Can Hoodia Cause Easy and Fast Weight Loss
Doug Smith

Defined Tag: hoodia.
A South African plant called hoodia gordonii grows in the Kalahari desert. Many claim hoodia suppresses the appetite and therefore is an effective weight loss supplement. There are 13 flowering succulents in the hoodia plant family, and they only grow in the South African Kalahari desert. Recent media stories have made hoodia the must-have weight loss supplement around the world.

For thousands of years, The San, residents of the Kalahari Desert have used hoodia to control their appetites. Because their hunting trips took many days, they ate hoodia along the way so that they wouldn't have to eat the food they were bringing back to their villages. Hoodia also helped them honor their tradition of dining together as a village.

The mainstream media has fastened on hoodia like a steel trap. Stories about hoodia godonii have appeared on major news networks and daytime talk shows. Much emphasis is placed on the American report who traveled to South Africa, ate raw hoodia, and reported no hunger or thirst for almost 24 hours. These anecdotes make the claim of easy weight loss even more promising.

Obesity is an epidemic in western countries, yet those same people are barraged with advertisements for fast food and candy. On the other hand, this same media holds up thin, beautiful people as the ideals. The alleged miracle of the hoodia appetite suppressant seems to be an easy resolution to this schism.

The fine print on hoodia and other supplements often contain items the advertiser prefers that you didn't see. Most often is the recommendation that the product be taken along with a regimen of exercise and healthy eating. If the consumer could eat right and exercise, he or she wouldn't need the hoodia or other supplements! Is it this exercise and dieting that causes weight loss rather than hoodia? Is it a psychological effect? The word-of-mouth evidence suggests that hoodia really works, but exercise and good diets won't hurt!

There is very little published research on hoodia gordonii. It is very hard do make in a lab, so the only source is the plants themselves. Recognizing this, many countries have imposed strict import/export laws on hoodia. The evidence so far suggests that hoodia might be very effective. It is hoped that hoodia resources are handled well enough that everyone can share in the benefits.

Copyright 2007 by Doug Smith. All rights reserved worldwide. Unauthorized duplication prohibited.