Is Hoodia The Right Diet Aid For You?

Hoodia is plant in the Apocynaceae family and is sometimes confused with a plant from the cactus family. There are thirteen species of the Hoodia plant. The plant is native to Namibia and South Africa and grows to about three feet high and bears flowers. It is a succulent and is native to arid conditions and retains water in its stems. Recently Hoodia is being used in weight loss supplements.

Of the thirteen species of Hoodia only Hoodia Gordonii is associated with the Hoodia Diet. Other names that represent Hoodia include: Bushman’s Hat, Hoodia Cactus, Kalahari Cactus, Stapelia gordonii, Ikhoba, Xhooba, and Queen of the Namib. The Bushmen of the Kalahari have known of Hoodia Gordonii’s appetite suppressant qualities and recently Hoodia has gained global attention as a way to suppress the appetites of humans.

A chemical called P57 is the active ingredient that is believed to stimulate the brain into thinking you are full when you are not. You may wonder if there are any side effects to taking Hoodia. There have been no published or known side effects of taking Hoodia.

There are many different Hoodia Supplements that are available, which one is best? Products include H7, Hoodoba, Hoodia Hoodia, Hoodi Thin, Desert Burn and hundreds more. You can find Hoodia in a capsule, pill, powder, patches, candy, shakes or even tea form. The liquid form of Hoodia Gordonii extract is believed to be absorbed more effectively by the body than a powder or pill. But, these claims are not supported by published research.

If you are considering purchasing Hoodia from an online source you need to exercise caution. It is unlikely that all online products contain pure Hoodia Gordonii that they claim to.

Hoodia is only found native in South Africa or Namibia. Recently there are efforts to cultivate Hoodia in other areas of the world. These efforts are being done to produce liquid and power products to produce a diet supplement. They also are being done in order to avoid having to obtain a patented extract from South Africa. There have been no studies or real success in cultivating Hoodia Gordonii outside of Africa. Also, the effectiveness of a plant grown outside of Africa has not been proven.

You may wonder if taking a supplement with Hoodia in it will help you. One thing to remember is that the effect of Hoodia is only an appetite suppressant. If you eat when you are not hungry then Hoodia will not help you at all! Also, taking Hoodia will not correct any bad eating habits. If you have any eating issues you should resolve them before taking any diet supplement. It is recommended that you talk with your physician to discuss any health issues and the benefits of all the many diet aids that are available for you to take. Hoodia supplement will run from $35 a month or up and you don’t want to waste your money on a product unless you are sure that it may benefit you.