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How to Identify those Who Sell Hoodia from Real to Fake?
There’s no question that there’s a need for obesity to be addressed more seriously and
conscientiously and the problem should not be left to businessmen to take care of. If left to their own volition,
they will think of profit first and service second. There are in the market today very good products that are very
powerful weight loss supplements, but the problem is the proliferation of fake products that have placed the
consumers at a disadvantage.
One plant extract has particularly shown promise in helping solve the problem of obesity. It acts by
suppressing the diet of individuals leaving them unresponsive to the food’s appeal.
This plant from South Africa is called Hoodia Gordonii. It has become very popular and sales have
taken on briskly.
Many business establishments sell Hoodia products but the authenticity of some of these products on sale
is suspect. Because of the effectiveness and popularity of the product, many fictitious Hoodia merchandise have
popped up in every store shelf in the country.
Several measures have been put in place to protect the integrity of the plant. The strict implementation of
CITES certification requirements for Hoodia products have made inroads into slowly identifying the fake Hoodia.
There’s also the USDA requirements and lab phyto analysis that reinforce the technical aspect of weeding out fake
Hoodias.
 These measures first and foremost are geared towards the protection
of customers. Bogus products cause financial losses to the buying public and results in health problems, two
fold. First, the fake products may induce ailments to the users since these are prepared in a substandard
fashion. Second, the consumer’s obesity may turn worse because the product has no effect
whatsoever.
The plant is found and proliferates only under the torrid sun and arid sand of South Africa.
The importance of the plant has made it a protected species in the countries where they are found because of over
harvesting. A license is needed before they can be harvested and exported to other countries. The extract of this
plant is very precious and is called P57, which is responsible for the effectiveness of the plant.
Hoodia Gordonii plants were found in the late 18th century and were aptly christened after
the Dutch explorer who discovered them for the Western Civilization. They have a unique smell and look like a
cactus but they don’t resemble them in the plant family circle. There are over a dozen types of Hoodia plants but
only the Gordonii has medicinal value.
The product is sold in several forms and doses. They are available in pills, capsules,
juices, coffees, chocolates and candy forms. The dosage comes in 200 mg up to 1000 mg. Some Hoodia products have
filler ingredients like chromium and green tea.
There will be an increase in demand of Hoodia Gordonii, especially when the fakes are identified and
people’s confidence in buying the real product will return.
The fly by night companies will not sell Hoodia products anymore because they can be easily spotted if
they don’t have the necessary requisites and they won’t pass the lab tests that are required of
them.
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