Whether you realise it or not, you''ve probably consumed cocoa butter many times in your life, and you''ve probably applied it to your skin. In fact, cocoa butter has been one of the indispensable ingredients in chocolate for many years, melting gently in the mouth and giving your taste buds a pleasant, full-bodied flavour. Cocoa butter has also become very popular in the cosmetics industry, where it is added to many creams, serums and other skincare products. Cocoa butter is characterised by its mild scent, smooth texture, rapid melting and excellent hydration.
With the growing awareness of the importance of a healthy lifestyle, cocoa butter is available in more and more shops, including the sweet shop Mojacokolada.si, in an unprocessed form that is suitable for use in cooking and for pampering dry, irritated skin.
Cocoa butter has a rich history
The cocoa beans from which cocoa butter is extracted originate from parts of Central and South America, where it has been used for centuries, mainly for nourishing purposes. Later, it was discovered that cocoa is one of the foods that contains a high amount of polyphenols and flavanoids - antioxidants that help keep us young and healthy.
Cocoa butter is surely one of those gifts of nature that should find a place in every home, both for culinary and for nourishing purposes.
Cocoa butter is renowned as one of the healthiest vegetable fats that the human body needs to function optimally. Cocoa butter has the advantage of containing between 57 and 64 % saturated fat, whereas processed animal butters, for example, are much more depleted and contain harder-to-digest fats that the body does not use and cannot process, but stores in the form of adipose tissue. It is advisable to look for raw cocoa butter that has not been heat-treated, as this contains healthy fats and minerals that are beneficial to health and well-being.
Cocoa butter prevents dry skin and flaking
Cocoa butter is an excellent moisturiser and, as well as hydrating the skin, it also nourishes it, effectively helping to heal it from the inside out. As an excellent source of natural antioxidants, it also slows down skin ageing and forms a protective layer that protects the skin from external influences. With regular use, your skin will be radiant and toned, and you''ll also have the pleasant scent of cocoa throughout the day. Cocoa butter can be used on the face and on chapped lips, as well as on other parts of the body. One of the added benefits is that you are applying a completely natural substance that does not irritate the skin, as it does not contain the additives, fragrances, colours and dyes used in most commercial products.
Nourish your body inside and out
In studies (Cocoa polyphenols and their influence on parameters involved in ex vivo skin restructuring), plant polyphenols, which are abundant in cocoa butter, have been shown to actively boost the immune system and prevent or reduce inflammation, DNA damage and cell mutations, which are the most common causes of diseases such as cardiovascular disease, cancer and autoimmune diseases. Using cocoa butter instead of refined vegetable oils can reduce inflammatory reactions in the body and help restore hormonal balance. Cocoa butter is also excellent as ''brain food'' and should be consumed before various mental stresses.
Cocoa butter is versatile
In addition to its more well-known effects and benefits for the body, cocoa butter has some lesser-known uses. By swishing cocoa butter around in your mouth, you can quickly and effectively heal aphthae and mouth ulcers. Many people use it as an extremely effective shaving cream, which effectively nourishes the skin and keeps it supple at the same time. Many pregnant women can thank it for avoiding stretch marks on their abdomen and thighs with regular use, or, in the case of damage that has already occurred, for effectively eliminating them or at least reducing their visibility. One of its most prominent celebrity promoters is actress Jennifer Love Hewitt.