Healthy Living

When it comes to small easy changes we can make our diets and beauty products are an easy place to start. Making use of vbenfical natural ingredients like cacao butter and shea butter in your bath and body products like lotions as well as in our daily diets in things like homade fat bombs or simply string into our coffee can make a world of a difference. Today we are going to talk about the benefits of cacao butter. What Is Cacao Butter? This healthy fat is made from cocoa beans. Cacao butter is made from cocoa beans in a similar way to cocoa butter. What makes the two fats different from each other is how they are processed. In order for cacao butter to be created, cocoa beans have to undergo a low and slow processing that does not exceed 115 degrees Fahrenheit. The uncooked raw version of cocoa butter created by this process is the same cocoa flavor as raw cocoa butter. As a common ingredient in body products and cooking, cacao butter is considered a vegetable fat. Cacao butter is a healthy plant-based fat that is perfect for feeding your body the necessary fats that it requires to thrive and has many great benefits for your body. Cocoa Butter Benefits for your health Cacao butter is very healthy for you and should be incorporated into your diet when possible. The benefits of cacao butter have been proven and are very easy to take advantage of. Reduce the risk of heart disease Cacao butter contains a large amount of healthy fats, which aid the body in metabolizing fat properly as well as protecting it from heart disease. People often forget the importance of healthy fats for the overall function of the body, and spend an excessive amount of time trying to limit all fats from their diets. The fats in cacao butter include an fatty acid called Oleic Acid, which can also be found in healthy fat sources such as avocados, olive oil, and eggs. Improve heart health It has been proven that Stearic Acid, a saturated fatty acid found in cacao butter, can help lower LDL cholesterol levels. In addition, it helps reduce blood pressure as well as improve heart health overall. It should be noted that cacao butter contains omega-3 fatty acids that have been shown to help control the triglycerides in the body, lowering blood pressure and improving the function of the heart. Help lower blood sugar levels The results of studies have shown that regular consumption of chocolate, which contains cacao butter, can lower the risk of diabetes by as much as 34% for those who consume it on a regular basis. Studies have shown that healthy fats can reduce blood sugar levels by boosting the metabolic rate, which in turn helps to fight insulin resistance issues often resulting in weight loss. Try using cacao butter in your homemade fat bombs. Improve your mental health It is common for people to crave chocolate when they are feeling low or depressed. Likewise, women who have eaten near their periods and have experienced hormonal fluctuations that mess with their emotions often talk about intense cravings for chocolate. The reason for this is due to the fact that the healthy Omega-3 fatty acids in cacao butter found in chocolate are renowned for their ability to enhance serotonin levels, which is helpful in reducing depression and improving overall mood. Helps with cognitive support Fats are essential for the proper functioning of our brains. Hence, if we consume healthy fats on a daily basis, such as cacao butter, we can contribute to improving and sustaining the overall functioning of the brain. Those living with a high risk of memory issues and cognitive impairment can reduce their risk factors by consuming cacao butter. It can also keep their minds healthy for longer periods of time. Lower your cancer risk Those who live in the Caribbean region, where cacao is grown, and who consume a diet high in cacao have shown to have a lower cancer rate than other people who do not consume cacao. Several studies have documented a link between chocolate consumption and cancer risk. Probably as a result of a combination of healthy fats and the presence of many antioxidants, including vitamin E, that can be found in cacao. Beauty benefits of cacao butter while cacao butter is great for your overall health as part of your diet it is also great for beauty products beacuse it is highly moisturizing. Adding cacao butter to your homemade soaps, bath bombs, and other beauty prdurcts is a great way to make use of cacao butter for your hair and skin. Cacao butter benefits for your hair Cacao butter is highly moisturizing and can help heal a dry scalp while leaving your hair sleek and shinny. Adding cacao butter to your hot oil treatment or to your homemade bar shampoo is a great way to make the most of cacao butter for your hair. Cacao butter benefits for your skin Cacao butter is packed with antioxidants like fatty acids and vitamin E. Both of which are great for your skins health. Anyone can make use of cacao butter by mixing it into there own ohomade whipped body butter or homemade lotion. I have even used it on its own allowing it to melt gently in my hand before using as a lotion. Cacao butter will leave yoru skin soft and smooth while helping to fight the signs of aging. The Best Cacao Butter options Navitas Organics There is a wonderful brand named Navitas Organics that provides quality ingredients for your cooking and personal care products that are fair trade. It is cold-pressed cacao butter made from cacao beans that are sourced from small family-owned farms in Peru. Navitas Organics Cacao butter is a great option for a clean ethicly sources cacao butter. Organic Traditions As one of the most popular and easily accessible brands of organic cacao butter, Organic Traditions is also certified organic, gluten-free, and kosher. This makes Organic Traditons Cacao Butter a great choice for those with dietary concerns and those who are looking for foods that fit a higher standard and are not processed on equipment that could pose a problem for those with food allergies. Wildly Organic It is also available on Amazon Prime if you find yourself in need of a quality organic responsibly sourced cacao butter in a hurry. Wildly Organic is a small independent company available at local sites like Kroger and several other large chains through these outlets and on Amazon.com. How To Use Cacao Butter There are many skin care products made with cacao butter, as cacao butter contains moisturizing and skin healing fatty acids as well as vitamin E. Since cacao butter is very hydrating, it is common to find cacao butter in skin care products in addition to quality cacao. As cacao butter has a high smoke point, it is great for cooking because of its versatility. Those who use cacao butter for baking and for making chocolates will probably find that the hint of chocolate flavor makes this oil the best substitute for butter or other cooking oils when making sweets. When it comes to baking, cacao butter is a great dairy-free and vegan butter substitute. Is raw cacao butter good for you? Raw cacao butter has many benefits for the human body. When fats are cooked, they are broken down, which alters their composition and the quality of fats we consume as a result. It is important to get to know that by using cacao butter instead of cooked cocoa butter, you are providing yourself with the original source of fat, which is unaltered and packed with nutrients. As well as providing you with plenty of healthy fats, cacao butter also provides you with a number of essential minerals. There is no doubt that cacao butter has proven health benefits such as improving blood sugar levels, improving bone health, improving nerve function, and even boosting your immune system. Cacao butter versus cocoa butter: What's the difference? Cocoa butter and cacao butter are both derived from the same cacao beans. The difference between the two products is the way the cocoa beans are processed. Cocoa butter is made from the fats that are extracted from cocoa beans by roasting and pressing them together. The high heat process is done quickly and the remaining parts of the bean are ground into cocoa powder. Cocoa is also made through a similar process that uses a lower range of heat to preserve the natural oils in the cocoa beans, rather than cooking the oils altogether. After this procedure, you are left with raw fat that is unaltered, holds well at room temperature, and is ideal for body products and low-temperature recipes. Does cacao butter go bad? The fat in cacao can last for a long time on the shelf without going rancid, as it is a stable chain fat. As this is a very important distinction since some plant-based fats can turn rancid quite easily if left to sit for an extended period of time. There will be an unpleasant smell when you open the container of cacao butter if the product has gone bad. You might notice changes in the texture of your cacao butter as time passes, but this is due to a fluctuation in temperature, not a reduction in quality. The texture of the cacao butter is not uniform and varies slightly from one batch to another but texture variants is normal. Does cacao butter need to be refrigerated? It is not necessary to refrigerate cacao butter, as it does not require refrigeration. It is recommended that you store your cacao butter in a cool dark place away from direct sunlight so that it will have the longest shelf life. In spite of the fact that your cacao butter will arrive in plastic or a plastic bag, you should put it in an air-tight glass jar to ensure the longest shelf life for your cacao butter.