How to Choose Camu Camu Capsules: A Buyer's Guide to Spotting Quality

Two bottles, same name, same price. One holds bright pink powder that smells faintly of candy; the other a sandy, tan powder that smells like dried fruit. Somewhere between a riverbank near Iquitos and your cart, those two products took very different paths. Here is how to tell them apart in under a minute.

The short answer: The best camu camu capsules list vitamin C in milligrams per serving, use whole camu camu fruit powder (naturally tan to beige), contain no fillers like maltodextrin, carry an organic seal, and tell you the capsule material. Our Organic Camu Camu Capsules deliver 200 mg vitamin C (222% DV) per 2 capsules from 1,000 mg organic camu camu powder, in vegan pullulan capsules, 120 per bottle.

What should you check first on a camu camu capsule label?

Turn the bottle around and find two numbers: camu camu powder per serving (mg) and vitamin C per serving (mg and % Daily Value). A label that lists only the powder weight leaves you guessing. Ours shows both: 1,000 mg of camu camu powder and 200 mg of vitamin C per 2 capsules.

What color should camu camu powder be?

Whole-fruit powder, made from dried fruit, is naturally tan to beige. Hot-pink powder usually signals juice concentrate dried onto a carrier. Open a capsule over a white plate and look; it takes ten seconds. More on this in camu camu vs other vitamin C fruits.

Which fillers and additives should you avoid?

• Maltodextrin: a starchy carrier used in many spray-dried powders
• Magnesium stearate and other flow agents
• Added sugar or color
• Added ascorbic acid: if a label says "camu camu" but also lists ascorbic acid, the vitamin C may not come only from the fruit

Ours: certified organic camu camu powder (Myrciaria dubia) and a pullulan capsule. Nothing else.

Does capsule type matter?

Yes, if you avoid animal products. Gelatin capsules are not vegan; pullulan (made from fermented tapioca) and HPMC capsules are. Size matters to some people too. Here is what one customer noticed about ours:

How do you compare camu camu capsules by cost?

Compare price per serving and vitamin C per serving, not just bottle price.

Where should camu camu come from?

Camu camu grows along the flooded rivers and lakes of the Amazon basin. Ours is organically harvested in Peru, dried at low temperatures and ground. A brand that names the country of origin, and states whether its product is organic, is giving you something you can check.

What mistakes do people make buying camu camu capsules?

• Picking the bottle with the biggest "mg" on the front, which may be powder weight, not vitamin C
• Missing that the serving is 2 capsules
• Ignoring the capsule material
• Storing it in a steamy bathroom; keep it in a cool, dark, dry place

Prefer to blend? The same product page offers an 8 oz powder. See our straight-talk camu camu guide.

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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.