Minerals Found in Carob: Potassium, Magnesium and Others
Carob is a fruit that attracts attention with its mineral content as well as its sugars and fiber. Scientific studies show that the most abundant mineral in the pulp of the carob fruit is potassium, followed by calcium, and magnesium, phosphorus, iron, zinc, copper and manganese are also present in certain amounts.
In this article, we discuss the mineral profile of carob by distinguishing between fruit, powder, molasses/syrup and seeds; we explain where the values come from, how they should be interpreted and why there are differences between studies, along with their sources.
Overview of Carob's Mineral Profile
Carob (Ceratonia siliqua L.) is a Mediterranean tree that can grow in arid and calcareous soils. The pulp, which makes up most of the fruit, is rich in sugar and fiber as well as attracting attention in terms of minerals. Mineral content of the fruit; It may vary according to the variety, soil where it grows, climate, maturity and processing method.
Ayaz et al. (2007), who examined carob samples collected from the western and southern regions of Anatolia, measured eight minerals in the fruit and reported that potassium was the most abundant among the main minerals (9.70 mg/g in dry weight). In the same study, it was stated that carob fruit is richer in calcium than phosphorus and magnesium, and trace mineral levels are comparable to other plant species.
The study by Papaefstathiou et al. (2018), which examined three local carob varieties and 20 traditional carob products grown in Cyprus, is one of the main sources of this article as it provides detailed mineral data for both fruits and products.
Potassium: The Prominent Mineral of Carob
The common finding in all sources is that potassium is the mineral found in the highest amount in carob. In the study of Papaefstathiou et al. (2018), potassium was measured between 870 and 921 mg/100 g in the fruit flesh of three Cypriot varieties. The authors stated that carob fruit has a "high potassium content" according to the daily reference intake values in the European Union's Regulation No. 1169/2011 on the Information of Consumers about Food.
In the study by Laaraj et al. (2024), who examined wild carob in the Azilal region of Morocco, the highest potassium value was reported as 11373 mg/kg (approximately 1137 mg/100 g). This value is slightly higher than the Cyprus samples; it should be noted that the difference may be due to factors such as variety, growing conditions and analysis method.
Potassium is an essential mineral for fluid balance, nerve conduction and muscle functions in the body. However, potassium intake should be evaluated in the entire diet. It is important for people with kidney disease or those whose potassium needs to be restricted to consume potassium-rich foods in line with their doctor's recommendation.
Calcium and Magnesium
After potassium, the most notable mineral in carob is calcium. In the study by Papaefstathiou et al. (2018), calcium in fruit flesh was measured between 204 and 295 mg/100 g, and carob fruit was classified as a "source" for calcium. In the study by Laaraj et al. (2024), the highest calcium value was found to be 4345 mg/kg.
Magnesium, on the other hand, is at a lower level than calcium. In Cypriot varieties, magnesium in the fruit flesh was measured in the range of 44–50 mg/100 g (Papaefstathiou et al., 2018). The highest magnesium value in Moroccan samples was reported as 1347 mg/kg (Laaraj et al., 2024).
Since we will discuss the calcium content of carob separately, we only touch on its place in the general mineral profile here.
Phosphorus, Sodium and Trace Minerals
Phosphorus in carob is significantly lower than calcium. Phosphorus in fruit flesh was found to be between 57-65 mg/100 g in Cypriot varieties (Papaefstathiou et al., 2018). Ayaz et al. (2007) also reported that calcium is higher than phosphorus and magnesium in Anatolian carob.
Sodium is quite low. In the same Cyprus study, sodium in fruit flesh was measured only between 1.8–3.2 mg/100 g. This indicates that carob is a low-sodium food in its natural state; however, in processed products containing carob, the sodium value may increase depending on the added ingredients.
| Mineral | Carob fruit flesh (mg/100 g) | EU daily reference intake (mg) |
|---|---|---|
| Potassium (K) | 870–921 | 2000 |
| Calcium (Ca) | 204–295 | 800 |
| Phosphorus (P) | 57–65 | 700 |
| Magnesium (Mg) | 44–50 | 375 |
| Sodium (Na) | 1,8–3,2 | – |
| Zinc (Zn) | 0,68–0,79 | 10 |
| Iron (Fe) | 0,63–0,66 | 14 |
| Manganese (Mn) | 0,36–0,44 | 2 |
| Copper (Cu) | 0,20–0,28 | 1 |
The fruit values in the table are the ranges reported by Papaefstathiou et al. (2018) for the three Cypriot varieties; reference intake values were also given in the same study on the basis of Regulation EU 1169/2011. The authors classified products containing at least 15 percent of the reference intake value per 100 grams as "source" and those containing at least 30 percent as "high content". According to this criterion, carob fruit is a source for calcium, copper and manganese; It was evaluated as high content for potassium.
Trace minerals include iron, zinc, copper and manganese in small amounts. Iron value is limited to 0.63–0.66 mg/100 g in fruit flesh; therefore, promoting carob as a prominent food in terms of iron is not supported by scientific data.
Carob Powder, Molasses and Minerals in the Seed
Minerals can be found in different densities depending on the way carob is processed.
Carob powder: Since it is obtained by drying and grinding the fruit, its mineral content is close to the fruit. In the two powder samples examined by Papaefstathiou et al. (2018), potassium was measured as 968 and 996 mg/100 g, calcium as 275 and 423 mg/100 g, magnesium as 59 and 62 mg/100 g, and iron as 2.90 and 5.60 mg/100 g. The authors classified carob powders as "high content" for calcium and potassium; "source" for magnesium, copper, iron and manganese. The fact that iron was high in the powder samples compared to the fruit may be related to the differences in the process and sample. For general information about carob powder What is Carob Flour Powder? You can take a look at our article.
