Camu Camu - The superfood from the Amazon for immune system, beauty & health

Camu Camu - The superfood from the Amazon for immune system, beauty & health

Camu Camu (Myrciaria dubia) is a beautiful, fruit-bearing plant native to the flooded areas of the Amazon rainforest. This is a superfruit you should know about. The round, plum-sized fruits contain more vitamin C than oranges and lemons and thus support your immune system. However, it offers many other health benefits! Camu camu and its powerful polyphenols also promote healthy aging and longevity, heart health and weight loss. ((link removed))

Not only does camu camu have one of the highest vitamin C contents of any fruit in the world, but it also has an incredible nutrient profile. They are rich in flavonoids, anthocyanins and polyphenols, from quercetin to betulinic acid. You can't go wrong with this fruit. ((link removed))

What is camu camu, where does it come from and how does it help in this health-promoting way? Read on for more details.

A tropical fruit with a funny name

Sometimes called rumberry, camu camu grows in the wild in the Amazon rainforest, primarily in Peru, Colombia, Ecuador and Brazil. This low-growing shrub thrives in swamps or along the banks of lakes and streams—places where the plant's roots and lower trunk remain submerged. (Source)

Camu camu belongs to the myrtle family (Myrtaceae) and is related to guava, allspice, carnation and rose apple. The indigenous people living in the Amazon region are very acidic and sour and harvest the fruits from canoes. Only recently have people started cultivating camu camu to sell to global markets.

In his book Tales of a Shaman's Apprentice Ethnobotanist Mark Plotkin once wrote that a stand of camu camu forest “is worth twice as much as it would be if it were cut down and replaced with livestock.” He believed that local cultivation of camu camu holds promise for supporting the local economy in the Amazon.

It is important to purchase organically grown camu camu as overharvesting becomes a problem in the wild.

What makes camu camu a superfood?

Camu Camu has a wonderful array of nutrients that provide health benefits beyond just nutrition. The berry pulp, seeds and skin are loaded with antioxidants that protect the body from the cell-damaging effects of free radicals. This has earned it a place alongside other functional foods – those that provide benefits beyond nutrition. ((link removed))

Below are some details why you might want to add Camu Camu to your day!

Provides a strong dose of vitamin C.

The nutritional composition of Camu Camu is unmatched. For starters, the fruit has a ton of vitamin C—also known as L-ascorbic acid. Along with acerola cherry, another tropical fruit, camu camu is one of the vitamin C-rich foods in the world. Depending on the degree of ripeness, each 100 degrees of ripeness of camu camu contains 1882 to 2280 mg of vegetable vitamin C. ((link removed), source 2)

Has strong antioxidant power

Vitamin C itself is a powerful antioxidant in its own right, but camu camu contains several other natural phytochemicals that contribute to its free radical-scavenging abilities. It contains polyphenols, flavonoids and more. ((link removed))

Polyphenols: tannins, stilbenes, lignans

Camu camu also has the highest phenolic content of any fruit. Most people get their polyphenols from chocolate, coffee and wine, with fruit coming fourth and vegetables coming last. Change that!

A polyphenol in camu camu is a compound also found in rosemary, rosmarinic acid. It is similar to caffeic acid and acts as a powerful antioxidant in the body. Camu camu also has ellagic acid, another powerful polyphenol known to promote a normal response to inflammation. Other useful polyphenols in camu camu include tannins, stilbenes and lignans. However, flavonoids are the largest category of polyphenols – they are so common that they receive their own description below. ((link removed))

Flavonoids: Anthocyanins, Quercetin & more

Flavonoids have numerous benefits, such as protecting the nervous system and heart from damage and promoting a normal response to inflammation. A major flavonoid in camu camu is its anthocyanins, which you may have heard of. These are usually pigments found in fruits and vegetables. ((link removed))

The main anthocyanins in camu camu are glucosides, quercetin and kaempferol. Quercetin is a popular nutrient today that promotes a normal response to inflammation. You can also find quercetin in olive oil, grapes, citrus fruits and berries. ((link removed))

Loaded with minerals

In addition to being a rich source of vitamin C and antioxidants, camu camu also contains significant amounts of potassium, calcium and magnesium, as well as trace minerals such as zinc, manganese and copper. ((link removed))

6 Health Benefits of Camu Camu

Like other superfoods, camu camu is a nutrient-dense food with many benefits. Below are the top four health benefits offered by this tart fruit.

