Hoodia Gordonii's Fact And Fiction
After that fateful day when hoodia gordonii was introduced to the whole country as the next weight loss wonder in the health world, a great demand for it rose. The facts that this wild succulent plant only grows in the South African desert and can only be harvested after 5 years, make the supply of this plant far lower than the demand for it.
The tricks of the trade
From this great scarcity of hoodia gordonii stems the counterfeit products in the market which claim to have the genuine plant. Being choosy is the least thing you can do as a consumer as about 80% of weight loss pills claiming to have this plant are actually fake.
So how do you know then if a certain weight loss product you wish to buy contains that same hoodia gordonii cultivated in South Africa? How can you tell if a nutritional supplement does have authentic hoodia gordonii and not just some starch or sawdust?
Separating an authentic hoodia gordonii product from an adulterated one is not just one whole simple procedure. This is for the reason that two labs heading the giving of authentication to various companies in the United States actually conduct different processes. Apart from this, they disagree on how these processes must be done and even on the very definition of what real hoodia gordonii is. Needless to say, some companies may get authentication from one lab and none from the other so this makes the whole testing for consumers more complicated.
Penned on paper
Now most websites, even those owned by health companies themselves, always advise that you look for a company's C.I.T.E.S. certificate. C.I.T.E.S. stands for Convention on International Trade of Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora, which is based in Cape Nature of South Africa. They issue this document to regulate the exportation of hoodia gordonii as this plant is a protected plant species.
However, seeing that a company has a copy of the C.I.T.E.S. certificate does not guarantee authentication. This is because a lot of companies result to fraud by copying certificates uploaded by other companies and editing them in Photoshop to make them look real.
Another way to know if a company is a legal hoodia importer is to look for their USDA Import License. All companies who import real hoodia gordonii are granted license by the USDA and are registered by them.
The last method to determine if, indeed, a hoodia gordonii product is authentic is by passing it to Alkemists Pharmaceuticals for a series of lab tests. This lab's tests can detect if a sealed product contains real and pure hoodia gordonii. However, you must make sure that their lab report for a company's product is not more than 6 months ago.
Filtering fact from fiction
Despite the fact that the authentications mentioned can be adulterated by several companies, it's a good thing that there are still some ways to make sure that a hoodia gordonii product is genuine without spending too much.
Pay attention to the price. Don't think that buying a $25 product is bang for your buck. Pure and genuine hoodia gordonii costs from $200 to $350 per kilo. This means that the food supplement must really be costly, especially considering its scarcity. It is best to trust those companies who sell their products for more than $40. However, some companies who put sawdust in their products even raise their prices as they know this fact.
That is why you can turn to some independent writers out there who provide honest articles about the hoodia gordonii industry. Make sure that they have no affiliation with any health company. They are usually investigative journalists who recommend authentic hoodia gordonii products in the market without getting paid by any health company. Most of them have tried the products themselves and have encountered several fraudulent companies who fool the public by selling counterfeit hoodia gordonii.
The best thing you can do as a consumer is to filter all testimonials and articles you see online and distinguish the true information from the fictitious ones. Even online forums could be contaminated by false testimonials, thus, it is best to take it from independent writers themselves.
Read more about weight loss, creatine, hoodia, fish oil, and calcium.
Need a Fresh Look At the Market?
Wizetrade is America's most popular investment training and software.
Related Articles:
Writing Your Best-Selling Non-Fiction Book Title
Your struggling to sell just a few copies of your book, ebook,
report or other information-based product each month?Are you stumped by the lack of response you are getting?You are positive people want your information, yet no matter
how hard you try, you can't seem to tap into the flood of
demand with your infoproduct.Happily, there is one simple, quick change you can make to
your product that can make a massive difference to your
results -- improve your book title.
'1919 - Misfortune's End' Listed Among Top 10 Books in Historical Fiction
The novel is listed as one of the most original, brightest and best selling on the market.
First Private Equity Funding of Non-Fiction Book
The Complete Kant.
