Calorie burning drink shot down in flames

The new drink that is supposed to burn calories has been given the thumbs-down by health experts.

Coca-Cola claim that drinking three cans a day of Enviga, a sparkling, caffeinated soft drink based on green tea, could burn off between 60 to 100 calories.

Ridiculous said Marion Nestle, a nutrition professor at New York University. 'It is an example of the lengths to which companies will go to sell products.'

She told Reuters the claims were based on a research study that was in experimental stages with no proof this drink would help normal people under normal conditions burn calories.

Lona Sandon, national spokeswoman for the American Dietetic Association, said 'We are kidding ourselves if we think we can drink this and melt the pounds away. These companies are just playing on people's desires for a quick fix for weight loss.'

Sandon said that the high mix of caffeine and green tea could raise people's metabolic rate and burn a few extra calories, but it would not lead to any weight loss. She pointed out that high-levels of caffeine are not good for your health anyway.

Is it a lot of fuss about nothing? 60-100 calories is not a lot anyway — about the same as a single digestive biscuit. Most men can burn this much off with half an hour of dawdling (very slow walking) or even playing darts.

The search for negative calorie foods - foods in which you burn off more energy eating them than they actually contain - has been a holy grail for a while and given rise to all sorts of faddy diets. Some foods do get close though to being fat burners. Celery is the most widely known example but there are others. 

The following are some of the foods that could be described - almost - as negative calorie foods:

• Vegetables: Asparagus, Broccoli , Cabbage, Cauliflower, Celery, Courgettes, Cucumber, Green Beans, Onion, Papaya, Radishes, Spinach,
• Fruits: Apple, Blueberry, Cantaloupe Melon, Cranberry, Grape Fruit, Honey Dew Melon, Lemon, Lime, Orange, Pineapple, Strawberry, Watermelon.

Enviga, which goes on sale in the US in January, will come in three flavors. Coca Cola's blurb says that 'Enviga contains the optimum blend of green tea extracts, caffeine and naturally active plant micronutrients designed to work with your body to increase calorie burning, thus creating a negative calorie effect.' Will it be a success like Coca Cola's best known product or another Dasani - Coca Cola's branded water that turned out come out of the tap?