Caralluma is a succulent plant, in the cactus family. It has been relied upon as a natural appetite suppressant in India for hundreds of years. As the family of cactii and succulent plants grows more and more popular and looked to for their appetitesuppressant, weight loss, and blood sugar lowering properties, it has garnered much greater attention. Originally supplements made from the hoodia cactus were the only such suppressant on the market, not anymore.

Caralluma is used not only to suppress appetite, but also to enhance endurance throughout India. People carry it with them as a good portable outdoor food like we do beef jerky or trail mix in the Western world. Sometimes it is even used during famine to suppress appetite. Those who live in rural India often eat it, as the succulent grows wild there.

When found in the wild, Caralluma is typically eaten raw, but it can also be cooked and prepared as a vegetable and often is daily in tribal India. Salt & spice blends are added to it in cooking. It is also often used as an ingredient in preparing chutneys or pickles. It is eaten in several forms. It is cooked as a regular vegetable with spices and salt. Tribal Indians regularly chew on chunks of it to aid in suppressing hunger when out on a long full day’s hunting trip. It is also used among the working classes in Southern India as an appetite suppressant and as an endurance enhancer.

The way it is believed to work is by blocking the activity of several enzymes. This in turn blocks fat from forming which then forces fat reserves to begin burning. It is also thought to have a positive impact on communicating to the appetite control center of the brain located in the hypothalamus. Caralluma can make the brain tell the body it is no longer hungry, controlling your appetite.

Experienced Indian Ayurvedic medicine professionals point out that there are no negative side effects from the use of this succulent. The plant does not have any toxicity issues to be concerned with. Hundreds of years of use by the Indian people have proven its safety as well as how well it works.

During two clinical trials using the plant extract made by a US company by the name of Gencor, in Austin, Texas, the company concluded that the manufactured extract product was without any side effects. The plant extract is concocted from powder alcohol and water extract of shade-dried aerial parts of the plant.

A double-blind randomized trial concentrated on weight-loss effects using the extract was conducted on 62 male and female obese subjects in normal health who were not taking any medications, and who were not following any dietary restrictions during the trial.  The trial summary shows that each participant show significant reductions in weight-loss.

There are many versions of weight loss products that now feature this all natural ingredient. Try Caralluma for yourself and discover the secret that Indians have known about for generations.