You may have seen cacao butter listed on the back of a lotion bottle, but there’s much more to it than that. Cacao butter is the rich fat content that comes from cacao pods. In chocolate, it’s used to create the creamy texture, and on it’s own it has a sweet aromal.
Cacao butter contains omega fatty acids, which are important for cell health. There is no sugar in cacao butter, it is solely an oil. At room temperature, cacao butter is a solid, but it melts at a very low temperature, such as the warmth of skin. This is similar to coconut oil, but cacao butter is considered incredibly stable as a fat.
In food, you can use cacao butter in many ways. Use it as a butter or fat substitute in baking or throw a wafer in your smoothie. This will give you a boost of healthy fat, and create a creamy, rich texture. Or if you’re making a dairy free hot chocolate, add some cacao butter for that creamy, rich texture in whole milk cocoa.
You can also use cacao butter for skin care. Because of it’s dense texture, it is a rather heavy moisturizer, so it is best used at night. You can apply it directly to clean, dry skin, but you can also put it in homemade products!
If you make your own shampoo and conditioner, you can use cacao butter to keep your hair hydrated! It is especially good for shampoo and conditioner bars, as the cacao is solid at room temperature. You can also add it to cleansers, moisturizers, and lotions!
Cacao butter is a versatile product, and the possibilities are endless. Luckily, Foods Alive has you covered! We carry cacao butter in wafers, so it's easy to grab only as much as you need. You can find our cacao butter and more details by clicking here! If you make something using cacao butter, be sure to snap a picture and tag Foods Alive on social media! Happy creating!
Research
https://www.healthline.com/health/beauty-skin-care/cocoa-butter-benefits
