There is a lot of information about Shea Butter on the internet telling you about all of its wonderful benefits. Like everything else that is on the marker there is good quality Shea Butter and not so good quality.

Green Valley buys 100% natural, unrefined Shea Butter from a small village in northern Ghana called Tapko. Life is tough here and tougher still for the women whose husbands have died, leaving them with small children to raise alone. There is little cash economy and villagers must grow and harvest enough food and supplies during the rainy season to last them through the long, hot, dry season.

In the Tapko village a group of widows realized that by working together they would be able to support their children and families better. The group was formed 20 years ago and there are now 70 members who, along with the rest of the villagers, pick all of the fruit which is delicious and enjoyed by all. After the fruit is eaten, the nuts that are in the centre of the fruit are returned to the members who then make the butter.

This centuries old method does not use anything at all to speed up the process. Neither do they use preservatives or colouring agents. The nuts are spread on the ground to dry under the sun, then the kernels are separated from the hulls and are cold pressed. Each batch is hand made with all natural, centuries old methods. In past newsletters we have shared some of this process in more detail. We will continue the story of the process in future newsletters.

Most seed oils can be divided into two fractions: saponifiable and unsaponifiable. The saponifiable contents contain most of the moisturizing qualities while the unsaponifiable contents contain the healing properties. As Shea Butter has a high healing fraction, it is recommended for use on the skin and for a number of conditions. Shea Butter is naturally rich in Vitamin A and E. Both are fabulous anti-oxidants that can help to counteract free-radical damage from the sun.