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I stopped short in a large clearing. A crowd of native tribesmen were hard at work. They were gathering big, brown, fuzzy fruits the size of small melons. My guide scooped up one of the fruits. With a big knife he cracked it open like a coconut and offered me some of the creamy pulp inside. It was delicious but unlike anything I had ever tasted. The flavor reminded me of chocolate but also papaya, melon, banana, and passion fruit. The workers told me this was the national fruit of Brazil. It’s called it cupuaçu (“coo-poo-ah-SOO”), a cousin of the cacao plant. Traditional healers have used cupuaçu’s healing properties for centuries. It boosts immunity, lowers blood pressure in much the same way chocolate does, and can sooth the stomach. Brazilians also rely on cupuaçu to increase energy, libido and fertility. But what really caught my attention was the cupuaçu butter I saw the women using. The fruit has a large center seed pod loaded with “beans.” Inside the beans is a creamy-pulpy mixture that reminded me of cocoa butter. But when I smoothed some on my skin, I knew it was different. It gave me a clean, refreshing feeling … I immediately thought, “Could this be the secret to the youthful beauty of the Brazilian women?” I had to know what was in it. So I took cupuaçu home and analyzed it. Here’s what I found. Cupuaçu is rich in at least nine antioxidants including vitamins A and C.1 And just like chocolate, it has a high flavonoid content. In fact, I discovered two powerful new flavonoids called “theograndins.” They aren’t found in any other plant on earth. With such a high concentration of antioxidants, flavonoids and other polyphenols, cupuaçu breaks down free radicals on the skin. That’s important in our modern world where harmful chemicals and other toxins in our environment produce tons of free radicals. They attack skin cells and lead to wrinkles, dark spots, drying, and other signs of aging. But the natural compounds in cupuaçu boost your skin’s natural defenses. They also act as a sunscreen protecting you from UVA and UVB damage that ages skin. It helps you preserve fresh, young-looking skin. I also discovered that cupuaçu has an extremely high fat content. Even higher than cocoa butter. It contains five fatty acids including palmitic, stearic and oleic acids. These fats preserve skin elasticity and prevent fine lines and wrinkles. And cupuaçu improves the appearance of dry, thinning skin. The fats hydrate skin and help it hold in moisture. In fact, cupuaçu attracts 240% more water to your skin than lanolin. That’s the most popular moisturizing ingredient on the market. It comes from the wool of sheep. But many people are allergic or sensitive to lanolin or wool. Others find lanolin makes their skin break out. Cupuaçu is a great alternative to lanolin that gently plumps your skin and gives you a toned youthful look. You won’t find pure cupuaçu butter at your local cosmetics counter. But you can find it online. The botanical name is Theobroma grandiflorum. Look for “cold-pressed” butter since heat processing can destroy its skin-protecting antioxidants. If you order your cupuaçu butter on the internet it may melt during the trip. That can cause the butter to crystallize or become grainy when it solidifies again. That’s OK. The butter will retain all of its healing properties. But if you’d like to get rid of the graininess here’s how. Just heat the butter using a double-boiler. Don’t use a microwave. When it’s melted, pour the butter into a container and place it in the freezer for rapid cool down. Once your butter has cooled to room temperature the crystallization will be gone. You can use 100% cupuaçu butter as a moisturizer. Or you can use it to make your own body cream, hand lotion, or even lipstick. Here’s an easy whipped cupuaçu body butter recipe. Gently melt ½ cup cupuaçu butter, ¼ cup coconut oil, and ¼ cup almond oil in a double boiler. You can also add about 10 to 15 drops of essential oils. Vanilla, almond, or lemon extracts work well. After it’s melted, pour the oil into a mixing bowl to cool in the fridge. When it’s just starting to solidify around the edges, beat it with an electric mixer until it looks like whipped cream. It might take about 10 minutes. Transfer it to a tightly sealed jar. That’s it! I also recommend experimenting with eating the fruit. You won’t find it fresh in U.S. supermarkets. But some specialty stores will carry the frozen puree. It’s also available in powdered or concentrated juice form. Look for it in shops that specialize in Brazilian foods. Try blending the frozen puree into a tropical fruit smoothie with oranges, pineapples, and bananas. Cupuaçu is caffeine-free. But it will give you an energetic lift that will last longer than coffee. It contains compounds called “theacrines.” 2 They produce mood and energy enhancing effects. But they don’t cause the crash you get with chocolate or coffee. To Your Good Health, 1. Yang H et al, “New bioactive polyphenols from Theobroma grandiflorum (“cupuaçu”). J Nat Prod. 2003;66(11):1501-4.
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