in Germany (29 carob fiber, 29 placebo foods).

LDL cholesterol fell 10.5% with carob fiber (p = 0.010); the abstract does not say whether this is a change from baseline or a difference from placebo. The fall in the LDL:HDL ratio compared with placebo was borderline (p = 0.058). Triglycerides fell 11.3% in women, and the lipid effects were larger in women than in men.

2
Polyphenol-Rich Carob Fiber 8 g a Day and Cholesterol: 4-Week RCT
PubMed

Randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled parallel trial of an insoluble carob fiber very rich in polyphenols, 4 g twice daily for 4 weeks (Ruiz-Roso et al. 2010, Plant Foods Hum Nutr)

88 adults with high cholesterol in Spain (43 carob fiber, 45 placebo).

From baseline, total cholesterol fell 17.8%, LDL 22.5%, the LDL:HDL ratio 26.2% and triglycerides 16.3% on carob fiber, while the placebo group's lipids did not change significantly. The abstract reports within-group changes rather than a direct between-group comparison.

3
Inositol-Enriched Carob Extract Drink and Insulin: 12-Week Trial
PubMed

Double-blind trial of a carob extract drink with 2.23 g of inositols per serving, taken twice daily, versus a sucrose-sweetened drink for 12 weeks (Bañuls et al. 2016, Clin Nutr)

40 healthy adults in Spain.

The inositol drink lowered insulin, HOMA-IR and apolipoprotein B, increased LDL particle size and reduced post-meal glucose by about 14% on continuous glucose monitoring. The sugar-drink group's BMI and fasting glucose rose. The control was a sugar drink rather than a sugar-free placebo, which may enlarge the difference.

4
Carob Liquid Concentrate in Prediabetes: 90-Day RCT
PubMed

Randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial of an inositol-containing carob liquid concentrate at 6.66 g/day in two doses for 90 days, funded by the product's maker (Pérez-Piñero et al. 2026, Nutrients)

52 adults with prediabetes in Spain (25 active, 27 placebo), mean age 45.6.

HbA1c and glucose improved compared with placebo. HOMA-IR, QUICKI and the glucose and insulin responses in a glucose tolerance test improved in the active group only. Total cholesterol, triglycerides and HDL did not change in either group. Body weight did not change, and no adverse effects were recorded.

5
Commercial Carob Syrup: Glycemic Test and 6-Week Controlled Trial
PubMed

Two randomized controlled trials of two commercial carob syrups: a glycemic index test and a 6-week trial of 10 g a day, 6 days a week, on blood lipids and body measurements (Planes-Muñoz et al. 2025, Foods)

Healthy adults aged 18 to 65 in Spain: 20 in the glycemic test, 72 in the 6-week trial.

Both syrups had glycemic index values of about 56 and 60 and a 16% smaller glucose response than glucose. Over 6 weeks, total cholesterol fell 14.7 mg/dL on carob syrup and 9.6 mg/dL on the control syrup; only the carob group's fall was significant from baseline, and no lipid difference between groups was significant. Waist size fell 3.6 cm on carob syrup and rose in the control group. The 0.5 kg weight difference was not significant.

Side effects and drug interactions

Common Potential side effects

Carob pod fiber at 15 g/day was generally well tolerated in trials; in one 8-week study, 3 of 47 people (6%) reported a feeling of fullness, which led to 2 dropouts.
Carob fiber does not always lower blood sugar: stirred into a glucose drink, it raised the glucose and insulin response in healthy volunteers. People who manage their blood sugar should not assume carob fiber lowers it.
Carob syrups and many carob concentrates contain sugars. Check the label for carbohydrate content, especially if you watch your blood sugar.
The 90-day carob concentrate trial recorded no adverse effects, but most carob trials lasted 4 to 12 weeks, and long-term use of concentrated extracts has not been studied.
Safety of concentrated carob extracts in pregnancy and breastfeeding has not been studied; stick to food amounts unless a clinician advises otherwise.

Important Drug interactions

Glucose-lowering medicines (such as insulin, metformin or sulfonylureas): inositol-rich carob extracts lowered insulin and glucose markers in trials; monitor blood sugar if you combine them and tell your doctor.
Cholesterol-lowering medicines: carob fiber lowered LDL in small trials, but no study has tested it alongside these medicines; tell your doctor before adding it.
Other oral medicines: no specific interaction studies exist, but as with other fiber supplements, taking medicines about 2 hours apart from a large dose of carob fiber is a reasonable precaution.

