One of the stars of the current diet industry is all natural Hoodia. Some have even stated that Hoodia is a miracle supplement for dieters. Hoodia has been covered by all the major US News Networks and has risen to the top of the diet aid mountain. Hoodia has even been reported on by Oprah in her magazine. News to date has been positive.

Hoodia – what is it?

Hoodia Gordonii is also referred to as Hoodia, xhooda, and Ghaap. It is a South African succulent that grows only in South African desert regions. It is also extremely rare, growing only in this region of South Africa . It grows in thickets with upraised stems. It takes five years for the plant to make the flowers and is ready to be harvested for its benefits. There are over 20 subspecies of Hoodia known today, but only Hoodia Gordonii is known for the weight loss benefits.

How Does It Work?

Hoodia has been utilized historically by the San Bushmen of the Kalahari Desert region for thousands of years as an aid to staving off hunger. It is only in the last 40m plus years that Hoodia came to the attention of western science as a diet supplement. The scientists who have preformed studies on Hoodia Gordonii have found a compound in the plant that aids in appetite suppression. This is called P57, and since it is 10,000 times more active then glucose it helps the nerves in the brain to think the body is full.

Hoodia available today

A person interested in using Hoodia as a diet program can purchase Hoodia supplements in many of the well known stores today, in pill form as well as in liquid extract. Make sure to check the supplement you are choosing to see if it includes pure Hoodia as most of the supplements out today contain far less. To be completely confident check with CITES (the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species) for manufacturers who are legitimate.

Truthful facts on Hoodia

Hoodia Gordonii is a very rare plant known to grown in only one specific region. This means that counterfeit products are sure to abound on the market. Genuine Hoodia is very expensive to grown and harvest. Hoodia is also tightly regulated by the South African Government.

The final consideration must be, is Hoodia a product you will be comfortable trying and happy in using. If you are looking for a diet aid that has no adverse side effects then Hoodia might just be what you are seeking.