Camu Camu: The Amazon Fruit, Its Powder and Vitamin C Facts

Camu camu is a small, very tart fruit from the Amazon basin, sold mostly as a pink-beige powder or as frozen pulp. It is marketed mainly for vitamin C, and that is where readers need the most care. The USDA SR Legacy database, the standard reference behind most nutrition tables, has no camu camu entry, so there is no USDA vitamin C figure for the fruit, and this guide does not repeat numbers from marketing. Below is what camu camu is, how the powder is made, what USDA and the NIH Office of Dietary Supplements (ODS) say about vitamin C in general, and how to read a camu camu label.

Peptide Labs does not sell camu camu or camu camu products. This article is general nutrition information, not medical advice.

What is camu camu fruit?

Camu camu is the fruit of Myrciaria dubia, a shrub native to the Amazon. A 2024 review of native Brazilian fruits places it in Myrtaceae, the myrtle family, and a 2021 history of guava places that fruit in the same family. Wild plants grow in flooded environments of the Amazon, and a 2019 study compared that native fruit with fruit from commercial plantings on dry land. A 2016 report notes that commercial cultivation of the shrub is being developed in the Brazilian state of Para.

The fruit is about the size of a grape or a small cherry, with a skin that turns from green to reddish purple and a sour, juicy pulp around one or two seeds. Few people eat it out of hand; it is usually pressed for juice or pulp and sweetened. A 2015 study of eight native fruits from the northern Brazilian Amazon described camu camu as highly perishable, which helps explain why it travels mainly as frozen pulp or powder.

Camu camu powder and other forms

Camu camu powder is made by drying the fruit or its pulp. A 2024 food-science study made powders two ways: spray-drying the pulp with a carrier such as maltodextrin or whey protein, and freeze-drying the whole fruit. The researchers found that relative humidity was a critical factor in keeping the powders’ natural compounds stable during storage, and they tested the powders stirred into yogurt and white grape juice. Processing also creates leftovers: a 2022 review estimates that around half of the raw fruit, mostly peel and seeds, is considered waste, and a 2025 review describes adding pulp, peel and seed residues to dairy foods.

That background explains why powders differ. When you compare products, the label is the only reliable guide:

• Ingredient list: check whether the powder is pure camu camu or includes a carrier such as maltodextrin, added sugar or other fruit powders.
• Vitamin C line: look for vitamin C in milligrams and %DV on the Nutrition Facts or Supplement Facts panel. If it is missing, the product makes no measurable vitamin C statement.
• Added vitamin C: if “ascorbic acid” appears in the ingredient list, some of the vitamin C was added rather than coming from the fruit.
• Testing: independent testing seals help show that a product contains what the label says; our third-party tested supplements guide explains the main programs.
• Storage: keep the bag or jar tightly sealed and dry, since humidity affects powder quality.

Camu camu vitamin C: what USDA and ODS say

USDA SR Legacy has no entry for camu camu or Myrciaria, so there is no standard USDA reference value for its vitamin C, and this guide does not quote study or marketing figures in its place. For context, the table shows USDA vitamin C values for fruits that are listed, including guava, the camu camu relative in the database. %DV uses the FDA Daily Value for vitamin C.

The USDA data show that ordinary fruits supply much or all of the vitamin C Daily Value: one guava (140%), a cup of strawberry halves (99%), or one orange or kiwifruit (77% and 71%). ODS names fruits and vegetables as the main sources, especially citrus fruits, red and green peppers, kiwifruit, broccoli, strawberries and Brussels sprouts. Our foods high in vitamin C list and oranges guide give more USDA values, and our acerola guide covers the fruit with the largest USDA vitamin C value in the table.

ODS facts that matter for a vitamin C powder: humans cannot make vitamin C, so it has to come from food or supplements, and ODS lists the adult Recommended Dietary Allowance as 90 milligrams a day for men and 75 milligrams for women. Vitamin C dissolves in water and is destroyed by heat, and ODS notes that prolonged storage and cooking reduce the amount in food. ODS also explains that vitamin C improves absorption of nonheme iron, the form found in plant foods; our foods high in iron guide covers that pairing.

ODS also reports that the Food and Nutrition Board set a Tolerable Upper Intake Level for vitamin C of 2,000 milligrams a day for adults, a limit that applies to food and supplement intakes together. According to ODS, vitamin C has low toxicity; the most common complaints at high intakes are diarrhea, nausea and abdominal cramps, and in people with hereditary hemochromatosis, chronic high intakes could worsen iron overload. These are reference facts, not intake goals. Our vitamin C supplement guide covers forms and side effects in more detail.

Is camu camu healthy?

As a fruit, camu camu fits a varied diet the way other fruits do. As a supplement, the evidence is thin. NIH’s National Center for Complementary and Integrative Health (NCCIH) publishes fact sheets on dozens of herbs and botanicals, from acai to yohimbe, but its Herbs at a Glance series has no camu camu entry, so there is no NCCIH statement to report. A 2023 review explains that most of the properties attributed to the fruit come from lab and animal studies, and a 2025 review lists a deficiency of experimental trials among the hurdles for wider use. For that reason this guide makes no health claims for camu camu.

Practical points instead: if you already get vitamin C from fruit and vegetables, a camu camu powder adds to that total, which is worth knowing if you also rely on a multivitamin or a vitamin C product. People with hereditary hemochromatosis or any condition managed by a clinician should ask before adding a concentrated vitamin C source.

How to use camu camu at home

• Cold foods: camu camu powder is very sour, so it is usually stirred into smoothies, yogurt, juice or oatmeal after cooking. Since ODS notes that heat destroys vitamin C, cold uses avoid that loss.
• Frozen pulp: blend it into juices or frozen desserts with sweeter fruit such as banana or mango to balance the tartness.
• Fresh fruit: if you find it, it bruises and spoils quickly; use it soon, usually as juice.
• Allergy: camu camu is not one of the nine major food allergens that US labels must declare, but any fruit can cause a reaction. Hives, swelling or breathing trouble needs urgent care.

Frequently Asked Questions

Questions about a label? Contact us or read our Buyer’s Guide. Food comes first; follow the label and ask a healthcare provider before starting a supplement, especially if you take medicines, are pregnant or have a food allergy. These statements have not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration. This product is not intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any disease.

Last reviewed October 2026.

Related guides: Galangal: What It Is, Galangal vs Ginger and Kitchen Uses, Acerola Cherry: Vitamin C, USDA Nutrition, Juice and Powder, Foods High in Vitamin C: USDA List of Fruits and Vegetables.