Camu Camu – superfood!

This photo shows the berry  form of Camu, most likely you will only encounter it in powder form.

Camu (ka-moo)

A berry, often called Camu Camu, that is the fruit of a low-growing shrub (Myrciaria Dubia), native to lush rain forest climates.

The Super C

The small red Camu berry is respected worldwide as “nature’s vitamin pill.” Containing a higher naturally occurring vitamin C content than any other food on the planet, Camu has long been used for its nutritional and medicinal attributes. Navitas Naturals Camu is grown organically in Peru, where gentle freeze-drying methods are used to protect and maximize the nutrient potential of this extraordinary super berry powder.

What does Camu taste like:

It has hints of hibiscus, berry and citrus flavor. It is tart and tangy so keep that in mind as you develop recipes around it.

The Power of Camu

Undoubtedly, camu is most famous for its mega-C content, containing 30 to 60 times more vitamin C than an orange. Yet to further catapult this berry into superfood status, camu also contains many other important nutritional elements — such as a broad range of antioxidants, phytochemicals, amino acids, as well as many vitamins and minerals like beta-carotene and potassium. The powerful elements found in camu have a wide range of therapeutic effects, making the berry particularly effective in assisting the immune system, fighting inflammation, and serving as a strong anti-viral food. As a potent, whole food carrier of naturally occurring phytonutrients, camu’s nutrition is greatly superior to man-made pills (isolated forms) as it enables optimum utilization of nutrients within the body.

Health Benefits:

Traditionally, camu camu has been used to:

* support the immune system
* maintain excellent eyesight
* create beautiful skin
* ward off viral infections
* support strong collagen, tendons and ligaments
* decrease inflammation
* improve respiratory (lung) health
* help maintain optimal clarity of mind in times of stress and anxiety

Camu camu berries especially support the functions of the brain, eyes, heart, liver and skin.

How to use Camu Camu:

• Add approximately one half teaspoon (3 grams) or more to juices, smoothies, raw ice creams, raw desserts, or simply to your drinking water.
• Combine camu camu with the gel from raw, fresh, Aloe vera in any drink or smoothie. This can lead to a gentle time release of Vitamin C, and may lead to significantly enhanced rates of assimilation of this essential vitamin.

Posted on Saturday, April 16th, 2011 at 1:55 am. Filed under: Special Ingredients RSS 2.0 feed.