Standardized & branded forms of Carob (Ceratonia siliqua Pod Fiber and Extract)

Trademarked forms of Carob (Ceratonia siliqua Pod Fiber and Extract) with their own profiles on NutraSmarts. Results from one branded form do not automatically carry over to another, so check each profile for the studies run on that specific product:

Metabolic Health
Csat+® (Pharmactive Carob Extract)
Csat+® is Pharmactive Biotech Products' branded carob (Ceratonia siliqua) extract for weig…

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Frequently asked questions about Carob (Ceratonia siliqua Pod Fiber and Extract)

Is carob fiber the same as locust bean gum?

No. Carob fiber and carob extracts come from the pod pulp, which is rich in polyphenols, sugars and inositols. Locust bean gum, also called carob bean gum, is a galactomannan made from the seed and is used mainly as a food thickener. The cholesterol and blood sugar trials on this page used pod products, not the gum.

How much carob has been studied?

Cholesterol trials used 15 g/day of carob pulp fiber baked into foods, or 4 g twice daily of a polyphenol-rich carob fiber. Blood sugar trials used inositol-enriched carob drinks with about 2 g of inositols twice daily, or 6.66 g/day of a carob liquid concentrate. A capsule of carob extract usually supplies far less fiber than the cholesterol trials used.

Does carob help with weight loss?

The evidence is thin. A carob snack before lunch led people to eat fewer calories at that meal, and a carob syrup trial found a smaller waist after 6 weeks without a significant change in weight. The 90-day carob concentrate trial found no change in body weight. Carob fiber lowered a hunger hormone after one meal, but fasting levels were higher the day after a larger dose.

How is this page different from Csat+?

This page covers carob pod fiber and carob extracts in general. Csat+ is one branded carob extract, standardized to galactomannan, inositols and gallic acid, and it has been tested only in laboratory and mouse studies so far. The human trials summarized here used other carob preparations.

What is Carob?

Carob (Ceratonia siliqua) is a Mediterranean tree whose sweet pods are milled into carob flour and used as a cocoa substitute. Supplement research has looked at two pod products. Carob pod fiber is a mostly insoluble fiber preparation made from the pulp and is rich in polyphenols, including tannins.

What is Carob used for?

Carob is researched primarily for Cardiovascular, Metabolic Health, and Weight Management. In a placebo-controlled trial of 58 adults with high cholesterol, 15 g/day of carob pulp fiber baked into bread and a fruit bar was followed by a 10.5% fall in LDL cholesterol over 6 weeks.

What is the recommended dosage of Carob?

The clinically studied dose is Carob pod fiber: 15 g/day in foods (6 to 8 weeks) or 4 g twice daily of a polyphenol-rich fiber (4 weeks). Inositol-enriched carob drinks: about 2 g of inositols twice daily (12 weeks). Carob liquid concentrate: 6.66 g/day (90 days). Always follow the product label and check with a healthcare provider for personal advice.

Is Carob safe, and does it have side effects?

For most healthy adults, Carob is well tolerated at studied doses. Reported effects can include: Carob pod fiber at 15 g/day was generally well tolerated in trials; in one 8-week study, 3 of 47 people (6%) reported a feeling of fullness, which led to 2 dropouts. It may also interact with some medications. Carob is not right for everyone, so check with a healthcare provider first if you are pregnant or breastfeeding, have a medical condition, or take prescription medication.

Does Carob interact with any medications?

Possible interactions include: Glucose-lowering medicines (such as insulin, metformin or sulfonylureas): inositol-rich carob extracts lowered insulin and glucose markers in trials; monitor blood sugar if you combine them and tell your doctor. If you take prescription medication, check with a pharmacist or doctor before using it.

How strong is the scientific evidence for Carob?

NutraSmarts rates the evidence for Carob as Limited (2 out of 5). It is backed by 5 clinical trials and 16 cited references summarized on this page. A higher rating reflects more, larger, and better-designed human studies.

References(16 citations)

Evidence ratings on NutraSmarts are based on the totality of human clinical research, with emphasis on randomized controlled trials, meta-analyses, and systematic reviews. The references below directly support claims made throughout this page.