1. Strengthens the immune system

One of the things that makes camu camu so nutritious is its vitamin C content. As mentioned, it contains more vitamin C than any other known fruit on earth. And vitamin C protects against everything from seasonal colds to the development of illness. ((link removed))

Vitamin C is a water-soluble vitamin. Your body will not store it in tissues if you consume more than your daily requirement. Make sure you get enough!

2. Reduces redness and swelling

Camu Camu has a remarkable ability to relieve systemic redness and swelling in the body. This ability has been demonstrated for both juice and seed extract. This applied to swelling – called edema – of the body due to inhibition of nitric oxide production from white blood cells. ((Link removed) 1, (Link removed))

Experts identified betulinic acid as one of the main micronutrients in camu camu responsible for this effect - as well as vitamin C.

3. Promotes healthy aging

Your body continually balances exposure to free radicals in the environment (and the radicals produced in the body) with the antioxidant capacity of the nutrients in the foods you consume. Free radicals form, then antioxidants counteract the free radicals and keep you healthy. However, as you age or have an illness, your body may produce fewer natural antioxidants. Therefore, additional supplementation is required to keep up and protect against diseases, skin aging and much more.

Camu camu appears to protect cells from damage to DNA within cells. And of course it counteracts free radicals. In short, camu camu has anti-aging properties due to its high antioxidant nature of vitamin C, phenols and anthocyanins. Because its many antioxidants and phytonutrients counteract free radicals, your body is naturally stronger and healthier. ((Link removed) 1, (Link removed))

4. May support weight loss

Camu camu can even support a healthy weight and body mass index (BMI). In studies, camu camu promoted normal amounts of white adipose tissue. Eating the fruit promoted normal levels of high-density lipoprotein (HDL), also known as “good” cholesterol. It also promoted normal total cholesterol, triglycerides, blood sugar and insulin levels. ((Link removed), (Link removed), (Link removed))

When these important compounds in the body are in balance, your body can excrete what isn't needed instead of holding on to them - leading to obesity and heart disease, among other things.

5. Promotes healthy skin

Vitamin C is not only an antioxidant, that strengthens the immune system. It plays an essential role in producing collagen and healing wounds. Collagen is a protein that supports the elasticity of skin, muscles and connective tissue such as tendons, ligaments and joints. ((link removed))

Because camu camu is so high in vitamin C, it supports healthy collagen production and skin health.

6. Supports a healthy heart

A healthy heart goes hand in hand with many other characteristics already discussed. When you have balanced, healthy cholesterol levels, your heart and your entire cardiovascular system stay healthy. Camu Camu promotes normal total and good (HDL) cholesterol levels. (Source 1, (link removed))

By promoting normal blood sugar levels, camu camu also supports heart health. High blood sugar is often associated with the development of diabetes, and controlling blood sugar and insulin is an essential part of keeping your entire metabolic system healthy, including your heart. ((link removed))

Best Ways to Take Camu Camu

According to a Spanish study, camu camu is used as juice and to flavor ice cream. The Japanese use camu berries commercially, adding them to both foods and cosmetics. Very few people eat camu camu raw – and most of them live in the Amazon, where the plant grows. Most people consume the fruits in juice, puree or pulp form.

Lisa Q., a certified raw food educator, enjoys the variety that Camu Camu adds to her smoothies, plant-based sorbets, and other raw vegan dishes. “It has a subtle tartness that adds an interesting flavor to dishes,” she says. “Even if you always enjoy eating the same dish, it’s fun to switch things up.”

Below are the main ways to consume camu camu.

powder

Most people consume the fruits in juice, puree or pulp form. However, the powder can also be added to a variety of foods.

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Capsules

Camu camu powders are a great option for people who want the benefits on the go or don't care about the taste.

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Liquid extract

Plant-based vitamin C provides an effective source of this essential vitamin.

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serum

Those seeking a brighter, more youthful look can apply a serum containing camu camu to their skin. There is evidence that it can lighten spotting and promote healthy-looking skin. (Source)

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Points to remember

Camu camu is a superfood with more vitamin C than any other fruit on earth. It also contains antioxidants such as polyphenols, anthocyanins and flavonoids, which promote healthy responses to aging, weight, skin and heart health and of course the immune system!

Indigenous peoples in the Amazon, where camu camu is native, eat the whole fruit in its natural state. Today it is grown on organic farms and can be purchased in raw powder form, liquid extract, or capsules. Some cosmetic brands now include camu camu in topical serums and other skin products to promote a youthful appearance.

Due to its high vitamin C content, it is a good choice to get enough of this essential nutrient.