Camu Camu

Camu Camu The Amazon - it represents over half of the planet's remaining rainforests, and comprises the largest and most biodiverse tract of tropical rainforest in the world, with thousands of rivers and territory belonging to nine nations. Along with this, there is an estimated 390 billion individual trees divided into a whopping 16,000 species.¹

So, it’s no surprise that along with this (and much more we haven’t mentioned), lies more than 150 types of berries, of which few are known to the outside world.

One of these exotic berries is known as Camu Camu…

What is Camu Camu?

Camu Camu (Myrciaria dubia) is a sour berry, similar to cherry in colour, that grows on a shrub like tree.

Whilst it still isn’t highly known outside the Amazon, it has become a more important commercial fruit in recent years.

What Makes Camu Camu So Special?

You may be thinking, out of 150 types of berries, what makes the Camu Camu so special?

Well, it’s the high content of Vitamin C - 100 g of fruit pulp may have 1000 mg to more than 3000 mg of Vitamin C, making it one of the richest sources of natural Vitamin C known to humans. Higher Vitamin C has only been reported in Kakadu plum, which is native to North Australia.¹

For centuries, the only source of Camu Camu was collection of berries from wild trees. In recent years however, farmers have established plantations.¹

What Are the Health Benefits of Camu Camu?

Here are just some of the many health benefits of Camu Camu:

Rich in Vitamin C

As you may know, Vitamin C is known to play a role in hundreds of important body functions.

This is needed for the production of collagen, muscles, bones, skin, and is necessary for the adequate working of the immune system. It’s also one of the most potent of all antioxidants.¹

Vitamin C can’t be produced by humans and is practically absent in animal products, which leaves fruits and vegetables as the only source of Vitamin C. What you may not know, is that the human body can’t store a lot of Vitamin C, and it can get depleted quickly under some circumstances. This results in higher risk of infections, chronic diseases, joint pains, and even cancer.¹

The daily minimum requirement of Vitamin C for an adult is 90 mg, which means that just 100 grams of these berries alone, can fulfill the reserves for several days!¹

Potent Antioxidant

As we mentioned, Vitamin C is regarded as a powerful antioxidant, and add to it the high content of polyphenols, it makes Camu Camu one of the most potent natural antioxidants.²

What does an antioxidant do? It can help fight a number of disease conditions and may improve treatment outcomes of chronic health conditions like diabetes, and heart disease. It may also have a role in cancer prevention and in prophylaxis of neurodegenerative disorders.²

Anti-Inflammatory

Camu Camu may also help reduce both low grade chronic inflammation, thought to be behind cardiovascular diseases and other chronic ailments, and may also help overcome acute inflammation.³ This means that it may have a role in autoimmune conditions, arthritis⁴, and much more.³

Could There Be Other Health Benefits?

As Camu Camu is still going through a huge amount of scientific research, the medical community is slowly discovering even more health benefits.

These additional benefits show that it may too have antimicrobial properties, boost metabolism and help burn body fat. It too, may improve insulin sensitivity and blood glucose levels, along with helping to reduce high blood pressure.⁵

Can You Eat Camu Camu?

You can. However, as Camu Camu is too sour to consume directly, most people would prefer it as juice, puree or pulp, as these products are sweetened to improve taste.

In recent years, many manufacturers have developed ways to create dry powder from these berries, which is highly beneficial, as it enables its easy addition to health supplements, whilst prolonging its shelf life.

Camu Camu is certainly a Vitamin C powerhouse from the Amazon and one that should definitely be known to the outside world.

Why not try adding it to your health supplements today and see how it could help you?

Properties

Anti-Inflammatory²
Antimicrobial²
Antioxidant²
Arthritis³
Blood Pressure – Reduction³
Brain Function / Neuroprotective²^,³
Cancer Prevention³
Diabetes / Blood Sugar³
Heart Support / Health³
High/Good Levels of Polyphenols²^,³
High/Good Levels of Vitamin C²^,³
Weight Loss / Management²^,³

References