What Is Camu Camu?
Camu camu (Myrciaria dubia) is a small, sour berry native to the flooded riverbank forests of the Peruvian Amazon, where it has been eaten by local communities for generations. It’s rarely eaten fresh outside the region — the fruit is intensely tart — so most of what reaches the UK arrives as a freeze-dried powder made from the whole berry.
Why Camu Camu Stands Out Nutritionally
Camu camu’s defining feature is its vitamin C density. Fresh camu camu pulp has been measured at roughly 1,300–3,000 mg of vitamin C per 100g — among the highest concentrations recorded in any edible plant, and dramatically higher than an orange, which contains around 50mg per 100g. In powder form, this concentration means a small serving — often just a gram or two — can contribute meaningfully to the EFSA-recommended 80mg daily vitamin C intake for adults.
Beyond vitamin C, camu camu also contains carotenoids (including beta-carotene and lutein) and anthocyanins, along with smaller amounts of potassium, calcium, and magnesium.
What Vitamin C Is Actually Authorised to Do
Under EFSA-authorised nutrition and health claims, which apply to any food or supplement providing a meaningful amount of vitamin C, vitamin C contributes to the normal function of the immune system, contributes to the reduction of tiredness and fatigue, and contributes to normal collagen formation for the normal function of skin. These are generic vitamin C claims — they apply because of the nutrient itself, not because of any camu camu–specific research, and it’s worth being precise about that distinction rather than implying camu camu has been separately studied and approved.
How Camu Camu Is Traditionally Used
In the Amazon basin, camu camu is traditionally consumed as a juice, often sweetened to offset its sharpness, or dried and stored for later use. Outside the region, the powder is most commonly stirred into water, smoothies, or yoghurt in small quantities — typically a quarter to one teaspoon — given how concentrated and tart it is.
Camu Camu vs Oranges: A Fair Comparison
It’s tempting to say camu camu is simply “better” than an orange for vitamin C, but the comparison isn’t quite that clean. An orange delivers its vitamin C alongside fibre, water content, and a food matrix that’s been part of human diets at scale for centuries. Camu camu powder delivers a much higher concentration of vitamin C in a much smaller volume, with none of the fibre or water. Both are valid ways to get vitamin C — one is a whole fruit, the other is a concentrated ingredient designed to be used in small amounts alongside a normal diet, not instead of fruit altogether.
Sourcing and Quality
Because camu camu grows in a specific flood-forest ecosystem, sourcing and harvest practices matter. We work directly with Peruvian growing cooperatives and third-party lab test each batch for potency and purity before it ships — details we set out in full on our product pages.
Dosage and Who Should Be Cautious
Around one to three teaspoons of camu camu powder per day is the typical range used in commercial products, and it’s generally well tolerated. Because it’s so concentrated in vitamin C, taking much more than a normal serving can cause digestive upset, and sustained very high vitamin C intake has been linked to a higher risk of kidney stones in susceptible individuals. It’s sensible to check with a doctor first if you’re pregnant, breastfeeding, prone to kidney stones, or taking regular medication, since high-dose vitamin C can interact with some treatments. For the full evidence behind these figures, see our Camu Camu Research Library.