Many don’t realize that they have ingested and rubbed cocoa butter onto their skin at least once in their life. In fact, in places like the Caribbean and Mesoamerica, cocoa beans have been harvested to make natural skin moisturizers for centuries. Considered to be high in antioxidants, Cocoa butter is extracted from the cocoa bean and is often found in melt-in-your-mouth chocolate and in beauty products such as body lotions, chapsticks, lip glosses, and in many other beauty ointments. Cocoa butter is indeed edible and delicious, as it has a smell and tastes faintly of dark chocolate.
Containing a significant amount of flavonoid and polyphenol antioxidants, cocoa butter is considered to be a healthy fat, just like coconut oil. Cocoa butter contains many different types of fatty acids such as lauric acid, stearic acid, arachidic acid, palmitic acid, and myristic acid. So it comes as no surprise that there are many health benefits of cocoa butter. Interested in learning more? Check out some of fantastic cocoa butter benefits and learn more about its many uses!
• Stretch marks happen throughout life, but many find them to be embarrassing and unsightly. Luckily, cocoa butter mixed with coconut oil is an excellent way to minimize the appearance of stretch marks. This natural concoction is even safe to use during pregnancy!
• Due to the fatty acids and antioxidant properties that cocoa butter contains, cocoa butter can help prevent the effects of aging by applying it on your skin or by ingesting it. Cocoa butter can help prevent and lessen the appearance of crow’s feet, sunspots, and wrinkles.
• Do you have an unsightly scar that often makes you feel self-conscious? Luckily, regular use of cocoa butter can help heal damaged skin and fade scars. Scars can be challenging to get rid of, but due to cocoa butter’s exceptional moisturizing and antioxidant properties, it is one effective remedy!
• Are you looking for a healthy way to gain weight? Often times this can be hard to accomplish, but adding healthy sources of fat slowly into your daily diet is the way to go. For people suffering from eating disorders, incorporating raw, unprocessed cocoa butter can really help them on their path to recovery.
• Cocoa butter is chock full of minerals and vitamins so that it can be a healthy addition to anyone’s diet. In addition, cocoa butter also aids in boosting the immune system, potentially helping to suppress the T-cell activity in our immune systems. The plant polyphenols found in cocoa butter can also help fight inflammation, cellular mutations, and DNA damage.
• If you want to have healthy hair and nails, use cocoa butter internally as well as externally. Cocoa is an excellent source of sulfur, which helps you achieve that ‘healthy glow’ complexion, as well as shiny nails and hair. Cocoa butter is also excellent to use externally on the hair and skin, giving your hair and skin the moisture it needs. There’s a reason cocoa butter is typically used in DIY skin and hair treatments!
