People across Africa have used shea butter as a balm for millennia – a recent scientific study confirms that doing so contributes to good health. In August, researchers at the College of Science and Technology at Nihon University in Japan reported that “shea nuts and shea fat (shea butter) constitute a significant source of anti-inflammatory and anti-tumor promoting compounds.” The study abstract is available online. (http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/20484832)