  1. Zunft HJ, Lüder W, Harde A, Haber B, Graubaum HJ, Koebnick C, Grünwald J. Carob pulp preparation rich in insoluble fibre lowers total and LDL cholesterol in hypercholesterolemic patients. Eur J Nutr. 2003;42(5):235-42. doi: 10.1007/s00394-003-0438-y.PubMedUsed to support: Randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled parallel trial in 58 adults with high cholesterol: bread and a fruit bar supplying 15 g/day of carob pulp fiber (29 people) or the same foods without it (29 people) for 6 weeks. LDL cholesterol fell 10.5% with carob fiber (p = 0.010), and the abstract does not say whether this is versus baseline or versus placebo; the drop in the LDL:HDL ratio was borderline (p = 0.058). Triglycerides fell 11.3% in women, and effects were larger in women than in men.
  2. Zunft HJ, Lüder W, Harde A, Haber B, Graubaum HJ, Gruenwald J. Carob pulp preparation for treatment of hypercholesterolemia. Adv Ther. 2001;18(5):230-6. doi: 10.1007/BF02853169.PubMedUsed to support: Open-label pilot study with no control group: 47 adults with moderately high cholesterol ate 15 g/day of carob pulp fiber in a cereal, a fruit bar and a powdered drink for 8 weeks. Total cholesterol fell 7.8% and LDL 12.2% from baseline by week 6; HDL and triglycerides did not change. Three volunteers (6%) reported fullness, which led to 2 of the 3 dropouts.
  3. Ruiz-Roso B, Quintela JC, de la Fuente E, Haya J, Pérez-Olleros L. Insoluble carob fiber rich in polyphenols lowers total and LDL cholesterol in hypercholesterolemic sujects. Plant Foods Hum Nutr. 2010;65(1):50-6. doi: 10.1007/s11130-009-0153-9.PubMedUsed to support: Randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial in 88 adults with high cholesterol: 4 g twice daily of an insoluble carob fiber very rich in polyphenols (43 people) or placebo (45 people) for 4 weeks. Compared with baseline, total cholesterol fell 17.8%, LDL 22.5%, the LDL:HDL ratio 26.2% and triglycerides 16.3%, with no significant change on placebo. The abstract reports changes from baseline rather than a direct between-group test.
  4. Gruendel S, Garcia AL, Otto B, Mueller C, Steiniger J, Weickert MO, Speth M, Katz N, Koebnick C. Carob pulp preparation rich in insoluble dietary fiber and polyphenols enhances lipid oxidation and lowers postprandial acylated ghrelin in humans. J Nutr. 2006;136(6):1533-8. doi: 10.1093/jn/136.6.1533.PubMedUsed to support: Randomized, single-blind crossover study in 20 healthy adults aged 22 to 62 given a standard liquid meal with 0, 5, 10 or 20 g of polyphenol-rich carob pulp fiber. Carob fiber lowered post-meal acylated ghrelin, triglycerides and free fatty acids compared with the control meal, and lowered the respiratory quotient, which the authors read as a shift toward burning fat. Total ghrelin and insulin did not change. Appetite and food intake were not reported.
  5. Gruendel S, Garcia AL, Otto B, Wagner K, Bidlingmaier M, Burget L, Weickert MO, Dongowski G, Speth M, Katz N, Koebnick C. Increased acylated plasma ghrelin, but improved lipid profiles 24-h after consumption of carob pulp preparation rich in dietary fibre and polyphenols. Br J Nutr. 2007;98(6):1170-7. doi: 10.1017/S0007114507777127.PubMedUsed to support: Randomized controlled crossover study in 19 healthy volunteers who ate foods with or without 50 g of carob fiber. The next day, fasting acylated ghrelin was higher after carob fiber (p = 0.046), and after a standard bread meal the glucose response was higher (p = 0.029) while triglyceride and free fatty acid responses were lower. Fasting glucose, triglycerides, insulin and leptin did not change. No cholesterol results were reported.
  6. Gruendel S, Otto B, Garcia AL, Wagner K, Mueller C, Weickert MO, Heldwein W, Koebnick C. Carob pulp preparation rich in insoluble dietary fibre and polyphenols increases plasma glucose and serum insulin responses in combination with a glucose load in humans. Br J Nutr. 2007;98(1):101-5. doi: 10.1017/S0007114507701642.PubMedUsed to support: Randomized, single-blind crossover study in 20 healthy adults given a 50 g glucose drink with 0, 5, 10 or 20 g of polyphenol-rich carob pulp fiber. The 5 g and 10 g doses raised plasma glucose by 47% and 64% and serum insulin by 19.9% and 24.8% compared with the glucose drink alone. Acylated ghrelin did not change significantly; total ghrelin fell only after 10 g. The authors concluded this suggests worse, not better, glucose control in this setting.
