Caralluma fimbriata - Glossary

Caralluma fimbriata

An Indian cactus typically eaten as a vegetable.  Caralluma fimbriata also has a reputation as a hunger/appetite suppressant and is used as “famine food” in rural India.  This is why extracts are used in a number of weight loss supplements.  Caralluma fimbriata also contains a range of pregnane glycosides which allegedly interfere with the body’s ability to accumulate body fat (the proposed mechanism is similar to Garcinia cambogia). 

A proprietary Caralluma extract is currently being marketed under the name Slimaluma®, although a controlled study on this ingredient indicates the weight/fat loss benefits are relatively modest.

Author: elissa

Elissa is a former research associate with the University of California at Davis, and the author/co-author of over a dozen articles published in scientific journals. Currently a freelance writer and researcher, Elissa brings her multidisciplinary education and training to her writing on nutrition and supplements.

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