When you ask someone in the U.S. what fruit comes to mind when you say vitamin C, they’ll probably say oranges. If you ask a Brazilian the same question, they’ll answer with the name of a large, sour berry that grows in the flooded areas of the Amazon: Camu Camu.
These berries put oranges (and literally every other fruit on the planet) to shame when it comes to pure vitamin C content. Often made into a powder form to minimize their sourness and to be shipped around the world, 1/2 teaspoon of camu camu powder provides more than 400% the daily recommended value of vitamin C! 100 grams of camu camu has a staggering 2,145mg of vitamin C, while 100mg of orange amounts to only 53.2mg of vitamin C. When eaten, camu camu is mood-boosting, improves your liver and heart health, and powers up your immune system. Just recently, we’ve started using it for improving skin health as well!
Vitamin C is an important aspect of any natural skin care regimen, since it brightens and helps heal damaged skin when used topically. Naturally, camu camu is the perfect source for highly concentrated vitamin C to repair the effects of aging, but its benefits for the skin don’t end there! While it reduces wrinkles and fine lines, it also has antioxidant properties to prevent skin damage and is an effective protection against UV rays from the sun. Additionally, camu camu’s combination of C and B3 vitamins helps fade skin discoloration and spots such as age spots and acne scars and lifts dead skin cells for a healthier, more youthful appearance overall.
With so many benefits packed into one fruit, these unassuming Amazonian berries truly are a superfood for your skin!
