“The Holy Grail of weight loss” — this is how Doctor Oz describes Garcinia cambogia extract, a supplement that has taken the diet world by storm.

Ah, the infamous resolutions to eat healthy and exercise regularly, code words for “lose weight.” Generally, people use the holiday season as an excuse to binge one last time before the New Year.  Indulging in food & drink is one of life’s big pleasures but the after effects of over-indulging are not pleasureable.  So we scramble to find the quickest fix possible.

But if you ask me, there’s really only one way to lose weight and keep it off, and that’s to adopt a healthy lifestyle. That includes eating nutritious meals and exercising daily.

However there are plenty of marketers out there who would vehemently disagree – because magic pills make money.  Acai berry, green tea extract and capsaicin all had their time in the spotlight.

Now, let’s explore a supplement that has exploded on the weight loss scene more recently: Garcinia cambogia – a natural appetite suppressant with amazing fat-blocking properties. The extract’s key ingredient promotes natural weight loss with no apparent side effects.

Where does it come from? Garcinia cambogia is a small, pumpkin-shaped fruit. You may know it as tamarind. The extract of the fruit is called hydroxycitric acid, and that is what the “magic pills” are made from. Do they work? Only time will tell.

The fruit Garcinia cambogia was once just the less popular cousin of a trendy fruit, the mangosteen. But now, nutritional supplements containing Garcinia cambogia extract have become the rage, touted for their purported ability to curb appetite and stop weight gain.

People have long used the dried rinds (gambooge) for chutneys or curries, and sometimes as an aid for stomach problems. But in the late 1960s, scientists identified a substance in the rind of the fruit called hydroxycitric acid, or HCA, which has some potentially attractive qualities.

If you do decide to hop on the latest bandwagon, whether it is garcinia cambogia or some other plant-based extract, proceed with caution. If you’re taking any prescription medications, talk to your doctor before adding any herbal supplement. There may be dangerous interactions or consequences to taking large doses.

Until we have more research to draw from, we can’t know what is truly safe.

Credit:  Deborah Herlax Enos is a certified nutritionist and a health coach and weight loss expert in the Seattle area with more than 20 years of experience. Some of this was taken from LiveScience. Read more tips on her blog, Health in a Hurry!