Hoodia Gordinii - it's everywhere these days. On 60 minutes, in the health food store, in your diet pills, on the Internet. You've seen it and probably wondered 'What's so great about it?'

Hoodia Gordinii is a natural appetite suppressant made from the Hoodia plant - a cactus of the "succulent" cactus family, which grows in the Kalahari Desert region of South Africa. It has been used by the indigenous Bushmen for years as a natural appetite suppressant during long hunting trips where food was scarce.

So what's so great about this simple South African cactus that has everyone talking about it? Here are 3 reasons why Hoodia is better than any man-made diet pill to help you lose weight quickly and safely:

1) It Helps You Lose Weight Without Hunger or Feeling Deprived

One of the first studies of Hoodia Gordinii was done in the UK on obese patients. Half of the volunteers were given Hoodia, the other half a placebo. The subjects were allowed to do nothing but read, watch television and eat.

After 15 days it was found that those taking Hoodia had reduced their calorie intake by 1000 calories a day. Despite having unlimited access to food, these subjects lost weight without feeling hungry.

People have reported losing 100 pounds in 6 months, 84 pounds in 5 months and up to 4 pounds a week by taking pure Hoodia. So if you're looking for a way to lose weight but hate feeling hungry or deprived, it can help you to reach your goals without the pain of dieting.

2) It Helps Emotional Eaters Lose Weight

Not only do you feel full when you take Hoodia but many people say they don't even have the desire to eat. Some say they don't even think about food.

This is great for emotional eaters - whose weight may be more a result of eating out of boredom or emotional needs than because of hunger. It's also much easier to make healthier food choices when you feel satisfied and full, which contributes to your overall health and vitality.

3) Natural & Safe With No Reported Side Effects

Sure, you can take the caffeine-filled, chemical laden man-made diet pills and lose a couple of pounds - but why would you want to? You don't know what else it's doing to your body - and it could be causing some major damage. One of the best benefits about Hoodia Gordinii is that it's both natural and safe to take.

Since it is a plant, and not a man made chemical, it has little chance of causing side effects. In fact the South African government classified Hoodia as a food - not a drug. Scientists have been studying Hoodia for about 10 years and have found no evidence of any negative side effects.

Couple this with the fact that the Bushmen in the Kalahari desert of South Africa have been eating it for hundreds of years with no ill effect. You can see why this South African cactus is an amazing alternative to caffeine-laden, questionable diet pills.

While these 3 benefits definitely make Hoodia sound better than any man-made diet pill, there are a couple of things buyers should be aware of:

There are a lot of 'fake' Hoodia diet pills out there. Because it is a protected species (and it also takes 2 - 5 years to mature), the demand is becoming greater than the supply and many manufacturers are bottling inferior forms of the cactus that don't offer you the appetite suppressant effects of pure Hoodia.

Also, you probably don't want to take the pills forever. You should try to change your diet to one rich in fruits and vegetables, whole grains, lean meats etc. before transitioning off Hoodia to maintain your weight loss.