What is Shea Butter? What kind of plant does it come from?

Answer 1

Shea Butter sounds like the new competition for Lindsay Lohan and Hilary Duff.

Answer 2

Shea butter, also known as karite butter, is a cream-colored fatty substance made from the nuts of karite nut trees (also called Mangifolia trees) that grow in the savannah regions of West and Central Africa. Karite trees, or shea trees, are not cultivated. They grow only in the wild, and can take up to 50 years to mature (they live up to 300 years!). In most parts of West Africa, destruction of the shea tree is prohibited because this little nut provides a valuable source of food, medicine, and income for the population. In fact, shea butter is sometimes referred to as “women’s gold” in Africa, because so many women are employed in the production of shea butter.

Answer 3

Shea butter is a slightly greenish natural fat extracted from fruit of the Shea tree by crushing and boiling. Shea butter is edible. It is consumed in traditional cuisine and used in the chocolate industry as a substitute for cocoa butter.


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Answer 4

Shea butter comes from a tree in Africa. It's nuts have high oil content. It is used for the skin.The africans have used it for yrs to protect their skins from the scorching heat and winds of the desert

Answer 5

It comes from the shea tree, its actually a gigantic nut! i saw one in florida and they were selling it for 5dollars a container, it cures dry skin the best! ever! and they say u can use it for sunscreen , conditioner, minor burns, diaper rash, and many other things. its an interesting plant!

Answer 6

It comes from the fruit of the Shea tree.

It's also edible.

Answer 7

http://www.thesheaproject.org/index.html

Check this web site. It shows photographs of the trees and flowers and has a marvelous article with them.