It’s Delicious!
It’s nutritious!
And…it’s a Superfood!
I can remember rubbing cocoa butter on my legs for stretch marks, in the late ’80s. I loved smelling like chocolate. But that was the last I remembered hanging around with or hearing from cocoa butter.
Then one day last year, I was walking past one of the many nutritional aisles in my favorite grocery store and kept seeing the most lovely package. Unassuming, yet creamy in nature. It was so quietly distinct, as it leapt forward from the sea of supplemental plant boosters. I ignored it for about 2 weeks and then, the buttery bag screaming RAW CACAO BUTTER, at me every time I walked passed finally made it into my cart and ultimately a permanent member of my coffee cabinet.
As I said, I had heard of cocoa butter for stretch marks…but to eat? And this said cAcAo, not cOcOa…is there a difference? So much to learn. I instantly took to the google machine to research this gorgeous hunk of solid buttery colored fat. Is it indeed good for me? It looks delightful. Can I consume it, it was afterall with the “health foods?” Have I died and gone to heaven? Why does this make my mouth water in every way?
It looks like the color of real butter but comes from the cacao bean (plant). It is the solids that are cold pressed from the cacao bean. The cacao bean is fermented and ground to become cacao powder or fermented, heated and ground to become cocoa powder. There are many differences between the two (cacao, cocoa) but that is for another chocolate covered conversation. This shout out is to the fatty nature of the chocolate I love so dear!
The first thing I noticed was the smell when I opened the bag…like chocolate. The second thing was that it looks exactly as it does on the outside of the bag…creamy, buttery color in solid chunks.They look good enough to eat. So I did. They look better than they taste. But as far as fats go…it actually tastes better than some. However, I won’t nibble on just plain old raw cacao butter like I would cacao nibs. (What are nibs besides delicious? Another topic for another day!)
This healthy fat can be used in baking and cooking of all sorts. Similarly to coconut oil, it will have a flavor so it may be best to stick with baking something chocolatey? And I don’t know it’s heat point but I know it melts at a low temperature, which makes it so suitable for moisturizing products.I bought it mainly because it’s packaging was so alluring in the most simple…butter drenched impulsivity. (I mean, it’s a weakness…butter. And the reason I can not get my “Official Vegan” card.) I wondered if this gorgeous lipid would taste good in my espresso.
It did. It does. It is now on the list of “must haves.” Does it potentially make my life more complicated if I should run out? Yes. But it has a 2-5 year shelf life and I bought in bulk. So I, and my coffee will be good.
Perhaps my favorite information nugget about consuming cacao butter is that it helps with collagen production. Again, for a vegan (mostly vegan, as in no consuming no animal collagen source) that is an important tid bit. For the keto dieter, this is another one of those healthy fats that you can find plenty of recipes for!
I am going to venture into the skin cream using the cacao butter…apparently consuming it internally and applying it externally may ward off signs of aging. I will keep you posted! Until then, add a little to your morning Joe and tell me it doesn’t make you happy! Oh, did I mention that’s another benefit of cacao butter? Here’s a great link for more information!
Cacao Butter: Superfood for People and Skin
March 14th, 2018|Articles
Cacao butter has massive benefits when you eat it and when you apply it to your skin. You might know of it as chocolate, but cacao is a less processed form that does not use high heat, leaving the superfood qualities intact. It’s nourishing inside and out. It’s full of healthy fats, nutrients, antioxidants and helps balance mood regulating hormones.Cacao butter: Superfood
Cacao butter is one of many ways the cacao bean can be processed. Unlike cocoa butter that is heated, cacao butter is the raw, cold pressed oil of the cacao bean that preserves more of the nutrients and enzymes. That gives cacao butter a superfood punch that makes it far superior to cocoa butter.
6 Things We Like About Cacao Butter…
Hope this helps!
And…HAPPY NEW YEAR!!!!
Teri Granahan
References:
https://www.zatiknatural.com/blogs/news/3-skin-loving-benefits-of-cacao-butter-chocolate-s-best-kept-secret
https://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/325227#benefits
https://www.organicfacts.net/health-benefits/oils/cocoa-butter.html
https://clubchokolate.com/blogs/dark-chocolate-experience-blog/cacao-butter-health-benefits
https://www.thewellnessway.com/cacao-butter-superfood/
The Picky Eater Club 