On my travels thought the web, I have seen many miracle stories behind this new plant phenomenon so I wanted to do some Hoodia research myself for my readers.
In case you don’t know by now, the Hoodia Diet has hit the television and internet in full-force. With an explosion of email spam to banner advertisements flashing like neon signs in Vegas; this diet seems to be the “must-have” of the century. But does it actually work?
What the heck is it?
Hoodia is a plant that is found native in South Africa which is consumed by the native tribes as part of their normal diets. Many believe that the reason for South African tribes staying skinny are by ingesting this plant and that it can work for you also. Now regardless if the natives stay skinny with it, there are a LOT reasons that could explain their smaller size. From over-all eating habits to their natural genetic traits, there are countless factors that can debunk the Hoodia myth.
The Hoodia plant is most commonly purchased in the form of supplement pills and can be found everywhere you look on the internet. Be extremely cautious though. Fact is, that there are tons of products on the web that have very small doses or even no Hoodia in them at all. Most are nothing more but a sugar pill with a label.
What are the facts?
The Hoodia plant is classified as a “diet supplement” so they are not held to high criteria and do not undergo extensive research and testing. Simply put, there is little evidence the Hoodia plant supplies any real benefits or results at all for helping you lose weight. Even a great deal of physicians are recommending their patients to keep away from the product all together. Remember that the next time you read “100% certified Hoodia.” Certified by who? The national board of I said so?
Whats my honest take on it?
Hoodia Supplements are nothing but one of the many ramped up, overnight diet fads that fade out pretty quickly. While I’m not saying they don’t work to an extent, I’m saying buying it and expecting all of the promises to come true is a long shot. It could be wonderful if someone invented a miracle pill that solved all weight loss problems but I don’t see Hoodia being it. I am a statistics type of person and hard evidence is not there. With medical experts not even willing to give them praise, my hopes are pretty dim as well. Stay with a diet that has been proven successful and is not based on something that sounds too good to be true. Hoodia pills are “supplements” when means you take them in conjunction with a proper diet and exercise. Anyone telling you that the pill is all you have to take is contradicting themselves.
What do you think? Have you had good or bad experiences with these supplements lately? Were the results what you expected or not at all what they promised? Post your comments’ and opinions’ below.