South African Hoodia Gordonii

Hoodia gordonii, (Hoodia) is a cactus like plant that grows natively in South Africa. Compounds in this plant are weight loss enhancers. Hoodia gordonii is an all-natural appetite suppressant containing no dangerous stimulants that cause side effects. Read more about Hoodia.

Hoodia Gordonii tells the brain that you're full. The compounds in hoodia stimulate your body to release a compound similar to glucose but much stronger. The brain gets the signal that you have had enough food and your appetite is shut off.

Hoodia has been successfully tested by scientists at the South African Center for Scientific and Industrial Research, proving that that hoodia gordonii suppresses the appetite. Later human clinical trials in Leicester England demonstrated a significant reduction in food intake by 1000 calories a day. Given the average diet is approximately 2200 calories per day, this is a 45% reduction in food intake.

Pure South African hoodia is limited and expensive. Limited quantities of it are exported and strictly regulated by the South African government. The growing awareness of this natural appetite suppressant and growing demand for this natural herb are creating a market for products that do not contain pure hoodia gordonii. Products that contain very little or no authentic hoodia in them are beginning to flood the marketplace.

1. Hoodia gordonii supply is limited. Hoodia gordonii grows natively in Southern Africa, taking 6 to 7 years to reach harvesting stage.
2. International law controls the export of Hoodia, a Hoodia CITES certificate is needed to export it out of South Africa, making pure hoodia gordonii scarce and expensive.
3. Media attention from the BBC, CBS, The Today Show, and Oprah have praised the appetite suppressing property of pure hoodia gordonii, which has lead to a huge surge in demand.
4. There are many species of the hoodia plant, but only the hoodia gordonii species contain the appetite suppressant that enhances weight loss plans.
5. The FDA does not regulate the ingredients in hoodia products, therefore no purity testing is required.
6. Quality hoodia gordonii can be found on the internet, but you need to know how to read the ingredients label.
7. Some companies will claim their product contains "pure hoodia." It will be pure hoodia, just not hoodia gordonii. If it is not pure hoodia gordonii, then the weight loss benefits are not there.
8. "Whole hoodia gordonii plant" products contain inert plant parts such as fiber, pulp, leaves and flowers to reduce production costs. Be aware that you are paying for ingredients that are fillers and have no weight loss enhancers.
9. Hoodia concentrates, as opposed to "whole hoodia gordonii plant" products, contain only active ingredients. The hoodia gordonii plant concentrate is separated from fillers, the concentrate is then used to make the product. All you money is going into the core active ingredient.
10. Some hoodia gordonii products contain metabolism stimulators. Depending on your needs, you may or may not want these added stimulants. Some people buy a hoodia product with caffeine stimulants to increase the potential for weight loss. But if you don't react well to these stimulants (caffeine can cause nervousness, elevated heart rates, and more) you may want to stick to pure hoodia gordonii with any metabolic enhancers.

"... In order to see for ourselves, we drove into the desert, four hours north of Cape town in search of the cactus. Once there, we found an unattractive plant which sprouts about 10 tentacles, and is the size of a long cucumber. Each tentacle is covered in spikes which need to be carefully peeled. Inside is a slightly unpleasant-tasting, fleshy plant.

At about 1800hrs I ate about half a banana size - and later so did my cameraman. Soon after, we began the four hour drive back to Cape town.

The plant is said to have a feel-good almost aphrodisiac quality, and I have to say, we felt good. But more significantly, we did not even think about food. Our brains really were telling us we were full. It was a magnificent deception.

Dinner time came and went. We reached our hotel at about midnight and went to bed without food. And the next day, neither of us wanted nor ate breakfast. I ate lunch but without appetite and very little pleasure. Partial then full appetite returned slowly after 24 hours. ..."

Read the complete BBC Hoodia Report here

Lesley Stahl went to South Africa to track down some wild Hoodia.
After a knowledgeable guide had found some, she tried a small piece:

"So, did the hoodia work? Well, first of all, I had no after-effect and no funny taste in my mouth, no queasy stomach, no racing heart. Nothing. And secondly, I wasn't ever hungry all day. Even when I would normally have a pang, say, around lunchtime or dinnertime, I didn't."

"I had no particular desire to eat or drink for the entire day. So, I guess I`d have to say it did work."

Read the complete CBS Hoodia Report here