  7. Bañuls C, Rovira-Llopis S, Falcón R, Veses S, Monzó N, Víctor VM, Rocha M, Hernández-Mijares A. Chronic consumption of an inositol-enriched carob extract improves postprandial glycaemia and insulin sensitivity in healthy subjects: A randomized controlled trial. Clin Nutr. 2016;35(3):600-7. doi: 10.1016/j.clnu.2015.05.005.PubMedUsed to support: 12-week double-blind trial in 40 healthy adults: a carob extract drink supplying 2.23 g of inositols per 250 ml, taken twice daily, or a sucrose-sweetened drink. The inositol drink lowered insulin, HOMA-IR and apolipoprotein B, increased LDL particle size, and cut post-meal glucose by about 14% on continuous glucose monitoring; the sugar-drink group gained BMI and fasting glucose. The comparison was against a sugar drink, not a sugar-free placebo.
  8. Bañuls C, Rovira-Llopis S, López-Doménech S, Veses S, Víctor VM, Rocha M, Hernández-Mijares A. Effect of consumption of a carob pod inositol-enriched beverage on insulin sensitivity and inflammation in middle-aged prediabetic subjects. Food Funct. 2016;7(10):4379-4387. doi: 10.1039/c6fo01021k.PubMedUsed to support: 12-week double-blind randomized trial in 44 middle-aged adults with impaired fasting glucose: a carob pod drink supplying mainly pinitol (2.0 g twice daily, 24 people) or a sucrose-sweetened drink (20 people). In participants without obesity, insulin fell 14.4% and HOMA-IR 15.1%, with smaller post-meal and overnight glucose swings than the sugar drink. Participants with obesity showed lower IL-6 and TNF-alpha instead. Results were reported by BMI subgroup.
  9. Pérez-Piñero S, Muñoz-Carrillo JC, Herrera-Fernández C, Muñoz-Cámara M, Hernández-Aliaga A, Echepare-Taberna J, Ávila-Gandía V, López-Román FJ. Effects of Specific Carob (Ceratonia siliqua L.) Liquid Concentrate on Glucose Metabolism in Subjects with Prediabetes: A Randomized Double-Blind Controlled Clinical Trial. Nutrients. 2026;18(10):1521. doi: 10.3390/nu18101521.PubMedUsed to support: 90-day randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial in 52 adults with prediabetes (25 active, 27 placebo) using a carob liquid concentrate containing D-pinitol, myo-inositol and D-chiro-inositol at 6.66 g/day in two doses. HbA1c and glucose improved compared with placebo; HOMA-IR, QUICKI and the glucose and insulin responses in a glucose tolerance test improved in the active group only. Total cholesterol, triglycerides and HDL did not change in either group, and body weight did not change. No adverse effects were recorded. The full text states the study was funded by the product's maker, Planttech Biotechnology Spain S.L.
  10. Papakonstantinou E, Orfanakos N, Farajian P, Kapetanakou AE, Makariti IP, Grivokostopoulos N, Ha MA, Skandamis PN. Short-term effects of a low glycemic index carob-containing snack on energy intake, satiety, and glycemic response in normal-weight, healthy adults: Results from two randomized trials. Nutrition. 2017;42:12-19. doi: 10.1016/j.nut.2017.05.011.PubMedUsed to support: Two randomized crossover studies in healthy normal-weight adults. In 10 people, a carob snack had a glycemic index of 40 versus 78 for a chocolate cookie with the same available carbohydrate. In 50 people, eating the carob snack before lunch lowered hunger, desire to eat and preoccupation with food, reduced the amount eaten and total calories at the meal, and lowered the blood sugar response to the meal. The test item was a carob snack food, and the effects were same-day only.
