(NaturalHealth365)  Vitamin C is known as a powerful antioxidant and immune system supporter.  While it’s found naturally in many foods, vitamin C is also a wonderful nutritional supplement – known to help people improve their health.  In fact, one 2014 study cited by the National Institutes of Health found that giving vitamin C greatly improved the health of internal organs damaged by poor lifestyle habits.

But it’s not your morning glass of orange juice that will be the “best way” to get your daily recommended amount of vitamin C (ascorbic acid).  In fact, this unassuming tropical berry is gaining ground recently as an antioxidant powerhouse.

This Amazonian berry is one of the world’s greatest sources of vitamin C

Camu camu (Myrciaria dulia) is a tart berry growing in the Amazonian rainforest.  It’s considered one of the world’s most potent sources of vitamin C, but also contains other nutrients including sodium, potassium, calcium, zinc, magnesium, manganese, and copper.  By the way, zinc is great for supporting a healthy immune system.

According to a 2015 systematic review from The Journal of Alternative and Complementary Medicine, decades of research, including human clinical trials, suggest that camu camu has a “well-established” antioxidant capacity that may be important for fighting inflammation and supporting a balanced immune system.

The antioxidant effect of camu camu is so powerful that one small 2008 study, published in The American Journal of Cardiology, found that drinking 70 mL of camu camu juice per day (containing more than 1,000 mg of vitamin C) for just one week was enough to significantly lower markers of inflammation and oxidative stress – even in people who smoked.

Limited amounts of research also suggest camu camu may improve blood sugar levels and promote healthy blood pressure.

You should be able to find camu camu in powder, pill, capsule, or juice form at a natural foods store.  Many health supplements will also state on their label whether their vitamin C was derived from camu camu, and you can also consider calling the company and asking directly.

Your body can’t make vitamin C, so it has to come from your diet – here’s how much you need to consume every day

According to the National Institute of Health’s Office of Dietary Supplements, the recommended dietary allowance of vitamin C is 90 mg and 75 mg per day for adult men and women, respectively (and up to 85 mg and 120 mg per day for pregnant and lactating women).  But, in reality, most integrative healthcare providers suggest a much higher intake of vitamin C – especially as we all live in such a toxic world.

If you don’t have easy access to camu camu, or supplements containing vitamin C derived from camu camu, you can always be sure to incorporate vitamin C rich foods, including oranges, guavas, kiwis, papayas, bell peppers, broccoli, kale, snow peas, and Brussel sprouts.

For context, a 100 gram serving of camu camu contains 3,000 mg of vitamin C.   Meanwhile, a 100 gram serving of broccoli contains an impressive 89 mg of vitamin C, whereas a 100 gram serving of oranges contains just 53 mg.

Ultimately, your need for vitamin C – and just about every other antioxidant – will depend on your health status.  The more you’re exposed to toxins, the more you’ll need to improve your diet and reduce the exposure to unwanted substances.  What could be more important than that?

Sources for this article include:

Healthline.com
NIH.gov
COVID19treatmenguidlines.nih.gov
Fooducate.com
Myfooddata.com
ODS.nih.gov
NIH.gov
MayoClinic.org
NIH.gov
NIH.gov