The Reality About the Hoodia Plant

There is a breakthrough in weight-loss and it is brought about by the plant called “hoodia” .   The hoodia plant can only be found and only grows in the Kalahari desert, located in South Africa.

All About the Plant

The hoodia plant is part of the Apocynaceae flowering plant family which is connected under the subfamily of Asclepiadoideae.  They are cactus-like and are stem-succulents but later found out that they are in no way related to the cactus family of plants.  The hoodia plant emits a strong odor, grows large flowers and the plant is said to reach a height of up to one meter. 

Most of the hoodia species are protected plants and the Bushmen of South Africa called the plant “xhoba” and was later introduced to the world as “hoodia”.

Popularity in Africa

The hoodia plant is considered to be as one of the indigenous food that is being eaten by South African Bushmen hundreds of years ago when they go on hunting.  The Bushmen would mainly eat it to help ward off hunger and thirst during their expeditions.  Other people in South Africa also use the plant to treat indigestion and other forms of small infections. 

During the 1960s, the first test about the hoodia plant was conducted and was later found out that it helps suppress hunger and thirst resulting to decrease in animal body weight without any dangers or side effects.  After a few years, it was when the South Africa’s CSIR or Council for Scientific and Industrial Research came to isolate the appetite-suppressing compound in the plant and was known to be P57 which was patented last 1996 under Phytopharm.

Hoodia for the People

There has never been a consecutive study on humans that the hoodia plant proves to be an appetite-suppressant.  It has also never been studied that the plant in its pill form is safely effective and demonstrates no side effects for everyone who uses hoodia as their dietary supplement.  Because of this, most doctors and medical experts are still skeptical about recommending the hoodia plant to their patients since there is still a lack of study that would support the effectiveness and safety of it.