NATURA CAMU CAMU

COMMERCIAL DESCRIPTION OF  THE PRODUCT.-

Common Name: Camu Camu

Scientific Name: Myrciaria Dubia

Family: Myrtaceae

English Name: Camu Camu

 

I.  DESCRIPTION OF THE PLANT.- 

     Myrciana Dubia is a small tree that grows to 3 meters high, has deep roots and  glabrous (smooth) branches. The leaves are elliptic, of 5 to 9 cm long, 1.5 to 4 cm wide; the apex is sharp and its base cuneiform. It has a nerve line in the middle of the face and secondary nerves from it. The flowers are axillary and white.  The fruit is small, ovoid, smooth, shiny surface, red in color and 2 to 3 cm in size. It has a very strong acid taste (1).

 

HABITAT: This is a plant native to the Peruvian Amazon, found principally along the rivers Ucayali and Amazon and their affluents, between the cities of Pucallpa (on the Ucayali) and Pebas (on the Amazon). It grows wildly on floodplains in temperatures between 20 and 30 degrees Centigrade (68 and 86 Fahrenheit) and 1700 to 3000 mm (6 ft to 10 ft) yearly rain. It is a semi-aquatic tree species, as it can remain underwater for periods up to 7 months long, during great floods.

  

Camu-Camu

It is harvested during December and March, and in some areas as late as May.

  

         II. HISTORICAL AND TRADICIONAL USE.-

 

         This fruit has been known and consumed since long ago by the native peoples of the Amazon Basin.

 

 

          III. CHEMICAL  COMPOSITION.-

Contains vitamin C (2780mg/100g), 52 times more than what is found in orange pulp, 63 times more than lemon juice and 2.1 times more than acerola, its closest competitor. It also contains calcium, iron (10 times more than orange pulp), serine, valine, leucine, glutamate, amino-butanate, proline, phenyl-lanine, treonine, alanine, niacin (B5), phosphorous (50 times more than orange), riboflavin (B2, twice more than orange pulp), thiamin (B1). (2)

 

Compartive Scale of Vitamin C content (mg/100g)

 

Fruit	Vitamin C content (mg)	Compared to Camu Camu (%)
Pineapple	20	0.7
Maracuya	22	0.8
Pomelo	34	1.2
Strawberry	42	1.5
Lemon	44	1.6
Orange	53	1.9
Marañón	108	3.9
Acerola cherry	1300	46.8
Mosqueta	2390	50
CAMU CAMU	2780	--------

 

Fuente: USDA Nutrient database for Standard referente release 12 (1998);

Natural Food Hub (2000)

 

 

 

          IV. MEDICINAL PROPERTIES.-

Among its principal properties, Camu Camu acts as an astringent, anti-oxidant, anti-inflammatory, emollient, nutrient, anti-viral action, anti-migraine, anti-depressant and natural slimmer.

 

The high content of natural Vitamin C, favors the formation of collagen, a protein that holds many body structures, responsible for the formation and strengthening of bones, muscles, tendons, ligaments, teeth, gums, conjunctive tissue, blood vessels and skin.

  

 

Stimulates the natural defenses of the body and intervenes in the absorption of iron from natural vegetable foods, thus helping to prevent anemia. Helps avoid fatigue. Helps prevent and fight infections and Scurvy.

 

It is recommended that children, pregnant and nursing mothers and the elderly should include a high content of vitamin C in their diet, from a natural source as Camu Camu, especially.

 

 

(1)…Hugo Villachica (1998): Productos Amazónicos del Perú: Palmitos, Camu Camu y Uña de Gato.   Consorcio para el Desarrollo Sostenible de Ucayali, Pucallpa – Perú. Editorial CODESU.

(2)…Zapata y Dufour (1993), dubia del J.P. Camu-camu Myrciaria (HBK) Mc Vaugh: composición química de la fruta. Diario de la ciencia del alimento y de la agricultura, Londres, v.61, p.349-351, 1993.

 

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