Karité

Genus: Butyrospermum
english name: shea nut

Family: Sapotaceae
Compounds: fatty acids (palmitic, stearic, oleic, linoleic, and arachidic) and vitamins A and E
Parts used: seeds
Properties: skin moisturizer and retaining the elasticity of the skin
Uses
internal uses: is also used in food preparations in Africa
external uses: is used to treat dry skin, blemishes, skin discoloration, scars and wrinkles. Shae oil is used for cooking (though it is a high-fat oil). It is an antimicrobial agent that speed the healing of wounds, helps prevent and fade scarring and stretchmarks, and relieve joint pains rheumatism.

Butyrospermum parkii, Shea or Shea nut is a tree indigenous to Africa (Mali, Cameroon, Congo, Côte d'Ivoire, Ghana, Guinea, Togo, Nigeria, Senegal, Sudan, Burkina Faso and Uganda). A traditional food plant in Africa. In the West, shea is most often associated with cosmetics. The nuts of the Karite tree are picked, cracked, grilled and then pounded. They are then boiled for hours in water so as to extract the shea butter, which is then scooped out and left to cool. It solidifies at room temperature and is ready to be used. Shea butter is also used in food preparations in Africa. Shea butter benefit is mainly derived from its high content of non- saponifiable fatty acids.