Shea on You: The Amazing Benefits of Shea Butter

It’s in your chocolate, it’s on your face, and very likely – Shea Butter is in some product that you have used today. Discover the many uses of oils derived fruit of the shea tree.

Commercial Value

The commercial success of shea, which is estimated to reach USD 2.9 billion by 2025, is due to its ability to be safely added to so many edible and cosmetic products.

You have probably seen jars of Shea Butter in health stores, complete with the pictorial boards featuring co-operative groups of women producing the Shea butter, highlighting its organic nature, in addition to the fair trade practices used to produce it.

What is Shea butter ?

Shea Butter is derived from the sun dried kernels of the fruit from the shea tree. The Vitellaria paradoxa,  (syn. Butyrospermum parkii, Butyrospermum paradoxum), is a tree of the family Sapotaceae.

It is native to West Africa and common in countries known as the shea belt which includes Ghana, Burkina Faso, Senegal, Ethiopia and Nigeria, and is found in woodland savannahs.

There is a sub species native to East Africa ( Vitellaria Nilotica) which produces a more fluid shea butter. It is a deciduous tree and grows between 10 to 20 m. It takes about 15 years to bear fruit and fully matures after 25yrs. A tree can live and produce for over 200yrs.

The trees traditionally belong to the community and are considered sacred because the fruit provides so many benefits. This is especially true in Tamale, Ghana, West Africa where ninety per cent of Ghana’s Shea production goes to the food industry.

The industry provides income to many female run co-operatives, which I know about first hand as I used to import fair trade products including Shea Butter.

Nigeria was the largest producer of shea nuts in 2018 according to the Centre for Promotion of Imports from Developing countries.

History of Shea

For centuries, women on the continent of Africa have known about the all encompassing benefits of the Shea nut, the fruit of the Vitellaria paradoxa, which is referred to locally as women’s gold.

Recent archaeological research has found evidence of Shea production in Burkina Faso, West Africa which dates back to ca.100-1500 C.E. Now up to fifty percent of the population of Burkina Faso in involved in some related Shea industry.

The butter has been traded since the 14th century, and was introduced to Western science by the explorer/botanist Mungo Park in 1799, when he produced a series of botanical drawings of the Shea Plant for his book, Travels into the Interior of Africa. It was his name which was assigned to the scientific classification of the tree, which has since been reclassified.

The fruit

The fruit of the shea tree is edible and phenomenally nutritious. The layer of pulp surrounding the kernel can be consumed raw or cooked, it is especially popular in the Sahel regions where it is found to have higher nutritional values.

Research carried out by the Ben Gurion University of the Negev outlined the high nutritional value of shea. The fruit contains sugar, protein and calcium, vitamins A, E, and F. and is a source of energy during the planting season.

The oil from the kernel is the most prized asset. There is a local saying: “A house without shea is poor.” because the fat content is integral to survival in the region, being used in foods, fuel, and the contains cinamic acid which provides protection from the ultraviolet rays, making a natural sun screen.

Shea in the Cosmetics Industry

The cosmetics industry in Europe and North America would be very dry (literally) without shea. It is a perfect emollient, and gently softens dry skin.

It satisfies the industry’s demand for a natural and organic product, which in turn provides a local income to many women, who as part of their effort to gain economic self sufficiency have formed co-operatives to make and distribute shea butter. This allows them to contribute financially to the support of their families.

The inclusion of shea butter in a cosmetic has become a seal of quality and is featured in the products advertising. It has an earthy nutty smell to which natural oils, such as lavender can be added.

Shea butter penetrates deep into the skin and helps to restore its elasticity. It revitalizes, softens and maintains moisture levels mainly due to the following constituents: Oleic acid ,Vitamin A, E, F, and Sterol. and is used in many skin and hair products.

Benefits of Shea

In addition. Shea Butter has been proven effective in relieving the following conditions:

• Wrinkles
• Skin Rashes
• Itching
• Sunburns
• Blemishes
• Dry skin
• Frost bite
• Insect Bites
• Peeling skin
• Diaper Rash
• Dry hair
• Eczema

From the list one can see that shea is a natural first aid cream and there are many studies looking into other potential medicinal uses.

Shea Butter in the Food Industry

The majority of shea nut exports are processed abroad to serve the food industry in Europe. Shea is traditionally used as a cooking fat.

Because the fat content is so similar to cocoa it has been authorized as a substitute for cocoa butter in the food industry in many parts of the world. This makes it a more sustainable addition to foods, such as chocolate and ice cream. It is also used as a vegetable fat in margarine and animal feed.

What do you think about Shea?

The versatility of the shea never ceases to amaze me. I have used this product myself for most of my life, gradually letting go of cosmetics with questionable ingredients in favour of the simplicity of shea. My children have also benefited as I learned about its many uses, including as a good moisturizer on a harsh Canadian winter day.

Shea is another example of how nature provides an amazing nurturing product. From sustenance in local African villages, to food and beauty in global markets. Seek out and support small scale, sustainable, free trade producers – Shea on you.

Have you used shea? Let us know in the comments what you think about shea butter.