Shea Butter Benefits

Shea Butter is only found in Africa. It is extracted from the seeds of the Shea-Karite tree, which can live for 300 years, begins to bear fruit after about 15 years; and can take up to 30 years to bear a quality crop of nuts with a high content of irremovable fatty acid. It is called the “tree of life” because it provides a life support system for African people in several ways. Different parts of the tree (nuts, roots and bark) are used for food, medicine, soap and other purposes, as well as for commerce. It is this irremovable fatty acid that gives Shea Butter its unique healing properties and makes it far superior to cocoa butter and other vegetable butters. When these seeds or nuts are harvested, they are then removed of their outer shell. These nuts are then crushed by hand so that they can be slowly roasted into a nice butter. After this is done, it is kneaded by hand in large basin of water to separate the oils. Finally, the Shea Butter is removed off the top of the pot, and cooled until it hardens. Shea butter melts at body temperature. 

Karite puter se moze naci samo u Africi. Dobija se iz plodova karite drveta koje moze da zivi do 300 godina i pocinje da donosi plodove nakon 15 godina a vrijeme potrebno da stvori kvalitetne plodove moze da potraje i do 30 godina. Tek tada ce se dobiti plodovi sa visokim udjelom masnih kiselina. Zvano je i “drvo zivota” zato sto predstavlja izvor zivotnog sistema za ljude koji zive u Africi na vise nacina. Razliciti dijelovi karite drveta (plodovi, korijen i kora) se koriste kao hrana, lijek, sapun te i u ostale svrhe, kao i za trgovinu. Visok udio masnih kiselina mu daje sposobnost zacjeljivanja i cini ga daleko superiornijim od kakao putera i ostalih biljnih putera. Kako sve funkcionise je da nakon sto uberu i pokupe sve plodove, biti ce im uklonjena zastitna kora. Potom su rucno zgnjeceni kako bi se kasnije pekli dok se ne dobije fini puter. Nakon toga ce biti rucno mjesani u velikoj zdjeli/ lavoru punom vode kako bi se ulja razdvojila. Napokon, karite puter ce biti pokupljen sa vrha posude i biti ce ohladjen dok se ne stvrdne. Karite puter se topi na tjelesnoj temperaturi.

Shea butter has been used for centuries on the African continent and is completely enmeshed within the history and culture of the people. Shea butter is mentioned in almost all African historical documents. Jars of shea could be found in the caravans of Egyptian queen Cleopatra and was also used by Nefertiti and the Queen of Sheba. Funeral beds of kings were carved in wood of old Shea trees, and Shea butter has always been a staple of African pharmacology. Scientific observations in the 1940s verified that occurrence of skin diseases was scarce in populations using shea butter. Shea butter is an important natural resource for the savanna nations. Until recently, Europeans have controlled all shea butter for export by purchasing the shea kernels and chemically extracting the oil using hexane. Most of this shea butter is sold as cocoa butter equivalents in western nations, but some is also sold in the cosmetic market. Chemically extracted shea butter, however, does not retain all the healing and moisturizing properties of traditionally, mechanically produced shea butter.

Karite puter se koristi vec stoljecima na africkom kontinentu i potpuno je upleten sa historijom i kulturom tog naroda. Karite puter se spominje u skoro svim africkim historijskim dokumentima. Posude karite putera su mogli biti nadjene u karavanima egipatske kraljice Kleopatre a koristila ga je i Nefertiti pa i kraljica Sheba. Pogrebni lezajevi kraljeva su bili izradjeni od starog karite drveta a karite puter je uvijek bio jedna od osnova u africkoj farmakologiji. Naucna istrazivanja iz 1940-tih su potvrdila da su kozne bolesti bile znatno rijedje kod naroda koji su koristili karite puter. On je izuzetno bitan prirodni resurs nacija africkih savana. Sve do nedavno su Evropljani imali kontrolu nad svim izvozom karite putera tako sto su kupovali jezgre karite putera i hemijski ih ekstrahirali koristeci se heksanom. Vecina ovog karite putera je potom bila prodavana kao ekvivalent kakao puteru zemljama Zapada a jedan se dio prodavao i na kozmetickom trzistu. Hemijski preradjen karite puter nece sadrzavati sva zacjeljujuca i hranljiva svojstva za razliku od tradicionalno, rucno proizvedenog karite putera.

