Unrefined Shea Butter - By the pound - White

Africa's relationship with Shea butter is intimate in nature. The funeral beds of late kings are carved in the noble wood of an old Shea tree, and Shea butter has always served as a staple of African pharmacology. It acts as an effective decongestant, for example. Used for its draining and anti-inflammatory properties, it is soothing in sprains and strains, and is a widely used anti-arthritic treatment.

The Shea Tree

Living up to two centuries, the Shea Tree bears fruit after 15 years and produces a full crop after 25 years. It grows mainly in West Africa, and can reach a maximum height of 15 to 20 meters.

The Shea Tree cannot be cultivated. It blooms from June to July and bears dark green fruits which fall to the ground when ripe. Each fruit contains a nut with a hard white kernel which is the source of the Shea Butter. Before the Shea Nuts are collected to prepare shea butter, a prayer is said. This has been the practice for centuries in Ghana. The prayer is simply to thank mother nature for providing the shea tree. And also to show respect for collecting the shea tree's fruit.

What is Shea Butter

Shea Butter comes from the Shea Tree. Mostly found in West Africa. Ghana, Mali, Burkina Faso & Nigeria. It grows naturally in nature. The Shea Tree grows to 15 m in height, producing abundant fruit with green, sweet, fleshy pulp high in ascorbic acid, almost four times the amount found in oranges. It also contains iron, vit. B, protien, and calcium.

Traditionally, the nuts from the Shea Tree, called Shea Nuts, are picked, roasted, and pounded. It is then boiled for several hours to extract 100% PURE UNREFINED (straight from nature not mixed with anything) SHEA BUTTER.

The leaves and bark of the shea tree also are used extensively in herbal remedies. The fruit is edible.

Extracting Shea Butter

Women wake early and trek up to 15 k to collect these fruits. While doing so they face the dangers of being encountered by scorpions and poisonous snakes. With up to 40 kg of fruits upon their heads, the women and children head back to their villages to feast upon the fruits and begin the age old tradition of extracting shea butter from the kernal of the fruit.

The Shea Nut is picked, cracked, grilled and pounded to extract the butter. It is then boiled in water for a number of hours until the fresh shea butter rises to the surface. The substance is then scooped into gourds and then sun dried for 3-5 days before they are baked to complete dehydranation, when they can then be stored for several years without spoilage. The kernals must then be pounded to crush open the kernals to remove their skin. Handcrusing shea butter makes the most therapeutic quality of shea butter. This laborious work takes an average of 20 hours to produce one kilo of handcrushed shea butter. All is done by hand and has been for centuries. Although this process does not produce mass shea butter, it is still the best way to extract because there is no need for chemicals or synthetic agents to be added to extract the butter.

Extracting Shea Butter by Pressing

An expeller type press is used to crush the nuts of the shea butter. The shea nuts are pushed against the metal press and squeezed out of the nut by pressure. This produces Unrefined Shea Butter or Raw Shea Butter.

This method is used by many African women these days because it helps them organize and produce more shea butter in less time. It does not involve any chemicals. It is simply a faster way of extracting without compromising the pure unrefined shea butter. This process cuts at least 3-5 hours off the traditional extraction time.

Extracting Shea Butter using Solvent

The Shea Butter is removed from Shea Nuts by dissolving the shea nut with a chemical called Hexane at temperatures of about 56-65 degrees. Traces of the solvent remains in the shea butter. Sometimes left over shea butter from the Pressing method are mixed with the left over from the Solvent method and sold as "Unrefined Shea Butter".

What Happens to Shea Butter after it has been extracted.

Four main things happen to shea butter after it has been extracted. Refining, Bleaching, Deodorization & Degumming.

Refining: Sodium Hydroxide is mixed with the shea butter. Sometimes Sodium Hydroxide and Sodium Carbonate are mixed and added to the shea butter. This removes the free fatty acids from the shea butter. The phospholipids, proteins and minerals are removed by this process. Refining temperature is about 74 degrees.

