Shea butter hails from countries in Western Africa.
Since the 1st century BC, raw shea butter has been integral to African skin care, cooking and everyday living. Derived from the shea fruit (Butyrospermum parkii), the butter is native to places like Ghana, Nigeria and Senegal. Also known as Karit , the seeds are used to produce the raw butter and a more refined cream. Though both products are primarily exported to European and American cosmetic manufacturers, raw shea butter is also used in Japan's food industry. Does this Spark an idea?
Raw Shea Butter
In its raw state, shea butter is yellow dough-like paste that has a strong nutty odor. To produce the butter, the seeds are fermented, washed, sun-dried and roasted in a large kiln. Afterward, they're ground into a fine powder, and mixed with water to produce a thick mud-like paste. An hour of vigorous stirring separates the fat from the rest of the mixture; it's skimmed off the top, boiled and cooled to produce raw shea butter.
Processed Shea Butter
Through processing, shea butter can be refined to a scentless white cream. The refined butter is produced by heating the shea nuts to higher temperatures with the use of hexane, a special petroleum-based fuel. Hexane can help to extract more of the fats from the nut, bleach the color and remove most of the odor. As a result, processed shea butter has a smoother and silkier texture than the raw butter.
Benefits
Raw shea butter is more nutrient-rich than the processed butter; it's high in Vitamin A and E, both of which help nourish the skin. Additionally, there are significant amounts of phytosterols, triterpenes, fatty esters and phenolic acids in the raw butter, which is good for cellular protection, so raw shea butter is used to protect the skin from UV rays. Due to the refining process, processed shea butter has approximately 75 percent less nutrients than its raw counterpart, according to a April 2011 article in Health Tourism Magazine. However, the white butter can make skin and hair softer, as it penetrates cells easily, helping them retain moisture.
Uses
Unrefined shea butter can substitute for palm and vegetable oils in Japanese food manufacturing and local cuisines. The lower grades of the raw butter can be used to heat lamps and as a sealant for waterproofing houses. Some cosmetic firms use raw butter for ointments, soaps and hair treatments, but many European and American firms opt for refined shea butter for high-end creams, lip balms and bath oils. Processed shea butter is not used for cooking, due to traces of hexane, which can be evident after the refining procedure.
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