Garcinia Cambogia - The Ultimate Comprehensive Guide

Some may know it as the ultimate weight loss recipe, and others may refer to it as a natural product that gained a lot of popularity over the past few years. What is true is that garcinia cambogia is a revolutionary discovery and a supplement that is proven to be effective, according to lots of scientific research.

Whether you have seen the review about garcinia cambogia on the TV show Dr.Oz or have been reading about it online, there is a lot of information you should get to know before taking it.

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what's this supplement all about? And why is it so popular - and even possibly over-hyped?

In order to paint the full picture, let's start with the background and the first discoveries of this product.

The Roots of Garcinia Cambogia: Where Does It Come From?

As you would probably guess, garcinia cambogia is not something new to this world. It is a citrus fruit that has been around for decades, whose benefits have not been explored by experts and the mainstream media.

As the new millennium kicked in, many scientists and experts started exploring the natural products deriving from Asia - with garcinia cambogia being one of them. There has been a big buzz with natural supplements for weight loss, and garcinia cambogia has been one of them. Native to Asia and the countries of Sri Lanka, Malaysia, India and Indonesia, this plant is also known as the Malabar tamarind or the brindle berry.

Similar in its appearance to its cousin the mangosteen, garcinia has a different color - red or yellow when ripe, opposite to the dark red to brown-ish in the mangosteen. Since they are both products of the tamarind family, they both have a sweet sour in taste.

The actual malabar tamarind is usually eaten as a fruit in the Asian countries, while its juice is also drank as a traditional medicine for stomach aches. It is also used as an ingredient in some recipes and is widely consumed in the Asian countries. And even though the fruit itself initially attracted the attention of scientists in the 1960, garcinia cambogia was introduced to its supplement form and exploited by the pharmaceutical companies even 50 years after its discovery.

That being said, the best way to define garcinia cambogia is as a superfood. In case you don't know the meaning of this phrase, it is basically used to describe a nutrient-rich food that is especially beneficial for health and well-being.

Speaking of nutrients, let's list all the nutritional information making garcinia cambogia a superfood and a powerful natural supplement.

A Nutritional Review & Analysis of Garcinia Cambogia

If you are wondering about the facts and effects of supplementing with garcinia cambogia, it is safe to say that there is a lot of them. Since it has come to light because it promotes natural weight loss, the nutritional value of garcinia cambogia is pretty extensive.

Below, we are listing some of the most important nutritional facts about this supplement.

Rich in Vitamin C: First and foremost is the fact that garcinia cambogia as a citrus fruit is rich in vitamin C. As you probably know, vitamin C is known to be a great antioxidant which helps in fighting off the free radicals, which are the bridge to many serious diseases including cancer. On top of that, the vitamin C has anti-inflammatory properties which makes it great for preventing and fighting diseases like arthritis.

Rich in Xanthones: Second on the list of nutrition facts are xanthones, which are known as powerful phytonutrients. According to many studies, xanthones play an important role in fighting cancer. Just like its cousin mangosteen, garcinia is under extensive studies for these reasons and the positive effects to fighting many diseases of similar kind.

Hydroxycitric Acid: Next on the list is actually the key ingredient found in the garcinia cambogia, and the one that is responsible for all the weight loss properties of the supplement. The hydroxycitric acid (HCA) is known to prevent food cravings but also inhibit the carbohydrate conversion to fat (also known as fat synthesis). So in a nutshell, this acid helps you not feel hungry and balances your carbohydrate intake, preventing it from being stored as fat.

Garcinol: This constituent is popular because of its antioxidative, anti-inflammatory, antiangiogenic and proapoptotic activities which all prevent diseases from showing up, especially cancer, for which this agent is under extensive research.

All of these ingredients and key nutrients are present in the Garcinia Cambogia fruit, but also many supplements. However, there are some claims that while making the garcinia cambogia extract, some of these nutrients are disappearing or are not well established in their new form.

Now that you know what this fruit and extracts are composed of, let's list the benefits of the superfood named garcinia cambogia.

The 10 Key Benefits Of Garcinia Cambogia

There is a lot going on when it comes to the benefits of garcinia cambogia. Basically, there are studies on its effects every single month and year, which is something that leaves most of its users prepared for another discovery - and another potential benefit in the list.

So, what are the key benefits of garcinia cambogia?

#1 - It helps the anti-aging process

As we all know, aging is something no one can escape from. However, the best way to adapt to this natural process is obviously, in a natural way. Since garcinia is a natural product, consuming it is definitely a great way to deal with aging. Especially because of its revolutionary benefits against the development of wrinkles and sagging of the skin.

According to research, garcinia cambogia is directly involved with enhancing the elasticity of the skin and also has UV light absorbing properties that are useful in skin care products from this natural superfood.

