Nuts

Oil

Shea Nut oil is the expressed fat of the seed of Vitellaria paradoxa from African savannah parklands, sold for finishing, baking, and sometimes gentle cooking. Cold-pressed oils taste more of the nut; refined oils are milder and sometimes more heat-tolerant. Sensory character: shea butter for food is mild and fatty; much global shea is cosmetic, but edible grades exist in regional cooking. Composition context: shea butter as the main product, a semi-solid fat for West African cooking and global cosmetics. Drizzle on salads, brush on pastry, or enrich dishes linked to West African soups and frying fats, plus edible refined shea in some food industries. Many nut oils dislike aggressive deep frying—bitterness and polymerisation appear when abused. Buy small dark bottles and recap promptly. Storage: butter keeps cool and sealed; kernels are intermediate goods. Specify edible vs cosmetic shea for kitchen use; not all retail shea is sold as food. Allergen oils can still matter clinically: treat as tree-derived fat; food vs cosmetic grades differ. Quality oil smells clean and true to shea nut, never like varnish.