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Feb 6, 2007 9:32 pm US/Mountain
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Makers Of Enviga Drink Face False Advertising Suit
by Dr. Dave Hnida
DENVER (CBS4) ―
A national watchdog agency filed suit Tuesday against Coca-Cola and Nestle, alleging the companies are making fraudulent claims for its new drink Enviga.
The drink is labeled as a "calorie burner" and marketed as a weight loss aid. The Center for Science in the Public Interest calls Enviga a highly caffeinated and over-priced diet soda.
The Connecticut attorney general is investigating the drink, saying the marketing might amount to "voodoo nutrition."
The manufacturers claim the product just isn't low calorie, or no calorie, but negative calorie, according to CBS4's medical editor Dr. Dave Hnida. This means that if someone drinks a can, they will burn calories without lifting a finger.
Enviga has EGCG, which is a green tea extract that is supposed to help speed metabolism. It also contains caffeine, which slightly speeds metabolism.
There was only one study done on the productm, and it was funded and done by the company. It looked at 31 physically fit, lean people for a total of 3 days.
Other studies show in rats the equivalent of eight cups of green tea possibly speeds metabolism. It is unclear if it does the same in humans.
The company suggests drinking three cans a day. At three cans, the average calorie burn in the study was 50 calories total. Each can costs about $1.50. That calculates up to $315 a pound if it actually does work.
Hnida said same amount of calories can be burned for free by walking slowly for about 17 minutes.
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