A comprehensive review of the best Garcinia Cambogia brands. And a simple cheat-sheet on how to tell the good brands from the poor ones
In this article i will review Garcinia Cambogia, the hugely popular weight loss supplement.
Garcinia cambogia is a citrus fruit, it is a green tree fruit that grows all over Southeast Asia.
its main active ingredient, hydroxycitric acids is thought to have medicinal benefits, particularly in weight loss.
I will look at the scientific evidence behind it, and if it is likely to work for weight loss or not.
I will also look at potential side effects of Garcinia Cambogia and how much weight you can expect to lose on it.
I will also take you through my cheet-sheet on how to research the best brands, as well as recommending the best brands for you.
Glossary
Garcinia Cambogia: A fruit from south Asia closely related to Tamarind
HCA: Hydroxycitric Acid. A compound found in the peel of Garcinia Cambogia which we think helps with weight loss
FDA: Food and drug adminstration. The federal agency in the US responsible for making sure all drugs and supplements are safe and effective to use
GMP : Good Manufacturing practice. The rules all drug makers have to follow when they manufacture drugs and supplements.
Ketosis: The state at which the human body is burning fat.
Keto-diet: Diets which aim to make the body enter a state of ketosis
HOW TO PICK BEST GARCINIA CAMBOGIA BRAND?
I have done the research for you, but if you want to use my research method. Here is my 10 point cheat sheet
1) Wholefruit organic origin of Garcinia Cambogia
Check label and go for those labelled organic or from whole fruit source.
Realistically this might be hard to find because most factories will buy HCA powder in bulk that has been readily purified.
So even they won’t be able to trace it’s origin accurately. But there are ways to reassure yourself on the quality of the product as i will explain later.
2) Concentration of HCA (Hydroxycitric acid)
This the ingredient in Garcinia Cambogia which we think helps in fat loss. You want this to be at fairly high levels in your product. 75% or above ideally.
3) Around 1000mg per pill/capsule
There is no established dose for Garcinia Cambogia. But most of the positive studies i come across used a dose of around 1000mg per day.
So let’s go with that
4) Minimal other ingredients
Avoid brands with a huge list of other ingredients. Firstly, we probably have no idea how they interact with HCA.
And secondly, we probably don’t need them.
5) Free from Gluten/Gelatin/other potential allergens
This is particularly relevant if you follow a special diet such as a vegan diet. Or if you have known allergies to these ingredients.
6) Check if product is made in a FDA/GMP compliant facility
I have allready done this for you for the brands on this page.
But all Garcinia Cambogia, and all medicinal products in the US/UK; must be made in a regulated facility by the government.
You usually find the place where a product was manufactured on the label. And you can then go on the FDA/MHRA website to check if that facility has a valid and active registration.
7) Check the Amazon reviews
Don’t only look at the 5 star reviews.
DIG deeper!
Look for the distribution of their star rating.
If a company has 70% five star rating and a 20% one star rating;
That’s WORRYING!
Although the 70% five star rating looks good, it can’t hide the fact that nearly a quarter of their buyers hated the product.
This is what i call a polarised set of reviews.
Ideally you want the review pattern from 5 star to 1 star to be in a cascading pattern. With one star having the lowest percentage.
8) Visit the company website
Here you’re looking the tell-tale sign of a good company:
- Good “About us” page
- Decent blog
- Customer service contacts
- Brick and Mortar address
- Clear terms and conditions section
- Clean and professional lay out
- Google reviews
9) Send the company a "test" email
Just send a simple enquiry about anything.
And see if they get back to you, and how long they take.
A company who replies to their customers in a timely manner is a good sign.
10) Use my "price per capsule" strategy when comparing prices
Don’t be confused with all the offers like “3 for 2”; and so on.
Use this formula:
Price per capsule = price (in dollars) x 100>>>> then divide this by number of capsules in the bottle
This will tell you how many CENTS each capsule costs.
GOOD BRANDS TO CONSIDER
GARCINIA CAMBOGIA By Herbal Nutrition
This is one of the better brands found on Amazon, with decent reviews. But by no means perfect.
PROS:
Claims to be from natural sources
Made in the US in GMP-registered facilities
Good dose of 1500mg
CONS
Only 28 reviews in total – too few.
Claims to be “100% safe”. No supplement or medicine can claim this.
PRICE PER PILL
17 cents if you go for the 2 pack (180 pills total)
Garcinia Cambogia By Source Natural
This brand is by Vita springs, a large health shop with branches across California, that was established in 2001
Pros:
Very competitive pricing
Reassuring to know company has been around for 18 years – bad companies don’t survive that long!
Lots of technical information on the product
Massive choice – Tablets/Capsules/Juices
Dose per pill is slightly on low end. But products are so cheap that you can take them 2 or 3 times a day without breaking the bank. And probably best for a newbie to start at low end of dosing anyway.
Cons:
I wish they told us about origin of their Garcinia/additives…things that matter to buyers
Website is a throwback to 1995!
Price:
There is a huge range of choice, but i managed to get a price of 18 cents per pill on the 240 pill pack.
GARCINIA CAMBOGIA By Nutrition Forest
Pros:
Huge HCA concentration of 95%
1400mg strength per tablets is around the sweet spot of dosing
Free from milk/lactose/Gelatin/Soy
Made in FDA approved facility
30 day money back guarantee
Free shipping on orders over $75
Ships internationally as well as US.
Cons:
Wish they told us if their Garcinia Cambogia is from organic source
Quantity per bottle is not obvious – took me 5mins to find it!
Price per pill:
38 cents per pill (If you go for the 3 for 2 bottle deal of the 60 pack bottles)
Slim Zest Garcinia Cambogia
Pros:
Wholefruit Garcinia Cambogia – like the sound of that
1500mg strength capsules is a good starting dose
GMP compliant claim is reassuring
14 day money back guarantee if you don’t get the results “you were expecting”
Cons:
Not sure i like the addition of calcium. It is notorious for interfering with the absorption of other molecules.
12% one star rating on Amazon is a little above average. Although, to be fair, i suspect most these sound like people who expected to lose 10kg in 10 days!!
HCG Garcinia Cambogia
If you don’t like pills and prefer liquid this might be the product for you.
Pros:
Fast absorption compared to pill forms
FDA registered manufacturing facility (claimed)
Pleasant taste
30 day “no questions asked” return policy + $10 dollar gift card from the company – very generous
Customer service phone where you can speak to a person
Speedy shipping – shipped same day if you order before 4pm.
Cons:
Would be nice if we were told more about the HCA content. percentage and origin.
Max Trim Garcinia Cambogia
I like this one because they throw in coffee bean extract as an extra. Coffee bean extract has well known antioxidant benefits.
Pros:
Bonus addition of coffee bean extract
Impressive 95% HCA content (claimed)
Natural source
Suitable for vegetarians
Made in US with GMP certification
60 day money back guarantee
Phone number available to speak with customer service
Cons:
Dosage per tablet isn’t obvious. This should be in bold and easy to find.
Price
29 cents per pill for the 60 tablet pack. About average for the brands i surveyed so far.
But there are so many discount offers and subscription options; that i am sure this can be made even lower.