Camu camu benefits, uses, and side effects

What if a fruit rhymes amazing but does not taste amazing? Camu camu is a berry-looking fruit, which is found in parts of the Amazon rainforest that are covered in water. The fruit is sour in taste. The fruit has gained popularity all around the globe because of its magical health properties.

These days the internet is going crazy over this one fruit. Camu camu has a lot of benefits and eating it can promote wellness. This fruit is currently new on the worldwide market but if you know about its many benefits, you will know that it is about to become a superfood very soon.

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What is Camu camu?

The fruit looks similar to a berry (Image by Karoline Stk/Unsplash)

Camu camu (myrciaria dubia) is a shrub found in the tropical Amazonian rainforest. It is the fruit of a shrub-like tree. It can also be grown in dry environments. When this berry-looking fruit is not ripe, the color of the fruit is green and when it ripes, it changes to dark red or deep purplish.

The taste of this fruit is fully ripe and acidic. Even when the fruit is fully grown, the taste does not change or become sweet. So, when you are eating this fruit try not to have it without mixing it with other fruits to escape the extreme flavor.

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Benefits of Camu Camu

Camu camu has more Vitamin C than oranges and supplements (Image by Diana Polekhina/Unsplash)

Let us see what this fruit can offer us:

#1 Extremely rich in Vitamin C

When it comes to vitamin C, camu camu can beat all other fruits and sources. So you do not have to go and burn yourself in the sun anymore for your daily dose of C. Vitamin C will also help to fight inflammation, build a better immune system, and provide many other health benefits.

#2 Abundant Minerals

This berry-looking fruit is a storehouse of minerals. Sodium, potassium, zinc, calcium, manganese, and many other minerals are found in this fruit.

#3 Rich in polyphenols

The polyphenols present in the fruit can save us from cancer, heart disease, inflammation, and many other diseases.

#4 Weight loss

Studies have shown that camu camu can help you lose weight by burning more calories and by improving gut bacteria.

#5 Enhances mood

Being rich in vitamin C, it can enhance our mood by producing more serotonin. This can cause less depression and anxiety.

#6 Improves eyesight

Being rich in Vitamin C and other minerals, it can reduce macular degeneration, which is a leading cause of blindness and is known to affect eyesight.

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Side effects

Excess of C can cause Nausea (Image by Adrian Swancar/Unsplash)

It is a natural fruit and does not cause much harm. Being new and not a well-studied fruit, it can cause problems only in a few cases.

Being very rich in Vitamin C, it can cause diarrhea, nausea, and other stomach issues. If you are pregnant, avoid consuming this fruit regularly. Excess of iron in this berry can also affect digestion and cause negative impacts on the digestive tract.

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Uses

This fruit is infused with ice cream to dilute its sour taste (Image by Lama Roscu/Unsplash)

Camu camu is used in ice creams, toffees, and sweets. It is most commonly found in powdered form as that increases its shelf life. You can also use the crushed version in a smoothie or fruit juice. Do not forget to add honey or any kind of sweetener when you are making something like a smoothie with camu camu. This will help to avoid the sour taste as many may not like it.

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Do not think that just because it is natural, it is safe and make sure to consume the correct dosage.