  11. Planes-Muñoz D, Rosell MLÁ, Frontela-Saseta C, López-Nicolás R. Evaluation of Commercial Carob Syrups (Ceratonia siliqua L.) in Randomized Controlled Trials: Effects on Lipid, Glycaemic, and Anthropometric Parameters. Foods. 2025;14(21):3676. doi: 10.3390/foods14213676.PubMedUsed to support: Two randomized controlled trials of commercial carob syrups in healthy adults aged 18 to 65. In 20 volunteers, both syrups had low to medium glycemic index values (about 56 and 60) and a 16% smaller glucose response than a glucose control. In a 6-week trial of 72 adults taking 10 g of syrup a day, 6 days a week, total cholesterol fell 14.7 mg/dL versus 9.6 mg/dL on a control syrup; the fall was significant within the carob group only, and the full text states that between-group lipid differences were not significant. Waist circumference fell 3.6 cm on carob syrup and rose about 4 cm on the control syrup. LDL, HDL and the 0.5 kg weight difference were not significant.
  12. Gaamouri N, Zouhal H, Hammami M, Hackney AC, Abderrahman AB, Saeidi A, El Hage R, Ounis OB. Effects of polyphenol (carob) supplementation on body composition and aerobic capacity in taekwondo athletes. Physiol Behav. 2019;205:22-28. doi: 10.1016/j.physbeh.2019.03.003.PubMedUsed to support: Double-blind randomized trial in 23 young taekwondo athletes (11 carob, 12 placebo) over 6 weeks of training. Body weight fell 2.82% with carob versus 0.51% with placebo (p < 0.001), with no difference in body fat percentage or muscle volume; aerobic performance score and perceived exertion improved more with carob. The carob dose and preparation are not given in the abstract.
  13. Gaamouri N, Zouhal H, Suzuki K, Hammami M, Ghaith A, El Mouhab EH, Hackney AC, Laher I, Ounis OB. Effects of carob rich-polyphenols on oxidative stress markers and physical performance in taekwondo athletes. Biol Sport. 2024;41(4):277-284. doi: 10.5114/biolsport.2022.106154.PubMedUsed to support: Double-blind randomized placebo-controlled trial in 22 taekwondo athletes: 40 g/day of home-milled carob pod powder (90% pulp, 10% seed; 208 mg polyphenols per serving) in water at breakfast for 6 weeks, versus a carob-flavored drink without polyphenols. Carob raised catalase and superoxide dismutase activity, lowered malondialdehyde and improved repeated kick performance. The full text reports that body weight fell by about 2 kg in both groups with no difference between them.
  14. Victoria-Montesinos D, González-Louzao R, Barcina-Pérez P, Mercader-Ros MT, Lucas-Abellán C, Daruich-González IB, García-Muñoz AM. Effects of carob (Ceratonia siliqua) and carob-derived products on glycaemic control and insulin resistance: A systematic review of clinical trials. Nutr Res. 2026;152:81-98. doi: 10.1016/j.nutres.2026.05.007.PubMedUsed to support: Systematic review of 15 human clinical trials of carob and carob-derived products in healthy adults, people with prediabetes or insulin resistance, and people with type 2 diabetes. Carob-containing solid foods generally gave low to moderate post-meal glucose responses, while isolated carob powder or fiber taken in liquid form had weaker or more variable effects. Inositol-enriched carob preparations were linked to modest improvements in insulin resistance indices, and the reviewers judged carob's insulin-sensitizing effects preliminary.
  15. van Rijs P, Fogliano V. Roasting carob flour decreases the capacity to bind glycoconjugates of bile acids. Food Funct. 2020;11(7):5924-5932. doi: 10.1039/d0fo01158d.PubMedUsed to support: Laboratory study: carob flour bound large amounts of conjugated bile acids (732.6 micromol per gram), and roasting cut that binding capacity by up to 40%. The data suggested tannins and insoluble components drive the binding. No animals or people were studied.
  16. Navarro JA, Díaz C, Decara J, Medina-Vera D, Lopez-Gambero AJ, Suarez J, Pavón FJ, Serrano A, Vargas A, Gavito AL, Porras-Perales O, Aranda J, Vicente F, Sanjuan C, Baixeras E, Fonseca FR. Pharmacokinetics and Endocrine Effects of an Oral Dose of D-Pinitol in Human Fasting Healthy Volunteers. Nutrients. 2022;14(19):4094. doi: 10.3390/nu14194094.PubMedUsed to support: Pharmacokinetic study in 25 healthy volunteers. Oral D-pinitol was absorbed slowly (peak at almost 4 hours, half-life over 5 hours). A single 15 mg/kg dose did not change glucose but lowered insulin and raised glucagon and ghrelin. When the same inositol came from a carob pod syrup (1,600 mg D-pinitol), peak blood levels were about 40% of those expected, probably because the syrup's sugars compete for absorption. One author reported salary and shares from Euronutra.