Cocoa butter is a pale-yellow vegetable fat pressed from cacao beans. Unlike cocoa powder, it contains almost none of the flavanols tied to antioxidant activity.
People use it mainly on the skin. The thick fat softens dry skin, lips, and stretch marks when applied directly. Inside the body, it acts as a standard dietary fat in chocolate and other foods without any documented systemic benefits beyond calorie provision.
Pure cocoa butter holds about 60% saturated fat. Eating large amounts can raise LDL cholesterol in some people. Anyone allergic to cocoa or chocolate should avoid cocoa butter completely.