Hoodia is the broad name which is used to describe numerous species of the plant family Apocynaceae. There are 13 species of Hoodia plants, and these plants are generally described as stem succulents, which means they are very similar to plants of the cactus family.
These plants can stand as tall as 1 meter, and are well known for their big flowers, as well as their prominent smell. The Hoodia plants are extremely valuable for various medical uses, and because of this, they are protected in their native environments.
The Hoodia plants grow prominently in Africa, parcticularly in Angola and the central region of Namibia. These plants will generally grow in environments that have rocky terrains, and in their countries of origin, they are referred to as the “Bushman’s Hat.”
One of the most popular plants of the Hoodia family is called Hoodia gordonii, and research is currently being conducted into the uses of this plant as a suppressant of appetites. This means that Hoodia gordonii can be a natural cure to being obese, by helping people control their cravings for food.
Hoodia gordonii is a plant that does not have leaves. In addition to its uses as an appetite suppressant, this plant has a number of other medical properties. One thing which makes this plant distinct is its smell. Those who have smelled the Hoodia Gordonii have stated that it smells like rotten meat.
Flies are primarily responsible for pollinating it. While Hoodia gordonii is fairly new to most people living outside of Africa, the native peoples of Africa have known about the existence of this plant for thousands of years, and have frequently used it in the past to treat a number of conditions, including digestive issues and infections.
However, despite the fact that this plant has been used for thousands of years in Africa, scientists have only recently found the ingredient within it that is responsible for its ability to suppress appetites, and this ingredient is known as P57, and the patent for this ingredient was made during the 1990s.
Since then, research has continued in isolating the many ingredients of this plant so they could be used to assist people in weight loss.
The introduction of Hoodia gordonii into the weight loss industry has led to what could be a multi-billion dollar industry, one that is expected to grow in the coming years, as people begin to reject synthetic weight loss tools in favor of natural products.