- Cocoa trees are native to South and Central America and were used by the early Mayan and Aztec civilizations. The Mayans first cultivated chocolate from the cocoa tree, using it as a restorative health food. It quickly became integrated into their society, being used in ceremonies and given as gifts. The Aztecs took their love for cocoa one step further and used the beans as currency. The rest of the world began its love affair with cocoa when it was exported to Europe. The Dutch, Swiss and French spent centuries perfecting recipes for chocolate, which was mostly in liquid form. However, it was not until the invention of the cocoa press in 1828 by a Dutch chemist and chocolate master that cocoa butter was extracted from cocoa beans.
- The fat in chocolate comes from cocoa butter, which is considered a "good fat" with more than 35 percent of it being monounsaturated or polyunsaturated fat. Despite this fat content, many studies show that consuming chocolate has no effect on cholesterol in the blood. In fact, most of the fat content in cocoa butter comes from stearic and oleic acid. Oleic acid is the fatty acid that is also found in heart-healthy olive oil, and stearic acid is actually converted from a saturated fat to an unsaturated fat through metabolism. Cocoa butter also contains antioxidants, which retard rancidity and allow for a long storage life. It is often combined with other fats to improve their stability.
- With a faint smell of chocolate, cocoa butter is often used in topical preparations. First and foremost, cocoa butter is an excellent moisturizer. It is easily absorbed into the skin because it melts at body temperature. Those with sensitive skin and skin conditions, such as eczema and dermatitis, especially favor it. It creates a barrier for sensitive skin, protecting it from the environment and retaining moisture. Pregnant women have also long sung the praises of cocoa butter in helping reduce stretch marks. Many lotions and oils containing cocoa butter are used in massages and aromatherapy to help promote relaxation and a feeling of well-being. Some research even suggests that a cocoa-butter massage can help relieve stress and boost the immune system.
- Another benefit cocoa butter offers is the large number of antioxidants it contains. Free radicals can destroy skin cells, causing them to dry up and wrinkle through a process called oxidation. With a large number of different antioxidants, including an abundance of vitamin E, cocoa butter neutralizes these free radicals by restoring the cells and preventing more damage.
- Even though cocoa butter has numerous health benefits, you should still exercise caution when using it on the skin and when enjoying it as part of your favorite chocolate indulgence. First, although cocoa butter can restore and moisturize damaged skin, it does not offer any protection from harmful UV rays. Second, the other high-fat and high-calorie ingredients found in a lot of chocolate products can render the heart-healthy cocoa butter benefits useless. It has also not been determined what the optimum serving size is needed to experience these cardiovascular benefits. The best route is to enjoy a small amount of dark chocolate a few times a week.
