Hoodia: The Miracle Diet Plant from South Africa

Hoodia is a cactus plant that grows wild in the Kalahari Desert of South Africa. The plant can be eaten directly and has a taste similar to that of cucumber. After noticing that animals were losing weight as a direct result of eating the plant, the South African national laboratory got to work on finding and isolating the appetite suppressant. It's taken thirty years but their work paid off. Once the ingredient was found, the laboratory applied for a patent (on its weight loss application, not the plant itself) and licensed it to Phytopharm. Phytopharm has spent about twenty million dollars in research so far.

Hoodia is now present in many diet plans. Hoodia is different from Ephedra or other stimulants. There is nothing that stimulates in Hoodia. Rather, it effects the brain in the same way as glucose (sugar) might and fools the brain into thinking that the stomach is full. It aids in dieting because a person can eat less and still feel satisfied. Hoodia actually decreases the desire to eat.

In some studies, people have decreased their caloric intake by as much as one thousand calories. That is a dramatic change in calorie consumption.

So far, there is no way to manufacture a synthetic of hoodia in quantities to meet the demand of an obese society. In order to market the plant as an appetite suppressant, more crops are being grown and the hoodia plant, itself, will be part of a meal-replacement program. Phytopharm hopes to see this in place by 2008.

Because Hoodia is a natural ingredient and not an artificial drug, there are no known side effects. A person can avoid snacking and thoughtless eating without feeling deprived. Hoodia lets the brain think that the body is completely full and satisfied.

It is said that the men of South Africa, who originally discovered the plant, have long used it to control diabetes and hypertension. Hoodia is also rumored to be an aphrodisiac and energy booster.