Interesting facts and uses of Shea Butter: 

It contains five essential fatty acids, (a major amount coming from stearic and oleic acids), phytosterols, vitamins E and D, allantoin (good for healing skin irritations), and vitamin A 

Shea butter neutralize free radical damage, reducing fine lines and wrinkles and fading age spots, as well as stimulating collagen production 

The variety of Shea butter found in Northern Uganda and Southern Sudan (vitellaria nilotica) is more expensive because it’s harder to obtain due to civil unrest, it’s also higher in olein which makes it softer and more fragrant, it's better absorbed into the skin because of lower content of saturated fatty acids 

Shea butter in the west (vitellaria paradoxa) is higher in vitamin A, which is better for wrinkles and stretch marks 

It helps fade acne and other scars, heals sunburned, cracked and peeling skin, soothes skin allergies like poison ivy and insect bites, and skin conditions like contact dermatitis and psoriasis 

It is also believed to reduce muscle aches and rheumatism by stimulating the elimination of toxins from muscles 

The bark is an ingredient in traditional medicines against certain childhood illnesses and minor scrapes and cuts 

The shell of the nuts can repel mosquitoes 

Shea butter has the ability to heal burns and wounds and to promote cell regeneration and capillary circulation 

It is commonly used in the treatment of eczema, rashes and severely dry skin 

It provides natural protection against the sun’s damaging ultraviolet rays 

It also acts as a natural barrier against the elements of cigarette smoke, and harmful chemical pollutants and smog in the atmosphere 

It's used as an anti inflammatory and soothing salve for babies (diaper rash) 

It helps with skin peeling after tanning 

It can be used instead of a shaving cream to reduce razor irritation 

It's great in softening tough skin on feet (especially heels) 

It's used for stretch mark prevention during pregnancy 

Shea butter eliminates scalp irritation from dryness or chemical processing 

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Interesantne cinjenice i upotreba karite putera:

Sadrzi pet esencijalnih masnih kiselina (vecina dolazi od stearinske i oleinske kiseline), fitosterole, vitamine E i D, alantoin (koji je odlican po pitanju umirivanju iritacija koze) i vitamin A 

Karite puter neutralise ostecenja od slobodnih radikala, umanjuje fine linije i bore te pomaze da staracke pjege izblijede a istovremeno stimulise proizvodnju kolagena 

Vrsta karite putera iz Sjeverne Ugande i Juznog Sudana (vitellaria nilotica) je skuplja jer je teze doci do nje zbog gradjanskih nemira a takodjer ima visi udio oleina sto cini taj karite puter meksi i mirisniji, bolje se upija u kozu zbog nizeg udjela zasicenih masnih kiselina 

Karite puter iz zapadnog dijela Afrike (vitellaria paradoxa) sadrzi vece kolicine vitamina A sto ga cini boljim u tretiranju bora i strija 

Pomaze da izblijede oziljci od akni i generalno oziljci, zacjeljuje opekotine od sunca, ispucalu kozu i kozu koja se peruta, pomaze kod alergija koze na brsljan i kod ugriza kukaca, te u lijecenju oboljenja koze poput dermatitisa i psorijaze 

Vjeruje se da umanjuje bolove u misicima i reumatizam tako sto stimulise eliminaciju toksina iz misica 

Kora karite drveta je sastojak u tradicionalnim lijekovima za odredjene djecije bolesti i za manje porezotine i ostecenja koze 

Kora samog karite ploda odbija komarce 

Karite puter pomaze da opekotine i rane zacijele i pomaze u celijskom obnavljanju i kapilarnoj cirkulaciji 

Cesto se koristi u lijecenju ekcema, osipa i ekstremno suhe koze 

Pruza prirodnu zastitu od stetnih ultraljubicastih suncevih zraka 

Ponasa se kao prirodni zastitni sloj od dima cigareta te stetnih hemijskih zagadjivaca i smoga u atmosferi 

Koristi se kao protuupalna i umirujuca mast za bebe (pelenski osip) 

Pomaze kod perutanja i ljustenja koze nakon koristenja solarija 

Moze se koristiti umjesto pjene za brijanje jer ce umanjiti rizik od iritacije koze koristenjem zileta 

Odlicno omeksava tvrdu kozu (posebnu tvrdu kozu na petama) 

