Is Camu Camu Good for Weight Loss?

Camu-Camu: Can the fruit revolutionize weight loss? At least that is what an initial study suggests. We reveal what makes the new superfood so special.

It sounds like a dream: We could eat as many sugary and fatty foods as we want without gaining weight. And all this thanks to a small, inconspicuous fruit! Its name: Camu-Camu (Myrciaria dubia)

Amazon fruit in the focus of science

The Camu Camu as a superfood is currently moving into the focus of science when it comes to new ways to make losing weight easier. Hardly known in this country, the sour tasting fruit is quite common in its home region, the Amazon region in Brazil and Peru.

With Camu Camu against overweight

The fact that research has now become aware of Myrciaria is because it is full of so-called polyphenols. Among other things, these plant substances provide a fruit with taste and colour. Studies show that they can also prevent weight gain in humans and reduce the risk of diabetes.

In order to test the effect of camu camu, Canadian researchers have now carried out a first test on mice. They divided the animals into two groups. For eight weeks, all animals were fed food with an increased sugar and fat content, and one group also received some camu-camu extract daily as a dietary supplement. The conclusion: The mice that received the extract had gained 50 percent less weight than the animals in the other group.

Does the fruit also protect against diabetes?

But that is not all Myrciaria dubia can do: The researchers also studied the insulin sensitivity of the mice. This indicates how strongly the body reacts to insulin. The lower the value, the higher the risk of developing diabetes. The mice that received Camu-Camu had improved insulin sensitivity. In addition, their inflammation values had decreased.

Last, but not least, an examination of the intestinal flora of the mice showed that taking Camu-Camu had changed the composition of the bacteria in the intestine. The bacterium called Akkermansia muciniphila had increased significantly. This could indicate that Myrciaria could also help with irritable bowel syndrome. Studies that have already been carried out show that a low level of this bacterium is associated with the occurrence of the disease.

Incidentally, the latest of the superfoods is also a real vitamin bomb: with around 3,000 milligrams of vitamin C per 100 grams, the fruit boosts our immune system better than any other fruit.

Hand it over!

Of course, these test results still have to be confirmed by experiments with humans. But they give hope that we will soon have an effective tool in the fight against overweight and obesity. And we don’t even have to live in the Amazon region for this – because camu-camu is already available in the form of capsules or powder like a food supplement. According to experts, the required daily dose in powder form is one to one and a half teaspoons.

And in this article we will reveal how losing weight on the stomach works.