Carob molasses and syrup: Molasses is obtained by condensing the water-soluble components of the fruit. In the four carob syrups examined in the same study, potassium was found to be between 628–1049 mg/100 g and the syrups were evaluated as "high content" for potassium. Calcium in syrups was measured significantly lower than in fruit with 47–104 mg/100 g. This suggests that some minerals pass into the liquid phase less or remain in the pulp during extraction. Yavuz Küçük and Duraklı Velioğlu (2022), who compared carob molasses collected from the market in Turkey and products sold under the name "carob extract", also evaluated the mineral content among the parameters examined and found no statistically significant difference between the two product groups. In a study on apple molasses, it was shown that minerals other than calcium decreased in molasses on a dry matter basis compared to raw materials (Kuşçu and Bulantekin, 2016).
Carob seeds: The mineral profile of the kernel is different from the fruit flesh. In the study of Fidan et al. (2020), it was reported that the dominant macroelements in carob kernel are calcium and magnesium. More information about the kernel What is Carob Seed? You can find it in our article.
Why are there different values between studies?
Values for the mineral content of carob can differ from source to source. The main reasons for this are:
- Variety difference: Grafted varieties and wild forms may have different composition.
- Soil and climate: The mineral structure of the soil in which the tree grows is reflected in the fruit.
- Ripeness and harvest time: The composition of the fruit changes during the ripening process.
- Basis for measurement: Whether the values are given on dry weight or fresh weight significantly affects the result.
- Unit: Direct comparison should not be made when using different units such as mg/100 g, mg/kg and mg/g.
- Analysis method: For example, Papaefstathiou et al. (2018) measured minerals with ICP-OES after microwave burning; different methods may yield different results.
Therefore, when reading the mineral values on the label of a product or in an article, it is necessary to pay attention to which product (fruit, powder, molasses), which unit and which measurement basis the value belongs to.
Mineral Values in Terms of Label and Declaration
Statements such as "source" or "high contain" regarding mineral content on food labels are nutritional statements that depend on the conditions in the legislation. The study by Papaefstathiou et al. (2018) revealed an interesting picture in this respect: Only 60 percent of the 20 traditional carob products examined had a nutritional label label; most of the products with a label (75 percent) found the measured values to be consistent with the label. In the same study, it was stated that some products, such as confectionery, pasteli, soutzoukkos and honey with carob syrup, did not reach the "source" threshold for any of the nine minerals examined.
This conclusion points to an important point: Although carob itself is valuable in terms of minerals, not all products containing carob have the same mineral value. How much carob is in the product and with which ingredients it is used are decisive.
Frequently Asked Questions
Which mineral is most abundant in carob? The common finding of the studies is potassium. In Cypriot varieties, 870–921 mg/100 g of potassium was measured in the fruit flesh (Papaefstathiou et al., 2018).
Is carob rich in iron? Iron in fruit flesh was limited to 0.63–0.66 mg/100 g. Therefore, carob should not be considered as a prominent source of iron.
Does carob molasses or powder contain more minerals? In one study, calcium was found to be significantly higher in powder samples, while potassium was found to be in similar ranges in powder and syrup. Results may vary depending on the product and production method.
Does carob contain sodium? In its natural state, it contains very little sodium; In Cypriot varieties, 1.8–3.2 mg/100 g of fruit flesh was measured.
Carob Products with Carob Türkiye
The mineral profile of carob varies depending on the type of product used and the quality of the raw material. At Carob Türkiye, we supply carob fruit, cracks, flour/powder, seeds, and extracts. Our Products Carob Flour / Powder, Carob Fruit and Our Products You can review it from the pages; For your wholesale and export requests Contact Now You can contact us on our page.
This content is for informational purposes only; it is not a substitute for medical advice.
Domestic resources
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org/ 10. 1111/ j. 1745- 4557. 2007. 00176. x Yavuz Küçük, A., Duraklı Velioğlu, S., "Determination of Some Chemical Properties of the Product Offered for Sale Under the Name of 'Carob Extract' and Comparison with Carob Molasses", Gıda, 47(5), 889–903, 2022. doi.
org/ 10. 15237/ food. GD22033 Foreign sources
Papaefstathiou, E., Agapiou, A., Giannopoulos, S., Kokkinofta, R., "Nutritional characterization of carobs and traditional carob products", Food Science & Nutrition, 6(8), 2151–2161, 2018. doi.
org/ 10. 1002/ FSN3. 776 Laaraj, S., Tikent, A., El-Rhouttais, C., Farihi, A., Ed-Dra, A., Bouhrim, M., Mothana, R. A., Noman, O. M., Salmaoui, S., Addi, M., Serghini-Caid, H., Noutfia, Y., Elfazazi, K., "Nutritional value, HPLC-DAD analysis and biological activities of Ceratonia siliqua L. pulp based on in vitro and in silico studies", Scientific Reports, 14, 31115, 2024. doi.
org/ 10. 1038/ S41598- 024- 82318- 6 Fidan, H., Stankov, S., Petkova, N., Petkova, Z., Iliev, A., Stoyanova, M., Ivanova, T., Zhelyazkov, N., Ibrahim, S., Stoyanova, A., Ercisli, S., "Evaluation of chemical composition, antioxidant potential and functional properties of carob (Ceratonia siliqua L.) seeds", Journal of Food Science and Technology, 57(7), 2404–2413, 2020. doi.
org/ 10. 1007/ S13197- 020- 04274- z Kuşçu, A., Bulantekin, Ö., "The effects of production methods and storage on the chemical constituents of apple molasses", Journal of Food Science and Technology, 53(7), 3083–3092, 2016. doi.
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