Cocoa butter has been called the ultimate moisturizer, and has been used to keep skin soft and supple for centuries.
Cocoa butter, also called cacao butter, is the
cream-colored fat extracted from cacao seeds (cocoa beans) and used to add
flavor, scent, and smoothness to chocolate, cosmetics, tanning oil, soap, and a
multitude of topical lotions and creams.
It is one of the most stable, highly concentrated
natural fats known, and melts at body temperature so that it is readily absorbed
into the skin. Cocoa butter is often recommended for treatment of skin
conditions such as eczema and dermatitis. When applied topically, it creates a
barrier between sensitive skin and the environment and also helps retain
moisture.
Pregnant women have long used to cocoa butter
formulations to prevent and treat stretch marks, but this pleasant-smelling
substance is added to countless other topical preparations as well. Lotions and
oils containing cocoa butter are often used in aromatherapy massages to promote
feelings of relaxation and well-being. Recent research indicates that massaging
the skin with cocoa butter may help relieve stress, boost the immune system, and
even prevent cancer. This is because cocoa butter, like chocolate, contains a
lot of CMP. Researchers in Japan reported that CMP inhibits the growth of
cancerous cells and tumors by reducing active oxygen levels in the body, and
concluded that CMP inhibits the oxidation of LDL (good) cholesterol and the
production of inflammatory cells; there is some evidence that the CMP in cocoa
butter may also help prevent heart disease and ease arthritic symptoms.
Making Cocoa butter
During processing of the cacao bean,
cocoa solids and cocoa butter are separated out at an early stage. The two are
recombined in the manufacture of regular (brown) chocolate bars. The confection
known as white chocolate contains cocoa butter but not cocoa powder.
Available in Prime Pressed (Natural). Deodorized is out of stock for the moment.
Our deodorized version holds only a very slight natural 'chocolate' scent. It has been deodorized by clay-earth screens & steam, NOT by chemical methods. The cocoa seeds used to make this wonderful butter were hand gathered from nature and did not come from a farming plantation.
