The Media Hype Over Hoodia: 60 Minutes and the BBC
What’s all the media hype over hoodia? 60 minutes and the BBC started it all in the early 2000’s when they reported that hoodia was an effective appetite suppressant. Following this glowing attention, the media craze took off and the market was flooded with hoodia gordonii supplements. Its popularity continues today and for good reason.
It is all natural, has no side effects, and offers great hope and promise for millions of overweight people. No wonder why there has been such media frenzy over hoodia! 60 Minutes may be responsible for the popularity of hoodia diet supplements today, but the media attention actually began in 2003 with a TV documentary on hoodia on the BBC.
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During the documentary, BBC correspondent, Tom Mangold, traveled to the desert where he and his cameraman tried hoodia for themselves.
Upon arriving in the desert, Mangold was confronted with an unattractive plant which sprouted about 10 tentacles, and was the size of a long cucumber. It was a, “slightly unpleasant tasting, fleshy plant.”
That evening, Mangold and his cameraman ate an amount of hoodia equal to roughly half a banana, and thereafter they began their four hour drive back to Capetown, South Africa.
The pair reported that they, “did not even think about food.” The next day they did not want breakfast and their lunchtime appetite was nearly nonexistent, they reported. They said their appetite slowly returned after about 24 hours.
the 60 Minutes hoodia report that aired on November 21, 2004
was what really sparked the media craze.
60 Minutes investigated hoodia gordonii by having Lesley Stahl travel to the Kalahari Desert in South Africa to test its appetite suppressing effects first-hand.
Stahl tried a piece of the plant, and she reported that it had a marked appetite suppressant quality. She further reported that she, “wasn’t even hungry all day.” Stahl concluded that natural hoodia probably worked as an appetite suppressant.
This original 60 Minutes broadcast has proven to be fertile ground for those in the business of selling supplements made with the hoodia gordonii. Virtually all hoodia sales websites report “as seen on 60 Minutes” or some variety, and many quote Ms. Stahl’s reports on the effectiveness of the plant.
But that’s the problem. What got lost in the media storm is that both Mangold and Stahl ate raw, whole hoodia gordonii. They did not take it in supplement form. Although hoodia supplements are extremely effective for many dieters, we still don’t know conclusively if hoodia in supplement form is as effective as raw hoodia.
60 Minutes nor the BBC documentary addressed the effectiveness of hoodia supplements. They only reported on the effectiveness of natural hoodia. This is a shame since most people don’t eat the hoodia plant itself but rather get it in supplement form.
They would have discovered there is a huge disparity among the various hoodia supplements available today. Most aren’t effective because they contain very little hoodia gordonii - if any at all. Here are things you can look for when you buy hoodia to ensure you get 100% authentic hoodia gordonii.
Resources:
BBC Report
60 Minutes Report
