Health Benefits of Cocoa Butter
If you're not using cocoa butter, you've probably seen it on the shelves of beauty shops. Why not pick up a tub next time you go shopping? Today's article will convince you why you should.
A little bit about the cacao tree
The Latin name for this evergreen tree is Theobroma cacao (food of the gods), a suitable name considering all the goodness that this plant gives us.
It is a small tree that grows under the canopy of other trees in rainforests. On its own, the tree is very susceptible to disease, pests, and weather extremes.
Because of its vulnerability and particular taste in environmental conditions, the cacao tree is difficult to cultivate. It thrives best on tiny farms or in small groves in rainforests.
The cacao seeds grow in large pods, with each tree capable of yielding about 70 pods annually. Each pod contains about 20-60 beans.
Farmers collect cacao beans and process them into various options like cocoa powder, cocoa butter, cacao powder, cacao butter, and cacao nibs.
What is cocoa butter?
Both cacao and "cocoa" come from the same plant, but processing makes the difference. A "cocoa" product, for example cocoa powder or cocoa butter, is a cacao product processed using heat. This heating process alters the nutritional value of cocoa.
Cocoa butter is the fat extracted from the cocoa bean during processing to make cocoa powder. Manufacturers ferment the cocoa beans, roast, separate, and press them.
Cocoa butter is a vegetable fat whose rich flavor makes it an excellent ingredient in desserts. It's the primary fat in chocolate and gives it that creamy texture.
Cocoa butter is solid at room temperature but melts at our body temperature. This property makes it great for skincare products and cosmetics.
Cocoa butter in skincare
Cocoa butter is the answer if you're looking for a stable oil with a long shelf life to give firmness to a product. If you love DIY, use deodorized cocoa butter in your deodorant recipe for a thicker consistency and superior moisture.
Other excellent benefits of this ingredient in skincare include:
- Essential fatty acids- these firm and tighten the skin, keeping it looking youthful.
- Anti-aging. Cocoa butter is perfect for relaxing and softening the parts of the skin that hold stress, which leads to lasting fine lines and wrinkles. It works wonders for mature and dry skin types.
- Antioxidant. This butter contains antioxidants that protect from environmental stressors that accelerate the appearance of aging.
- Aromatherapeutic. Its enticing scent enlivens your senses and almost forces a smile to your face.
- Soothing. When your skin gets inflamed, apply cocoa butter for relief. It has polyphenols, which are soothing to temporary redness.
- Moisturizing. Cocoa butter is one of the safest and most effective moisturizers available. It locks in hydration and lets your skin radiate health and beauty.
With love,
The Sole Toscana Beauty Team