Bleaching: In this process, important minerals are removed. The shea butter goes through an acid treated filter. Natural components and natural smells are removed. Bleaching temperature is about 110 degrees.

Deodorization: The natural smell and the natural minerals and vitamins of the shea butter are removed using steam and the exclusion of air during this process. Deodorization is at temperatures of 240-270 degrees. The shea butter which is now vitamin and mineral deficient as a result of this process is sometimes passed off as unrefined. Some justify this by saying that no external heat was applied to the shea butter.

Degumming: This removes protein compounds, complex carbohydrates if any, and the natural gums of the shea butter. Degumming also removes calcium, magnesium, iron and copper from the shea butter. This process is done at 60 degrees.

Does Shea Butter have a color or smell?

Unrefined Shea Butter has a cream (like whipped butter)to a grayish yellow color.

Refined Shea Butter, which is a bleached product but has some of its natural components intact, has a clear vibrant yellow color.

Processed/Industrialized butter that has hexane added to yield more shea butter, has a Clear white color. (Do not confuse this butter with cream).

The color of shea butter may range from light gray to medium yellow.

Shea Butter like all other natural products has a natural smell. These smells do not stink. The natural smell is usually stronger if the shea butter is fresh. As the Shea Butter gets older, the natural smell diminishes.

Shea Butter does not look like, smell like or feel like Cocoa Butter. They are two separate things. They are extracted differently. They do not come from the same tree. Shea Butter with no smell is not unrefined shea butter.

What is the shelf-life and texture of Shea Butter?

Unrefined Shea Butter does not spoil. It does not have a shelf life. It's healing properties are very powerful within the first year and a half. After that it is still usable but not as beneficial. There is no need to store it in a freezer or refrigerator. Treat it like you treat your moisturizers and lotions. Keep it in a cool dry place. If you have ever encountered spoiled unrefined shea butter, then it was not unrefined shea butter to begin with.

The texture of shea butter is smooth. Fresh shea butter is usually very soft. As the shea butter ages, it becomes stiffer but still smooth. Shea Butter is easily melted by the hot sun. This will make it liquefy. It will get back to its solid state once it is in a cool area. If shea butter is melted by the sun or a heater, it will sometimes become grainy when it solidifies. The grainy part is the part that was melted by the sun. When shea butter is melted under direct heat, the texture changes. It will never go back to its original texture. Some processed Shea Butter may have a gummy texture to it. Other processed shea butters may have a petroleum jelly texture to it.

Shea Butter Today

Today, shea butter is acknowledged all over the world for its nourishing, enriching and toning properties for skin & hair. Like every good product, traditional African shea butter has been dissected into refined, processed, industrialized, extra refined, ultra refined and a muddle of other names.

The commercial method of extracting shea butter has also added to the perplexity of shea butter. In most circles, shea butter is used as an ingredient in soaps, shampoos, conditioners, hair relaxers, lotions, hand & body creams etc. There is nothing wrong with using shea butter as an ingredient. As long as it is unrefined shea butter and the portions in the product is generous. It is important to preserve the ancient methods of shea butter. Shea Butter is nature's wonder.

What are some of the benefits of Shea Butter?

* Helps heal scars, burns, and stretch marks.* Prevents ashy skin, chapping, and skin rashes. * An ideal hair dressing that protects the scalp from sores and rashes. * Helps prevent weak hair from breaking, fading, or thinning out. * Fortifies cuticles and nails * Helps rid the scalp of Dandruff. * Helps bruises to heal. * Helps drain toxins from sore muscles: perfect for sports participants * Helps prevent skin irritation for babies: used for generations to help babies sleep better. * Use after shaving to prevent irritation, and to restore skins natural luster. * Ideal for dry skin, dermatitis, eczema, sunburn and athletes foot. * Rejuvenates skin pores and adds elasticity to skin. * Firms up aging skin and helps clear wrinkles. * Massage Shea butter into areas affected by arthritis, joint pains, or other muscular ache. * Naturally contains vitamins A and E.