Camu Camu vs. Oranges: How Much More Vitamin C Are We Talking About?

May 7, 2026

Quick answer

An orange has roughly 50–70 mg of vitamin C per 100 g. Camu Camu has somewhere between 2,000 and 3,000 mg per 100 g of fresh fruit — and dried camu camu powder concentrates this even further. So roughly 30–60x the vitamin C, gram for gram, depending on how you measure.

Calling it "more than 10 oranges" is actually an understatement.

What is Camu Camu, exactly?

Camu Camu (Myrciaria dubia) is a small reddish-purple berry from the Peruvian Amazon. It grows on shrubs along riverbanks in flooded forest, ripens between November and March, and tastes sour enough that nobody in Peru eats it raw. It's almost always processed into juice or freeze-dried into powder, where the sourness mellows out.

Why does it have so much vitamin C?

It's a survival adaptation. Tropical fruits in nutrient-poor floodplain ecosystems often pack absurd amounts of antioxidants and vitamins to defend against intense UV exposure and microbial pressure. Camu Camu just happens to be the champion of vitamin C among fruits we eat.

Does the vitamin C survive processing?

Mostly, yes. Vitamin C is sensitive to heat, but freeze-drying preserves the bulk of it. The ascorbic acid in camu camu also comes packaged with bioflavonoids and polyphenols that help the body absorb and use it — something synthetic vitamin C tablets don't offer.

What does that actually do for you?

Vitamin C in food form does the things you'd expect:

Supports immune function during seasonal changes
Helps the body produce collagen (skin, joints, blood vessels)
Acts as an antioxidant, neutralizing free radicals
Improves absorption of iron from plant foods

What sets camu camu apart from a vitamin C pill is the mix of compounds it comes with — anthocyanins, ellagic acid, quercetin, and others. Whole-food vitamin C is generally better absorbed and used by the body than synthetic ascorbic acid alone.

How much do you actually need?

The RDA for vitamin C is 75–90 mg/day, but most clinical research on immune support uses doses of 200–500 mg daily. A standard 1,500 mg serving of camu camu powder gives you 700–1,000+ mg of natural vitamin C, plus the polyphenol package. Capsules are easier to dose and don't require swallowing the sour taste.

How to take it

We carry Camu Camu Capsules with 1500mg per serving. One serving in the morning is enough for most people. You can take it daily, especially during cold and flu season or when you're traveling.

*These statements have not been evaluated by the FDA. Camu Camu is not intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any disease.