What is camu camu fruit? Function? Where to buy camu camu berries and camu camu powder?

Camu camu fruit is a fruit that is very rich in Vitamin C, which is essential for health. But this “super product” fruit is still unknown to many people. Let’s find out what Camu camu fruit is and what it does for us!

What is Camu camu fruit?

Camu camu, also known as Myrciaria dubia or Camocamo , is a berry, with a sour taste, belonging to the family Peach. Camu camu berries often grow in swampy areas of the Amazon rainforest.

Camu camu berries are round, with a red-pink rind like a cherry.

Camu camu tree is native and popular in South American countries . This plant is not currently grown in Vietnam, Camu camu fruit is mainly imported from abroad.

An adult Camu Camu tree can be about 3 – 5m high, the fruit is round, small, shiny, when ripe, it is red-pink like a cherry, with a characteristic sour taste.

To make the powder from the Camu Camu fruit, it is gently dried at low heat, removing the water completely to preserve many of the nutrients and preserve its unique aroma and sour taste.

Nutritional composition of Camu camu fruit

Camu Camu fruit is known as a superfood , it has the highest amount of Vitamin C recorded among fruits . One Camu camu fruit is enough for your daily Vitamin C intake.

Just 1 teaspoon (5g) of camu camu can provide 682mg of vitamin C.

Camu camu fruit contains a lot of Vitamin C and nutrients

In addition, Camu Camu fruit also contains many nutrients that are good for health. According to the nutrition page Dr.Axe, in 100g of Camu Camu fruit there will be:

• Protein: 0.4g
• Fat: 0.2g
• Vitamin C: 2145mg
• Manganese: 2.1mg
• Copper: 0.2mg
• Iron: 0.5mg
• Magnesium: 12.4mg
• Calcium: 15.7mg
• Potassium: 83.8mg
• Zinc: 0.4mg

Health benefits of Camu camu fruit

Immune and intestinal support

According to healthline, Camu camu provides essential nutrients for the body. Besides the high content of vitamin C, this fruit has many other nutrients such as calcium, zinc, iron, and potassium, which are very good for health.

With 60 times more vitamin C than an orange and 56 times more than a lemon , Camu camu is an essential food to help strengthen the immune system and fight common colds.

Camu camu berries support the immune system and gut

Besides, Camu camu fruit also works to support intestinal health, prevent free radicals and harmful pathogens to the body.

Improve mood

This berry with unbeatable Vitamin C content helps your brain produce more serotonin, a happy, mood-enhancing hormone. Therefore, camu camu is also considered a cure for depression . Camu camu improves mood

Good for teeth and gums

Thanks to its powerful antioxidants, camu camu berries can fight oral diseases like gingivitis.

Camu camu fruit is good for teeth and gums health

Using 2 teaspoons of camu camu powder helps patients with gingivitis improve their condition significantly.

Good for the liver

Thanks to antioxidants and phytochemicals, Camu camu berries support the functioning of the liver, keeping it healthy. In addition, high levels of Vitamin C also help improve your liver health , especially for people with cirrhosis.

The antioxidant of Camu camu fruit is very good for the liver

According to a 2010 study, taking Camu camu powder can significantly inhibit liver damage.

Protect the heart

Camu camu is believed to act as a powerful anti-inflammatory food that helps protect the heart and arteries. Prevents heart diseases, diabetes, Alzheimer’s and arthritis .

Camu camu helps protect the heart and arteries

A 2018 study also found that camu camu berries can help improve blood pressure in young people.

Improve eyesight, protect eyes

Camu camu fruit with vitamin C and essential nutrients is the factor that helps improve eye problems such as macular degeneration, impaired vision .

Camu camu fruit has the effect of improving eyesight, protecting eyes

Ways to use Camu camu

Few people can use camu camu fruit directly because of its characteristic sour taste. So this fruit is often used in powder form. Camu camu powder can be added to drinks, smoothies or used with oatmeal, ice cream and yogurt.

Camu camu powder

A day, only 1 to 3 teaspoons of Camu camu powder should be used. Because taking a lot can lead to a few side effects due to an excess of Vitamin C such as stomach ulcers, digestive disorders, headaches, insomnia, …

Therefore, people with inflammation and stomach ulcers should avoid using this fruit because of its high vitamin C concentration.

Where to buy Camu camu fruit or powder?

To buy Camu camu fruits or sets, you can go to food stores specializing in selling foreign imported items, international e-commerce sites.

Camu camu fruit can be bought at import stores

Camu camu fruit costs about 130,000 – 150,000 VND/kg and camu camu powder is 300,000 – 380,000 VND/bag of 100g (as of August 2021).

With the article about Camu camu above, Cfis.edu.vn hopes to have brought you useful sharing as well as how to use this nutritious fruit!

Source: Dr.Ax, healthline

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