It is a sour fruit high in vitamin C that grows in the Amazon rainforest’s swampy marshlands. The berry cannot be eaten or cooked, but it can be dried and processed into powder for nutritional supplements. Although it hasn’t been established, a small number of research suggest that camu camu may have antioxidant effects. In swampy or flooded Amazon rain forests in Peru, Brazil, Venezuela, and Colombia, it grows as a shrub.
Both the fruit and seeds of the camu camu are high in nutrients and antioxidants, such as vitamin C and flavonoids. According to certain studies, camu camu can help reduce blood sugar and blood pressure while battling inflammation. Keep Camu Camu powder in a dry, airtight container and use it by the expiration date on your goods. Most goods claim that refrigeration is not required, although there is no evidence to support this claim.
What is Camu Camu?
It berries are the fruit of the Myrciaria dubia shrub, which grows in Peru’s, Brazil’s, Bolivia’s, Colombia’s, and Ecuador’s rainforests. As the berries ripen, they turn a pale yellow color before turning a red and dark purple. With maturity, their vitamin C concentration decreases.
It berries contain 2 to 3% vitamin C by weight, making them the second-richest source of vitamin C in any fruit and vegetable. The berries are supposed to be used by indigenous Amazonians to make a sweetened drink, but they are too sour and acidic for further culinary applications.
Camu’s antioxidant effects were studied in two small-scale investigations, one with 20 individuals and the other with 12. The 2008 study revealed camu camu may have antioxidant properties, however the 2012 study did not. There have been no further human research or clinical trials.
However, vitamin C, a vital nutrient, antioxidant, and immune system component, is abundant in it. One teaspoon of powdered supplements delivers 682 mg of vitamin C, 760 percent of the daily value, without the berries.
How to Use Camu Camu?
It is most commonly found as a powder created by drying and grinding the berries. Add it to a smoothie or shake, sprinkle it over foods like yogurt, oats, cereal, or granola, or whisk it into the water, seltzer, or tea to use it. There are also camu camu juice products available. These unsweetened liquids are diluted with water and other fruit juices and are not pure camu camu juice. They are frequently added to a smoothie or seltzer rather than drunk straight (about one ounce).
It is claimed to treat viral infections like the common cold, eye disorders like cataracts, artery hardening (atherosclerosis), chronic fatigue syndrome, and various other ailments. However, there is no clear scientific evidence to back up these claims. Medicine is made from fruit and leaves. Some people use camu camu to boost their energy and keep their gums, eyes, immune system, and skin good shape. It fruit is consumed as food.
It is a sour fruit that most people find unpleasant to consume on its own. Camu Camu is available in pulp, puree, and juice, which is often sweetened to increase the taste. Even so, the powdered version of the fruit is the most popular. This makes sense because the water is eliminated, resulting in a higher camu camu concentration and a longer shelf life.
Smoothies, oats, muesli, yogurts, and salad dressings can all benefit from the addition of camu camu powder. Its sour flavor is hidden by combining it with other flavors, making it more edible. Always add came to food after it has been cooked to prevent the loss of nutrients due to heat, especially vitamin C. It is also available as extracts and concentrated supplements in addition to these forms.
What does Camu Camu Taste Like?
It has a sour/tart flavor due to its high acidity, giving the fruit a tart cherry or perhaps citrus fruit flavor. It’s so sour that you’ll rarely eat it straight from the tree, much to how people rarely pull lemons off the tree and eat them whole, but there are plenty of ways to enjoy them. It powder has an acidic, sour flavor, similar to the fruit derived from it. It can also have a grainy consistency because it isn’t soluble in water.
What are the Health Benefits of Camu Camu?
The amount of scientific study on camu camu’s potential health benefits is low.
Nonetheless, some research suggests that it may have the following advantages:
- Reduced weight- According to animal studies, the berry can help you lose weight by raising the number of calories you burn and changing your gut bacteria.
- Improved blood sugar levels- It was found to reduce the blood sugar surge after eating a high-carb meal in 23 healthy persons.
- Antimicrobial properties- it peel and seeds inhibited the growth of potentially hazardous pathogens Escherichia coli and Streptococcus mutants in a test tube research.
- Healthier blood pressure- The fruit has been shown in test tubes and human trials to help lower blood pressure by encouraging blood channel dilatation.
It’s worth noting that study in these areas is limited, and much of what is known about Camu Camu comes from test-tube and animal studies. As a result, further high-quality research is needed to prove Camu camu’s possible health benefits.
Is Camu Camu Good for Eyes?
It’s strong vitamin C concentration has been demonstrated to tone eye muscles and protect the retina and nerves in the eyes. it is thought to be so good for your eyes that alternative doctors have used it to treat cataracts, and, likely, it could even help with glaucoma. Doctors frequently recommend that people consume camu camu to improve their vision. Flavonoid antioxidants, anthocyanins, and ellagic acid are among the many antioxidants. It’s carotenoids help to prevent macular degeneration and cataracts.
Conclusion
It powder, as previously stated, is an excellent source of vitamin C. It’s unclear whether the body more readily absorbs the vitamin C in Camu Camu than vitamin C from a multivitamin. However, the body can only absorb 180 mg of vitamin C per day, thus taking more has decreasing returns.
Furthermore, it’s worth mentioning that consuming too many antioxidants, such as vitamins C and E, might cause your body to produce more free radicals,6 exacerbating the illness you were attempting to treat with antioxidants in the first place. It powder and the juice, as mentioned earlier, items containing Camu camu can be obtained in health food stores and nutritional stores, as well as online dietary and nutritional supplement merchants. It is a low-growing shrub found in the Amazon rainforests of Peru and Brazil’s river corridors.
