Hoodia is a plant found in the Kalahari desert of South Africa. Used for centuries by African bushmen called the San, hoodia helps decrease appetite and encourages weight loss.

Hoodia is a spiky, cactus-like plant called a succulent that reaches 18 inches in height. The blossoms of the hoodia plant are large, purplish-pink in color, and smell terrible.

In 1996 hoodia was discovered to have appetite suppressant qualities by CSIR, the Council for Scientific and Industrial Research. They were performing a study to test the toxicity of plants eaten by the African bushmen. Hoodia was found to not only be non-toxic and safe to consume, but also a great way to decrease hunger. The San bushmen use hoodia by chewing the stem. In 1997, CSIR was able to identify and isolate the molecule in the hoodia plant responsible for weight loss. They immediately obtained a patent, and licensed it to the Phytopharm company. Phytopharm named the component P57, and are currently working on creating energy bars and beverages that contain natural hoodia.

There are many different kinds of hoodia, but only the gordonii variety is used for weight loss. Hoodia gordonii can be found in many different forms, the most popular being pill and liquid. There is even a hoodia patch available.

When purchasing hoodia gordonii products, be sure to carefully read labels. Many products that claim to contain hoodia do not, or the concentration of hoodia is so small it's ineffective. Most all products that promise pure hoodia contain additional ingredients that are designed to work with the hoodia and your body to promote weight loss. Some of these ingredients can
include: cinnamon bark, green tea, caffeine, guarana, and bitter orange.

Hoodia is a safe, effective way to lose weight. There have been no reports of negative side effects from taking hoodia. If you do experience side effects such as shakiness or nausea, they are originating from another ingredient of the supplement, not the hoodia. It's important that you understand how much hoodia the product you purchase contains, as well as what other ingredients are included.

By adding hoodia to a healthy diet and making sure you get regular exercise, you can shed unhealthy extra weight safely and easily.