#2 - It has gastroprotective effects

There are many common diseases linked to the abdominal part of the body. Luckily, garcinia cambogia has been shown to reduce the indomethacin-induced gastric ulcerations in rats and was also found effective in reducing water immersion-induced gastric ulceration. So in a nutshell, this extract works great in stabilizing the part of the body that processes and channels what we consume further.

#3 - It is antidiabetic

When a natural supplement is effective against a disease that is as old as mankind, you definitely know that it is revolutionary. Garcinia cambogia prevents chronic hyperglycemia, a disorder that affects nearly 5% of the global population. The antidiabetic properties have been confirmed to be effective in studies on rats as well.

#4 - It lowers the sugar levels and bad cholesterol

Garcinia cambogia packs a lot of nutrients that help you lower your LDL and bad cholesterol, all while increasing your HDL known as the good cholesterol in your body. Whether as an extract or a supplement, it is the HCA in this superfood that does all the wonders and turns fat into energy right away. This is why garcinia cambogia has helped diabetics and people suffering from high cholesterol, not to mention their weight loss as well.

#5 - It helps fighting multiple diseases

Since it is rich in antioxidants, garcinia cambogia is a superfood that is amazing in fighting off diseases. It basically controls the amount of free radicals in your organism and decreases the risks of cancer as well as less serious diseases in the long run.

#6 - It boosts the immune system

The richness of vitamin C from its antioxidant content makes the garcinia cambogia extract great for boosting the immune system. Aside from the high antioxidant content, it has the right nutrients that help you fight off viruses and bacterial infections.

#7 - It gives you extra energy for harder and longer workouts

The rich iron content found in garcinia cambogia also makes it a beneficial superfood for those who want to push harder and make most of their workouts. According to many reviews, garcinia cambogia leads to higher red blood cell count and therefore boosts more oxygen into the muscles, fueling them more so you can maintain your workout routines harder and longer.

#8 - It helps with weight loss

Perhaps one of the reasons that make it revolutionary - is the fact that garcinia cambogia is linked to weight loss. In fact, the most popular use for the supplement, extract and even fruit in its natural form (according to Asians) is for weight loss. The superfood is seen as a holy grail when it comes to shedding the pounds away and is very promising for everyone looking to get rid of the extra fats.

The main reason for that is the hydroxycitric acid (HCA) which is great for suppressing the appetite - but also stopping the body from converting sugar into fat. That being said, with every spoon of this extract you will feel fuller and prevent your organism from storing unwanted fats.

On top of these benefits, your body will start producing serotonin which is known as the happy hormone - and you will skip the emotional eating and be less stressed or craving for comfort foods.

#9 - it's a famous stress reducer

Another important benefit is the fact that garcinia cambogia lets you reduce stress, making it amazingly great for weight loss. As we said before, this is due to the production of the hormone serotonin that makes you feel happy and is especially great for people who want to lose weight and not fall down to their unhealthy eating habits.

Aside from actual stress, garcinia helps in cases of severe depression. In fact, it acts as a great anti-depressant - again - by releasing the serotonin into the body and making you feel uplifted, encouraged and pleased.

#10 - It boosts the metabolism and energy levels

Garcinia cambogia has been found to speed up the calorie burning and lower cholesterol within the body. For that manner, it is great when boosting the metabolism which means even faster results if you are losing weight or boosting your energy levels.

To sum up all the benefits into one chart, we are below listing the four main ways in which garcinia cambogia balances our organism and helps our body.

Four Main Ways in Which Garcinia Cambogia Balances the Body

There are four main ways through which garcinia cambogia works - and through which it shows its revolutionary benefits. To best illustrate them, we have categorized them in four different groups.

Appetite: Garcinia cambogia suppresses appetite in a great way, reduces calorie intake by up to 25% and fights all the unhealthy cravings for the wrong kinds of food, blocking the emotional eating.

Mood: The way in which garcinia balances our mood is great - it starts with balancing cortisol to reduce stress and continues with balancing serotonin to prevent depression, all while naturally increasing the energy levels.

Fat: One of the main categories is the fat category, where garcinia blocks the fat production and prevents fat from storing in the cells. It also inhibits fat storage and helps support the healthy cholesterol levels.

Metabolism: Last but not least is the metabolic value of garcinia cambogia - where it has been found to drastically boost the metabolic rate and give you motivation in your weight loss goals with quick results.

At this point, it is safe to say that garcinia cambogia is a natural supplement that balances the organism from the most essential aspects. It promotes weight loss by actively influencing the metabolism, blocks the appetite for food cravings and uplifts the mood.

But what about its (possible) dangers?

