Some of the most popular questions we get about SENSA® on Facebook and through our Customer Service hotline are regarding our ingredients. Unfortunately a great deal of misinformation exists regarding the ingredients that make up SENSA® , and we wanted to take a moment to clear up any confusion.

Is SENSA® safe?

All ingredients incorporated into the SENSA® formulas were selected based on safety, prior food product usage and low or no incidence of allergic or other negative consumer response. Additionally, all ingredients included in the 6 months of SENSA® are approved for food use according to the FDA and Code of Federal Regulations. These ingredients are also commonly found in numerous food items, such as cookies, fruit snacks and food dressings that are consumed by the general population on a daily basis.

What ingredients are working to help me feel full on less food?

The functional part of the SENSA® formulas are the natural and artificial flavors demonstrated to provide the greatest satiety response. The other ingredients act allow the sprinkles to easily shake from the container and do not make an impact your satiety center.

How do the natural and artificial flavors work?

As you eat, smell and taste receptors send messages to your brain which release hormones that tell your body it’s time to stop eating. This is a phenomenon we call Sensory Specific Satiety. By enhancing smell, SENSA® Tastants were designed to help speed up the process and trigger your “I feel full” signal, so you eat less and feel more satisfied.

What is in SENSA®?

Brief descriptions of the ingredients that make up SENSA® are given below with foods or food types that commonly include these food ingredients.

Maltodextrin

Maltodextrin is used in this formula as a carrier mechanism for the natural and artificial flavors. It has no effect that contributes toward the weight loss benefits of using SENSA®. The maltodextrin used in these formulas is derived from corn and does not contain any glutens that cause concern in some individuals. There is no associated indigestion when using corn derived maltodextrin.

Corn-based maltodextrins are safe for patients with celiac disease since they do not contain proteins from wheat, barley, oats or rye.  Maltodextrins are not known to contain MSG. Diabetics should follow the advice of their physicians. They are generally recognized as safe (GRAS) food ingredients.

Found in: Crystal Light, Cookies, Cakes and Muffins, Hard Candies, Fruit Snacks, Margarine, Salad Dressings, Donut Glazes and Cake Icings, Ice Cream, Instant Sauces and Gravies, Caramel and Chocolate Syrups

Silica (Silicon Dioxide)

Silica is added to this formula to promote easy shaking of the powders from the shakers. Silica acts as a flow agent and anti-caking agent to promote free flowing characteristics of the powdered formula.

Found in: Commonly found in pressed nutritional tablets and pharmaceutical tablets

A wholesome diet, rich in silica, calcium and iron, will help reduce or prevent hair loss. Green, leafy vegetables, especially sea vegetables, are good mineral sources. Raw oats provide silica

Tricalcium Phosphate

Tricalcium phosphate is used in powdered spices as an anti-caking agent. It is added to this formula to also provide anti-caking and flow properties to the powder.

Found in: This ingredient is commonly used in Dannon yogurt. It is added to table salt, sugar, baking powder. It is also used as a nutritional supplement.

Natural and Artificial Flavors

The combination of artificial and natural flavors have been researched and tested to demonstrate their ability to affect the satiety response. To protect our formula we do not list the exact combination of artificial and natural flavors that make up each month of SENSA.  All of these flavors are produced by corporations that specifically supply these and other flavors to the food industry for incorporation in a very wide variety of foods. All flavors have a very strong record of safety and all are tested to comply with all FDA requirements. Certificates of Analysis for all these flavors confirm the fact that they are approved for use in a regulation of Food and Drug Administration, or are listed as Generally Recognized as Safe on a reliable, published industry association list.

Milk and soy ingredients may be used in the preparation of some flavors added to the formulas. Concentrations of milk and soy products per serving are less than 0.1 mg.

We hope this helps answer any questions you had regarding the ingredients that make up SENSA®. Please do let us know if you have any further thoughts in the comments!

Posted in Main at July 13th, 2010 by Guest Blogger

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