The strange, almost ugly looking Hoodia Gordonii plant is now an endangered species and so has to be grown, harvested and distributed under strict regulatory guidelines. Authentic and genuine Hoodia Gordonii will carry certification of authenticity, a certificate of origin and the most important of all, a CITES Certificate.

A CITES certificate (Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species) is a permit or license given by the country of origin under a UN resolution to protect endangered species such as animals or plants (fauna and flora) from being farmed or grown and then exported for profit or gain.

The process of obtaining a CITES certificate can be quite involved and longwinded, bureaucratic and costly. It is often a process that some Hoodia Gordonii producers choose to either ignore or worse, falsify.

How To Check For Genuine Hoodia Gordonii

A majority Hoodia Gordonii suppliers will try to draw attention to the authenticity of their product by displaying a CITES certificate on the marketing material, their internet sales site or the product packaging.

Closer examination can often reveal that the product brand or manufacturer does not tally up with the organisation that has been granted the permit - if in doubt check the document.

The name and address is displayed in the top left hand corner - It should not read confidential or private. If a manufacturer is not displaying publicly - they may have something to hide.

Another document that should point toward authenticity is the Certification Of Origin - or C of O. certificate. Hoodia Gordonii is indigenous to South Africa and so the C of O documentation should be issued by the Cape Town Regional Chamber Of Commerce Of Industry and issued to the supplier or manufacturer.

In recent times the Hoodia Gordonii plant is not grown exclusively in the Republic Of South Africa. Countries such as China, Mexico and North America are permitted to farm, harvest and export. The Hoodia Gordonii products from these countries are no less or no more as authentic as their South African counterpart but are considered by many to be hybrids and not as potent and not as pure as original native South African farmed.

Pure Hoodia Gordonii is the most effective natural appetite suppressant in existence. It remains the same today as it did 1000's of years ago when native San Tribesman of the Kalahari first discovered that parts from this unusual looking plant would allow them to go for days without the need for nourishment. Although the intention of the tribesman was not for weight loss the result was obvious without ill effect.

The San Tribesman of yesteryear did not add anything to their Hoodia Gordonii - nor did they take anything away. So why should we today.

When researching Hoodia product to use as an appetite suppressing weight loss method do not believe everything the marketeers are keen to suggest. Cheap Hoodia may not be Hoodia at all.