Because they do not promote a healthy lifestyle

Aug 17, 2009 18:31 GMT  ·  By
Sensa Tastants enhance the taste and smell of food so that we feel full faster: but do they really work, nutritionist ask?
   Sensa Tastants enhance the taste and smell of food so that we feel full faster: but do they really work, nutritionist ask?

We probably all know by now that, if something seems too good to be true, it probably is. After falling prey countless times to miracle weight-loss products and instant diets that promise fast results without us having to do anything in particular, skepticism towards the Sensa Tastant Crystals is more than understandable. According to Heather Caswell of the British Nutrition Foundation, speaking to the Daily Mail, as Sensa is probably heading to the UK, to be sold over the counter, it’s actually advisable that we keep an eye out for more studies before starting this new miracle diet.

The Sensa Crystals have been developed by a neurologist who discovered that patients with head injuries, who had partially lost their smell and taste, were more prone to gaining weight. Therefore, he came up with the recipe for these crystals that enhance the taste and smell of all the foods we eat so that we feel fuller quicker, without having to change a thing about our diet or culinary preferences. We don’t even have to work out to lose the weight if we have the Sensa Crystals, it is being said, because, after about six months, we learn portion control and we no longer indulge.

If it sounds too good to be true, it probably is, Caswell says for the Mail. While the initial weight-loss is not debatable, it is clearly not a solution in the long run, the expert believes, because it is not sustainable for not offering a significant change in lifestyle. Moreover, the studies conducted until now on the effects Sensa has in the long run are almost inexistent, while those on the short-term consequences also have to be more elaborate than this, Caswell explains.

“For a start, they only looked at the subjects over six months. That’s a very short period of time to assess weight change. There’s no information about whether or not the subjects maintained that level of weight loss after they stopped using the product. I find it odd that they used a control group of only 100 people – that’s small for a study of this size. There’s also no information about whether the control group were asked to sprinkle anything over their food. Without that sort of information, it’s hard to know if the weight loss was entirely down to the product, or whether it was due to the fact that people knew their eating habits were being observed.” Caswell says for the aforementioned publication.

The Sensa Tastants cost $235 for a 6-month supply, with the mention that you have to take them all this while at least, to learn how to portion-control effectively. Each month, you are sent the product automatically, without being asked for confirmation, under the claim that you need to change the Tastants every 30 days because the body becomes accustomed to them and they no longer work. Until further studies are carried out on the effects of Sensa, we should put the “diet” off, Caswell recommends, and adopt a healthier lifestyle instead.

“This isn’t healthy weight loss. This program lets you carry on eating rubbish, just maybe less rubbish than you did before. There’s nothing about exercise or making healthy, balanced choices. Staying lean is just one reason why diet is important, but losing weight in itself is not enough. People need to ensure they’re getting enough nutrients, and that they’re not fuelling their bodies with foods that can cause problems in the long-term. This doesn’t address any of those issues. It’s not really getting people to take responsibility for what they eat and why.” Caswell explains.