The has gained its popularity in the late 19th century and is still the first and sometimes the only choice of dieters nowadays. The Hoodia Gordonii is a plant that can be found in the Kalahari and Namib Desert in South Africa. It has been used for generations by the San Bushmen to suppress their appetite and thirst while providing them with enough energy on their long hunting trips. There has been no known or recorded adverse effects on the plant during clinical and laboratory tests.
The is actually mistakenly called a cactus because of its significant resemblance to the cactus family. As a matter of fact, it is not a cactus at all. It is from the family Apocynaceae, while the cactus is from the plant family Cactaceae. The family Apocynaceae or dogbane family is mainly composed of trees, shrubs or herbs that has milky juice in the inside and oftentimes have flashy flowers. A mature plant can grow up to more than 6 feet in height. Other names for it are “Bushman’s Hat” and “Queen Of the Namib”.
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There are over 20 species of Hoodia. However, there is only one Hoodia Gordonii and it grows exclusively in certain South African deserts only. According to scientists the specific type of soil and the right amount of sunshine the plant gets from these deserts may be the reason for this plant to not grow anywhere else in the world. Its extraordinary properties to curb ones diet and thirst plus having no side effects make it even more attractive for manufacturers.
To prevent this kind of plant from disappearing in its habitat, the CITES or the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora needs to be secured by the manufacturer. The Hoodia Gordonii is not yet listed under the endangered species but soon will be if the trade for the plant will not be controlled.
Other private companies have farmed the Hoodia plant in greenhouses in the Kalahari Desert to be able to meet the supply and demand of the target manufacturers and consumers. Manufacturers left only a small portion of free growing Hoodia Gordonii plants in unsecured areas of the Desert for outside company exports. The CITES have granted the export of the Hoodia Gordonii to only a few companies that are legally allowed to do so. So the next time you buy a extract product it should not come as a surprise if it costs a lot.
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