Indigenous plants with purported medicinal properties are great but use them with caution, an expert warns. Like the hoodia plant which can be your new best friend for losing weight since it has the ability to suppress your appetite.
The appetite-slaying succulent, called hoodia, is processed into dietary supplements that can suppress appetite and facilitate weight loss.
In an article published on Health For Mzansi, Kwanele Dlamini, a soil scientist and agronomist, shares how the hoodia plant is planted and cultivated.
He explains, “The hoodia plant, which the Khoi know as Khobab, occurs along the eastern part of the Western Cape in Southern Africa, north regions and northwestern regions in the Northern Cape.”
Hot weather conditions aren’t an issue because this plant withstands high temperatures, even exceeding 40°C. But it can also endure low-temperature conditions. In the article, Dlamini explains where this particular species is typically found.
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Growing a hoodia plant
The article also breaks down the growing process, as well as where and how hoodia should be planted.
Dlamini also cautions that there are several disadvantages. He explains that some of the side effects of this plant include nausea, skin reactions, and vomiting.
Consumers are also warned not to fall for online recipes, why consuming it directly from the soil is a bad idea and the importance of acquiring indigenous plants with purported medicinal properties from reputable sources.
Read the full story here. It was first published on Health For Mzansi and written by Vateka Halile.
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