The Dangers and Side Effects of Garcinia Cambogia

Are there any we should be worried about?

Obviously, this wouldn't be a superfood review if we don't mention the dangers and side effects of garcinia cambogia as a supplement and extract.

Generally, the supplement is used by individuals looking to lose weight and balance their body?s ability to make fat and burn it at the same time. It keeps the blood sugar and cholesterol levels in check too - and boosts the energy and metabolism.

"What could be wrong here?"... You are asking yourself.

Well, garcinia cambogia definitely lives up to its hype. However, there are still a couple of issues that you need to face and be informed of before starting to take this supplement. Below, we are listing all the possible dangers and side effects.

Type 2 Diabetes and High Cholesterol

From what we have described so far, garcinia cambogia is an extract that makes it easier for our bodies to use glucose as the main fuel your cells need in order to give you energy. This is also the reason why people with diabetes are interested in it. However?

If you are taking garcinia cambogia along with a medication that controls your blood sugar, the glucose levels in your body can get dangerously low. Same goes for the cholesterol levels - which can be drastically lowered by garcinia, but also put to risk if combined with medications.

That is why people with type 2 diabetes and high cholesterol that are on medications should probably skip supplementing with this natural extract.

The Possible Side Effects

Aside from the medication issue, there are no reported side effects and dangers from supplementation with garcinia cambogia, except for dizziness, dry mouth, headache as well as upset stomach or diarrhea.

Some users have reported skin rash, upper respiratory tract symptoms and gastrointestinal discomfort. However, a lot of these cases are based on actual pharmaceutical products having garcinia inside their ingredient structure - instead of the actual pure extract itself.

Generally, there are a lot of studies and research on this extract and its effects on our body. And while there are also some that say people should stop taking it, there are more that go in favor of the extract and the fact that at the end of the day, it is a product of nature.

So, if you are still asking yourself "does garcinia cambogia really work?", you should know that if you are confidently and correctly taking this supplement, it definitely does. Besides, if it didn't work - we wouldn't be hearing so much about it, right?

Speaking of correct supplementation, the next part shows how to take garcinia cambogia for the best results with weight loss and overall well being.

How to Take Garcinia Cambogia for Best Results

If you are convinced that garcinia cambogia is the right kind of supplement for you, there is still the question of taking it right. The truth is, there are so many great weight loss supplements out there - but not every one lives up to the expectations of people - especially if they don't know how to properly take them.

That is why garcinia cambogia is best taken twice a day and before meals. This is according to many experts and manufacturers that agree that taking it from 30 to 60 minutes before your meals is essential for the best results. Also, garcinia cambogia is a supplement that should be best taken on an empty stomach so that it works its magic on a clean and food-free organism. Ideally, this is in the morning before breakfast and in the evening before dinner.

What also matters is the foods that you should eat and avoid while taking garcinia cambogia. Based on many cases, the best-case scenarios with this supplement are when people drink lots of water and therefore activate and absorb the garcinia cambogia extract within their body. Also, you should learn how to control your calorie consumption while supplementing with garcinia cambogia - so that it doesn't work extra hard to help you lose weight.

On another note, garcinia cambogia should be toned down with the fiber. In other words, it should be balanced with foods that are high in fiber - only because that way, it can lessen the body?s ability to absorb the key ingredient, the HCA acid.

One Fact That Changes All When It Comes to Garcinia Cambogia Products

We know that there are a bunch of mixed feelings when it comes to garcinia cambogia. Nowadays, a lot of people would agree that garcinia cambogia is overhyped, not delivering the promised results, far from a natural product or not what their body needs for healthy weight loss.

However, these are all reasons that are closely linked to one fact:

Not all garcinia cambogia products are the same, and you should not form an opinion based on trying one or two of them.

Instead, you should try and get to know the main qualities of what makes a garcinia cambogia supplement great. In order to help you, we are listing our expertise below.

What to Look for in a Great Garcinia Cambogia Supplement

If you have been reading a lot about Garcinia Cambogia lately but cannot find the right supplement, you should definitely start discovering more and know what to look for in the best supplements.

This is actually very normal, mostly because garcinia cambogia is becoming one of the best weight loss supplements out there. The natural extract is definitely a revolutionary discovery in the 21st century that many people are praising.

But in the very end, it boils down to finding the best Garcinia Cambogia supplement available in 2017.

So, how to choose it?

Step 1: Look at the label

First and foremost, you should look at the label of every garcinia cambogia supplement you see. The reason why labels are important is simple - they actually show the nutritional value and what the product actually contains.

At this point, you should make sure that the Garcinia supplement you are holding has NO fillers, additives, GMOs, binders or chemicals. What you ideally need to look for is a GMO-free product that ensures a Good Manufacturing Process and ones that are manufactured by leading companies in the industry.

