Shea Butter- as African and misunderstood as Cleopatra.
Being born and raised in Ghana, Shea Butter has been inculcated into our daily life. As a child, I relied on it heavily to keep my heels, lips and elbows supple during the Harmattan season. Recently, as the world has gotten smaller, it’s become quite popular and with good reason.
Shea Butter is an oily extract from the seeds of the Shea fruit. The Shea Tree, also known as the Karite Tree, grows wildly in the dry Savannah belt of West Africa from Senegal to Ethiopia. Certified Premium Grade A Butter is ivory (not white) to faint yellow in color with a unique light nutty smell. You might find it as a creamy solid but it readily melts in your hands and is quickly absorbed by the skin.
Shea Butter is a great moisturizer for the skin, scalp and hair. Unlike most petroleum products, Shea Butter does not clog pores or block hair shafts. It binds to water and absorbs rapidly into the skin and traps moisture underneath it. Slather on some Shea Butter before hopping into the pool to protect your skin and hair from the harmful effects of chlorine. Daily application confers good moisturizing properties to the skin.
The US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) considers Shea nut oil to be safe for food use. You’ll find food grade Shea used as a Cocoa Butter equivalent in ice creams, biscuits and chocolates to improve shelf life and give it better heat stability. It has been used as an alternative to trans-fats for frying and baking in sub-Saharan Africa. Since Shea Butter does not require hardening, it is a good raw material in the production of margarine. This helps eliminate the trans unsaturated fats from the product. In addition, the stearic acid found in Shea Butter helps increase good cholesterol (HDL cholesterol) and lowers bad cholesterol (LDL cholesterol). This makes it worth considering in the fight against heart disease.
Although Shea Butter is extracted from a nut, it is still safe to use for individuals with nut allergies. A 2010 study published in the Journal of Allergy and Clinical Immunology surmised that there were no IgE- binding soluble proteins present in Shea Butter and that it was safe for us in people with nut allergies.
Buyer beware: not all Shea Butter is the same. Differences in extraction and processing could lead to impurities like lead, mercury, mold, yeast and added color to your Shea Butter. Ask questions about the source and extraction of your Shea Butter before you buy.
Even Shea Butter that has degraded and lost its natural healing properties similar to Cocoa Butter and Mango Butter. In sub-Saharan Africa, low quality butter and the by-products of processed nuts are smeared on earthen walls of houses as waterproofing during the rainy season.
God created everything on this Earth for a purpose. In Genesis we see how each creation was made with intention and care to be of service of another.
Then God said, “Let the land produce vegetation: seed-bearing plants and trees on the land that bear fruit with seed in it, according to their various kinds.” And it was so. – Genesis 1:11 – NIV
Just as God created Shea to be useful to us, so too must we strive to be useful to each other. With the hope that in time, God will direct our life for His purpose.
As a woman of a certain age (ahem), I keep a small jar of Minku® in my nightstand to use on my hands and feet as a night time moisturizer. Their cold-pressed Shea Butter has been passed down through the generations in my family. Proceeds from their sales go to support RIDE, a non-profit organization that trains and supports women in the Northern Region of Ghana. They have found a way to give back and strive to be useful to their community. How about you?
About The Writer:
Nana Adowa Bekoe is a praying wife, grateful daughter and a believer of miracles. As a pharmacist, she advises patients and other healthcare professionals on the safe and effective use of medications.
Born and raised in Accra, Ghana; Adowa gained her Doctor of Pharmacy degree from the Philadelphia College of Pharmacy. She is a second generation pharmacist who is grateful for the life she has and loves to laugh (especially at herself).
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