I started using camu camu after hearing Truth Calkins speak about the medicinal properties of this powerful fruit and its potent vitmain C content. Camu camu berry has the highest food sourced concentration of vitamin C on earth.
Camu camu can be found in the Peruvian Amazon and is considered a superfruit with a rich source of antioxidants and powerful phytochemicals that support and enhance health.
It is one of the most nutrient-dense foods and contains attributes of exceedingly beneficial disease-prevention qualities.
The camu berry is best known for its unusually high and absorbable vitamin C content. Natural vitamin C, as we all know, has the ability to prevent chronic disease by preventing free radical damage to cellular DNA. Vitamin C is also most effective in its natural form and maintains its renowned effects of preventing colds and flu.
Although oranges are known for their vitamin C content, they often only have around 1,000ppm of vitamin C where camu camu berry may have concentrations as high as 50,000ppm or about 2g of vitamin C per 100g of fruit!
Camu camu contains powerful phytochemicals with health benefits, including the amino acids serine, valine, and leucine as well as calcium, phosphorus, potassium and iron, beta carotene, niacin, phosphorus, riboflavin, and thiamin.
The camu-camu fruit has a surprising range of therapeutic effects. Many people have stopped using large dosages of synthetic Vitamin C because they find that camu camu is energizing, mood-lifting and highly effective in strengthening the immune system.
The camu camu berry is about the size of a large grape and has a purplish red skin with a yellow pulp. It grows wild, and is typically harvested directly into a freezer boat, which travels down the river ways of the Amazon where it is picked at the height of its ripeness and flash-frozen. It is then taken to a processing plant where it is thawed, peeled, liquefied and spray dried. The resulting powder is deliciously tangy and ranges from a pale pink to yellow beige with very potent effects. Indigenous Amazonian people traditionally pick the camu camu berries in season, dry them, and use them medicinally for the rest of the year.
I use camu samu in my smoothies almost daily because it is part of the supplements which keep the immune system strong. When the immune system is vibrant, your health becomes radiant. I also consider camu camu to be a beauty tonic because it helps to maintain healthy gums, eyes and skin. Camu camu is useful in warding off viruses and supports strong collagen, tendons and ligaments.
It also appears to provide nutritional support for the brain to optimize its own mood balancing chemistry. I have found published research suggesting that Vitamin C supports increased serotonin levels in the brain.
The phytochemicals in camu camu are highly effective in curbing the effects of the herpes virus; in fact, on a list of plants with anti-herpetic compounds, camu camu takes the highest honors as most potent.
There is research indicating that camu camu can also be effective against depression, and has even been used to wean users off anti-depressive medications (under medical supervision, of course). Alternative medical practitioners have also been using it to combat attention deficit disorder. Studies show that it helps over to reduce inflammation, fends off viral infections, camu camu improves respiratory health and helps to maintain clarity of mind during stress.
If you choose to use this potent superfruit, use it cold extracted. I use the powered form from Ultimate Superfoods.