What is Caralluma?
Caralluma is a succulent plant (cactus) from India. In India it grows wild and is often used as a border in gardens and as a roadside shrub. It is also found in the wild in Africa, Saudi Arabia, Canary Islands, Afghanistan, and Southern Europe.
Traditionally, Indian tribes chewed chunks of caralluma to keep from being hungry during a long hunt. These days, a solution that contains chemicals taken from the plant (extract) is used to decrease appetite for weight loss. It is also used to quench thirst and to increase endurance.
In foods in India, caralluma is cooked as a vegetable and is used in preserves such as chutneys and pickles. It is also eaten raw.
Insufficient Evidence to Rate Effectiveness for…
· Weight loss and obesity. Developing evidence suggests that taking a caralluma extract for 60 days might decrease waistline, feelings of hunger, and fat and calorie intake. But it does not seem to decrease weight, body mass index (BMI), body fat, or hip measurements.
· Quenching thirst.
· Increasing endurance.
· Other conditions.
More evidence is needed to rate the effectiveness of caralluma for these uses.
How does Caralluma work?
Chemicals contained in the caralluma plant are thought to decrease appetite.
