Health & FitnessThe Nutri CentreBoost your vitality with an amazing Amazonian plant extract Boost your vitality with an amazing Amazonian plant extract
07/02/2008
With winter colds and ‘flu endlessly doing the rounds, now may be the time to consider how we can give our system a natural vitality booster.
The exotically named Camu-Camu (myrciaria dubia) plant is a low growing Amazonian shrub with large feathery leaves that produces purple berries the size of large grapes. It is rapidly gaining recognition as a “superfood” as it contains the highest concentrations of naturally occurring Vitamin C on the planet - over twice the levels found in Acerola cherries.
Traditional healers and herbalists have used have used extracts from Camu-Camu to support the immune system, to treat viral infections, to relieve stress and to help boost vitality. It is also believed to support healthy levels of white blood cell formation, detoxify the liver and promote a healthy heart and respiratory system.
Camu-Camu contains 30 to 60 times more Vitamin C than an orange as well as therapeutic levels of bioflavonoids and a unique combination of phytonutrients. The Camu-Camu berry provides ten times more Iron, three times more Vitamin B3 (Niacin) and twice as much Vitamin B2
(Riboflavin) as an orange. It is also a source of Beta-carotene and many other important nutrients, including minerals and amino acids such as serine, valine, and leucine.
The people of the rainforest have traditionally pressed the fruit to make a pleasant drink; but with modern production methods, new techniques have been developed which involve freezing the ripe fruit immediately on harvesting, taking it directly by boat to the processing plant where it is thawed, peeled, liquefied and spray dried, to guarantee a very high natural Vitamin C content.
Vitamin C is essential for the production of collagen in the connective tissue, helping to maintain healthy skin, teeth and bones. It plays an important role in the nervous system, and in the transfer of energy to the cells. An anti-oxidant, Vitamin C acts a “free radical scavenger”, helping to keep at bay the effects of ageing.
The greatest advantage of taking Vitamin C from Camu-Camu supplements is that the Vitamin C found in Camu-Camu is 100% 'bio-available'. This means that it is gentle on the stomach and easier to digest and metabolise by the human body than 'synthesised' Vitamin C supplements, making it ideal for those with delicate digestion who still want the best protection Vitamin C can give.
Vitamin B3 is essential to our mental well-being and to a healthy skin.
As well as being absorbed from food, it can be made inside the body from an amino acid called tryptophan but there is doubt as to whether we produce enough Vitamin B3 naturally as we get older. Vitamin B2 supports digestion, energy transfer from protein, fat and carbohydrateand is important in healthy growth.
Complementary therapists now also use Camu-Camu as a food supplement to reduce the symptoms of shingles, to help clear up cold sores and to prolong remission from the effects of the herpes virus. Camu-Camu does not irritate sensitive stomachs or bladders and can safely be taken on a daily basis to strengthen the body’s natural defences and to promote an overall feeling of wellness.
Super strength Rio Amazon Camu-Camu costs £10.99 for 60 capsules. To order or speak to a nutritionist for free advice The Nutri Centre on –
0207 436 5122, or follow the link below.