Step 2: Hydroxycitric Acid (HCA)

As you know by now, the key ingredient in garcinia cambogia is the hydroxycitric acid found in the rind of the fruit. This acid has different percentage in different supplements, which is why you should look for a supplement with at least 50% HCA.

The main importance of hydroxycitric acid here is the exercise performance and weight loss, both crucial factors when it comes to choosing the right garcinia cambogia supplement. According to reviews and research, supplements with higher concentration of HCA are proven to lead to significant results.

Step 3: Check for additional nutrients

Some of the extra nutrients you should look for when selecting a garcinia cambogia include potassium, chromium, calcium and gelatin. While gelatin generally makes the pill casing, the other nutrients are especially advised for extra energy and maintaining as well as balancing the proper functions in the body.

There are a lot of factors that change this supplement from a hope to a hype for many people. In short, the mixture of the right ingredients is always a vital factor for the effectiveness of this supplement.

So, what's the Key Takeaway?

In the end, the key takeaway that you should get from this review is that Garcinia Cambogia is an all-natural product. However, that ?natural? tag has been manipulated by leading companies out there with all of the weight loss supplements being produced on a regular basis.

So, it is obvious that in a world full of pharmaceutical companies and ?proven? supplements, there will always be battles between each of them - just like the fact that there will always be lies and conspiracy theories about the dangers, side effects or risk in taking one or all of them.

What matters most is that as long as you choose a FDA-approved, drug-free and highly reviewed Garcinia Cambogia supplement and take it correctly, the results will come and be visible. In order to help you in that mission, we are listing our top Garcinia Cambogia supplements and bestselling extracts - below.

Our 5 Recommended Garcinia Cambogia Supplements

Below, we are rounding up our bestselling and top garcinia cambogia supplements at TigerFitness.

1. Muscletech Platinum Garcinia Plus - 120 Caplets

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This product has been manufactured by Muscletech, a leading company in the supplement world. It contains around 1.56 grams of garcinia cambogia per serving, accompanied by a green coffee extract as well as sodium and calcium.

What is impressive is that it supplies a 60% HCA concentration which boosts the effects of garcinia cambogia and guarantees results. According to the manufacturer, this supplement has 3 times more garcinia than other brands and uses a non-stimulant formula that shows real results.

2. Betancourt Essentials Garcinia Cambogia Extract - 90 Capsules

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This garcinia supplement comes in the form of 90 capsules and is an advanced way to burn fat and increase weight loss support.

Manufactured by Betancourt, it is a supplement that comes with 50% concentration of hydroxycitric acid (HCA) as well as an added mixture of gelatin, microcrystalline cellulose, vegetable magnesium stearate and silicon dioxide - all beneficial in the weight loss and body balancing process.

3. Top Secret Nutrition Garcinia Cambogia + Green Coffee Extract - 90 Caplets

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Another one of the best selling garcinia cambogia supplements in our store is the one by Top Secret Nutrition. This product combines an extract of green coffee along with the Garcinia Cambogia extract.

The key element here is the hydroxycitric acid (HCA) that comes in 60% concentration - which helps the body prevent carbs from being turned into fat. The green coffee extract additionally balances the weight loss and promotes a stable organism.

4. Nutrakey Garcinia Cambogia Extract + White Kidney Bean - 90 Caplets

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Manufactured by Nutrakey, this garcinia cambogia extract is mixed with white kidney bean for the sole purpose of adding molybdenum to the mix - a great source of dietary fiber, copper and folate and an amazing source of manganese, phosphorus, protein, vitamin B1, iron, potassium and magnesium.

The concentration of HCA here is 50%, however, the white kidney bean extract definitely tops it off with its nice structure that combines a variety of great nutrients.

5. Labrada Nutrition Garcinia Cambogia - 90 Capsules

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The Dual Action Fat Buster by Labrada Nutrition is a garcinia cambogia supplement that prevents body fat formation and suppresses the appetite.

Additionally, it reduces body weight and curbs appetite and food intake. There is a 15% concentration of calcium, 6% of potassium and 936 mg of pure garcinia cambogia extract, accompanied by 60% of hydroxycitric acid (HCA).

The bottom line is that each of the garcinia cambogia supplements in our store are available to purchase online. Most importantly, they are not red-flagged and are manufactured by leading companies, and consumed by many people on a regular basis.

In a world that has little regulation when it comes to supplement ingredients, we like to set the bar higher - which is why every supplement in our store lives up to its label claims and shows great results.

We hope that you like our garcinia cambogia supplement review and found it helpful! For more information on these supplements or the superfood itself, head to our blog and start reading!