Nutrients in shea products and chemical properties of shea butter
What it found
Shea pulp is rich in vitamin C, and the kernels hold a lot of fat.
The butter shows antioxidant and anti-inflammatory activity in lab tests.
What they found
Animal and lab studies
Antioxidant and anti-inflammatory effects
Lab tests on the biochemical traits of shea butter suggest it has some antioxidant and anti-inflammatory activity. These are lab findings, not results from people eating it.
Other findings
Vitamin C in pulp
Shea pulp holds 196.1 mg of vitamin C per 100 g. Eating 50 g covers 332% of the daily need for children aged 4 to 8 years. It covers 98% of the daily need for pregnant women.
Fat in kernels
Shea kernels contain between 17.4 and 59.1 g of fat per 100 g of dry weight. Reported values vary widely across studies.
How butter is made
Fat is mostly extracted using traditional steps. These include roasting and pressing the kernels, mixing the liquid with water, boiling, straining, and cooling.
Uses of shea butter
The butter is used in cooking. It is also used in medicine and cosmetics.
What the authors conclude
- They suggest more research to improve the quality and shelf life of shea butter.
- They advise scientists to use more precise methods when measuring composition so that natural differences are clearer.
How it was done
Demand for shea kernels and butter is growing. The authors wanted to gather what is known about the nutrients and chemical traits of these products.
The authors surveyed published studies on the nutrients in shea pulp, kernels, and butter. They also looked at the physical and chemical traits of shea butter. No new experiments were done.
What it can’t tell you
- We summarised it from the abstract only.
- This work gathered past studies rather than testing shea butter directly in people or animals. Lab signs of antioxidant activity do not show what happens when someone eats it.
Who paid
- Authors work at
- Université d'Abomey-Calavi, Benin
The paper
- Title
- Nutritional composition of shea products and chemical properties of shea butter: a review
- Type
- ReviewThe authors read earlier studies and describe what they found. It isn’t a new study.
- Evidence
- Animals and lab studies
- Summarised from
- Abstract only
- Cite
- Honfo FG, Akissoe N, Linnemann AR, Soumanou M, Van Boekel MA (2014). Nutritional composition of shea products and chemical properties of shea butter: a review. Critical reviews in food science and nutrition. doi:10.1080/10408398.2011.604142PubMed 24261539DOI
Summary written 30 Sep 2026. Check it against the paper before it changes what you eat. How we summarise papers · Report an error