Black Author Brings New Voice to Science Fiction and Fantasy
African American sci-fi/fantasy author R. A. Baker shares his views on the genre, and the future of black speculative fiction
"The Revenge of Little Crow" Historical Fiction Novel Makes an Excellent Holiday Gift Idea
One hundred and forty-five years ago on December 26, 1862, while the Civil War raged in the south, 38 Sioux Indians were executed by hanging at Mankato, Minnesota. This execution, the largest in US history, was ordered by President Lincoln as the result of Minnesota's bloody Sioux massacre which left nearly 1,000 settlers dead or wounded. "The Revenge of Little Crow," historical fiction by Steven M. Ulmen, tells the tale.
Kevin M. Weeks Blends Urban Fiction with a Twist of Crime Fiction in Sophomore Novel
Award winning author Kevin M. Weeks incorporates the best elements of Urban Fiction and Crime Fiction together in his sophomore novel titled: The Street Life Series: Is It Passion or Revenge?
Outskirts Press Announces Envisioned, the Latest Fiction/Fantasy Book from Aiken, SC Author Montana Hintermann
Outskirts Press, Inc. has published Envisioned by Montana Hintermann, which is the author's most recent book to date. The 5.5 x 8.5 Paperback in the Fiction/ Fantasy category is available worldwide on book retailer websites such as Amazon and Barnes & Noble for a suggested retail price of $10.95. The webpage at www.outskirtspress.com/Envisioned was launched simultaneously with the book's publication.
Two Works of Fiction by Local Authors Highlight Youth Homes Auxiliary Annual Book Review
Two book readings, "Clear of Clouds" and "The Cultivation of Weeds", followed by a question and answer period with Mr. Leigh Robinson and Dr. Emory Menefee, the books' authors and close personal friends, will be the highlight of the annual Youth Homes Auxiliary book review to be held on Thursday, October 25, 2007 at the Hope Center Covenant Church (2275 Morello Avenue, Pleasant Hill, CA 94523). Funds raised by Youth Homes Auxiliary support neglected and troubled youth in Contra Costa County.
5th Better Sex Erotic Fiction Contest: Largest Prize for Amateur Erotic Fiction Writers
BetterSex.com (http://www.bettersex.com) will award $5,000 in cash and prizes to amateur erotic fiction writers on Valentine's Day 2009. Submission deadline for the company's fifth erotic fiction contenst is midnight Sunday November 1st. Complete contest details may be found at the company's web site.
Outskirts Press Announces Destiny, the Latest Highly-Anticipated Fiction/Historical book from Author Don Helling
Outskirts Press, Inc. has published "Destiny: A Love Story from the Ashes of Despair" by Don Helling, the author's most recent book to date. The 5.5 x 8.5 Paperback in the Fiction/ Historical category is available worldwide on book retailer websites such as Amazon and Barnes & Noble for a suggested retail price of $9.95. The webpage at www.outskirtspress.com/destiny was launched simultaneously with the book's publication.
Historical Fiction Novel Depicts 'Red Summer' Riots, Observing 89th Anniversary
1919-Misfortune's End Creates and Develops Authentic Characters Who are Placed into Historical Events to Reveal Lessons that Mirror Today.
Psychology of Male Friendships Explored in New Fiction Book
In the vein of chicklit, new novel Four Men on a Cruise, Hola! illustrates that emotional intimacy between men isn't just fiction.
Golden Age Stories Launches Interactive Pulp Fiction Book Website
The new GoldenAgeStories.com interactive Flash Website Pulp Fiction universe showcases 153 fiction stories in books and audio books by L. Ron Hubbard via immersive and engaging Flash video, audio, print, drawings, and iTunes Podcasts from 80 classic books.
Independent Author Offers Free Science Fiction Audio Books
Mike Luoma offers his Science Fiction novels as free downloadable MP3s. "Vatican Ambassador" just completed at Podiobooks.com! More at Glowinthedarkradio.com
Outskirts Press Announces Satan's Bulge, the Latest Highly-Anticipated Fiction/ Science Fiction Book from Upland, CA Author J R Kapz
Outskirts Press, Inc. has published Satan's Bulge: A recounting of the Palmdale dragon hysteria as reported by by J R Kapz, which is the author's most recent book to date. The 5.5 x 8.5 Paperback in the Fiction/ Science Fiction category is available worldwide on book retailer websites such as Amazon and Barnes & Noble for a suggested retail price of $13.95. The webpage at www.outskirtspress.com/satansbulge was launched simultaneously with the book's publication.