I have to say up front, I have a love-hate relationship with the CSPI (Center for Science in the Public Interest)-AKA the "Food Police". On the one hand, they have brought to the public's attention such things as just how bad movie popcorn really is (waaaaay worse than you'd've thought) and also gives us product ratings for foods we ingest, like canned soups and multivitamins.
On the other hand, you have the watchdog CSPI and their helmsman Michael F. Jacobson. Dr Jacobson has inveigled his way into the hearts of reporters all over. They know that when any "controversy" looms in nutrition science, good ol' Michael can be counted upon to make some snarky comment about how every nutrition scientist and/or every food company has an agenda to make the world fat, diabetic, and smelling like Fritos. And, lord love 'em, the CSPI will sue anybody, including Kraft, KFC, and Cadbury-Schwepps.
HAVING said that....The CPSI is doing what it can do best. It's suing Coke and Nestle for bogus weight-loss claims on its new product Enviga.
Enviga's main claim is that its ingredients will rev up your metabolism and help you burn calories.
Uh huh. Suuuuuure. The main ingredient supporting this allegation is caffeine. 100mg caffeine/12 oz serving. The same that's in a cup of coffee. Seeing a lot of skinny coffee drinkers out there? Didn't think so. Caffeine has repeatedly been disproven as a useful diet aid except in very small studies--the amount of caffeine in these studies can also be quite high.
The other main "active ingredient" is an antioxidant isolated from green tea called epigallocatechin gallate, or EGCG--and may have some positive effects on thermogenesis (heat production) and fat oxidation (using up fat). Again, these are in small studies and study results vary from "small effect" to "no effect" on weight loss or maintenance.
Finally, the "negative calorie" benefit, or potential calorie deficit, of a can Enviga is only 20-30 calories (or 60-90 calories a day with 3 servings) in healthy lean research subjects. If nothing else at all in your diet changed, that would mean a pound of weight loss every 38.8-58.3 days. I have no idea what that translates to in pudgy couch potatoes, the obese, children, or anyone else for that matter. It seems to me that there are quicker and cheaper ways to lose a few lbs. Another thing to consider, since you may feel all virtuous about losing all these calories through Enviga, you may overcompensate by eating MORE...one piece of cake in at 350 cals trumps 90 cals out from Enviga, if you eat like that you can put on a pound in about 13 days.
OK, so you say you're willing to take any potentially tiny benefit from this drink? Heck, I can't stop you. If you like the idea of getting green tea antioxidants and caffeine in a delivery system that's at least 10x the price of green tea, go for it. CSPI suggests taking part of the $1500.00 a year you'd spend on the recommended dosage of soda and going to a gym. I tend to agree with them.
Really, my favorite part of this article, the inspired use of "chutzpah" in a press release. Sometimes, Michael, you say the best things.
from comment, except that Diana asked me if I was sure I was well free movies of musclar lesbians herself, she did nothing but caper about in the front chambers, jump kuyftjupzqk
-- Posted by: Jessie at April 22, 2008 6:00 AMfrom comment, except that Diana asked me if I was sure I was well free movies of musclar lesbians herself, she did nothing but caper about in the front chambers, jump kuyftjupzqk
-- Posted by: Jessie at April 22, 2008 6:00 AM
contrary, in any particular country, their quantity fell short of amateur first time lesbian for exportation, no part of this duty is paid up if entered for hsnrihvjdrj
-- Posted by: Jennifaer at April 11, 2008 1:34 AM