Koristi se za prevenciju od strija tokom trudnoce 

Karite puter eliminise iritaciju tjemena zbog suhoce i hemijskih tretmana/ farbanje kose 

While Western women discover the endless beautifying qualities of shea butter, the women of Ghana, Mali, Nigeria, Burkina Faso and elsewhere who make this product by hand, also benefit. Unrefined shea butter is a valuable natural resource for Africa and is strengthening and building women’s economic security. Each year approximately 100,000 tons of shea butter and shea oil are exported from Africa. By purchasing shea butter products, we are able to dramatically change the lives of entire rural communities in Africa with better housing, medical care, food and fresh water. Most importantly, this extra income allows African women to give their children, particularly their daughters, the chance to go to school. What I personally can do is purchase L'Occitane products that contain Fair Trade Shea Butter such as their limited edition body creams with Shea Butter, the regular Shea Butter range and the latest Honey & Shea Butter line from which I own a hand cream. It's somewhat complicated to get hold of unrefined, raw African Shea Butter (especially in Bosnia) but if you do find out where to get it, do let me know. I would also love to be able to purchase Shea Radiance products because they're absolutely gorgeous. Readers from the USA should definitely purchase these lovely shea products (lucky!) while I weep in front of my laptop. I recommend visiting the Shea Radiance website HERE and the Shea Radiance blog HERE. I actually discovered the inspirational lady Shola Alabi which has together with her husband, Funlayo Alabi, founded Shea Radiance in 2005. Shea Radiance is a eco-luxury beauty brand which commenced after this amazing duo started using pure unrefined shea butter to develop skincare for their children. Now it's a serious business in full swing, featured and awarded, with a cause. They also have a Facebook page which you can check out HERE. I would like to deeply thank dear Shola Alabi for letting me use Shea Radiance imagery and information.

Dok zene iz zapadnih zemalja otkrivaju neogranicene mogucnosti uljepsavanja karite puterom i zene iz Gane, Malija, Nigerije, Burkine Faso te ostalih africkih zemalja koje proizvode svojim rukama uljepsavajuci karite puter imaju koristi. Nerafinirani karite puter predstavlja vrijedan prirodni resurs za Afriku te ojacava i gradi ekonomsku sigurnost zena. Svake se godine priblizno 100,000 tona karite putera i ulja izveze iz Afrike. Kupovinom proizvoda sa karite puterom mozemo dramaticno promijeniti zivote citavih ruralnih zajednica Afrike pomazuci finansiranju izgradnje boljih kuca, lijecnickom pomoci, hranom i svjezom vodom. Sto je jos bitnije, dodatni prihodi omogucavaju africkim zenama da svojoj djeci, posebno svojim kcerkama, pruze mogucnost skolovanja. Ono sto licno mogu uciniti je kupiti L'Occitane proizvode sa Fair Trade karite puterom poput krema za tijelo sa kariteom iz limitiranih linija, iz stalne Karite Puter linije te posljednje Med i Karite Puter linije iz koje posjedujem kremu za ruke. Nesto je komplikovanije nabaviti nerafinirani, sirovi africki karite puter (posebno u BiH) pa ako nekada otkrijete gdje ga kupiti, javite mi. Takodjer bih voljela da sam u prilici kupiti Shea Radiance proizvode jer su prekrasni. Citatelji iz SAD-a bi definitivno trebali iskoristiti priliku i kupiti ove krasne proizvode (sretnici!) dok ja samo mogu da slinim nad laptopom. Preporucujem da posjetite Shea Radiance online stranicu OVDJE i Shea Radiance blog OVDJE. Ja sam otkrila ovu inspirativnu gospodju pod imenom Shola Alabi koja je zajedno sa svojim suprugom, Funlayo Alabi-jem, osnovala Shea Radiance 2005. godine. Shea Radiance je eko-luksuzni beauty brend koji je zapocet tako sto je ovaj nevjerovatni par poceo koristiti cisti, nerafinirani karite puter u izradjivanju linije proizvoda za svoju djecu. Sada je rijec o ozbiljnom biznisu koji se i dalje razvija, dobija medijsku paznju i nagradjivan je a jos k tome ima i plemenit cilj. Imaju i Facebook stranicu koju mozete posjetiti OVDJE. Zeljela bih se duboko zahvaliti dragoj Sholi Alabi na tome sto mi je dopustila da koristim Shea Radiance slike i informacije.