San People and Hoodia Gordonii

For many centuries the San people (also often named as San bushmen) of the Kalahari desert in Southern Africa have used Hoodia plants as a food. The species Hoodia gordonii was less often used because of its lingering bitter taste being considered unpleasant. However, in times of hardship, or being away from familiar areas, it was sometimes eaten by the San people.

In recent years and today, Hoodia spp. are widely used traditionally by the San people as an appetite suppressant, thirst quencher and as a cure for severe abdominal cramps, haemorrhoids, tuberculosis, indigestion, hypertension and diabetes.

Various uses have been recorded among Anikhwe (northern Botswana), Hei//om (northern Namibia), Khomani (north western South Africa), and the !Xun and Khwe (Khoe) (originally from Angola) communities.

Less is known about the use of these plants by other indigenous people, not the San, but some records show limited use of plant parts as food items, albeit not as preferred food items.

Hoodias are known to be used for cultural purposes in some areas (as cited by Hargreaves and Turner, 2002). Although relatively difficult to cultivate, Hoodias are attractive plants and are used for horticultural purposes.

Hoodia gordonii and San People.
KW: hoodia – san – people

In conclussion, the San people are the first group that discovered the hoodia gordonii as an appetite suppressant.