The Lincoln Log

Photo by Vicky Lee

The Enviga drink has five negative calories. -Coca-Cola Co.

Since practically the start of visual media, the citizens of America have become obsessed with their weight and image. Recent research shows that the average 20-year-old American man weighs an average 196 pounds while an average woman weights up to 163 pounds. Back in 1990, men averaged 170 pounds and women an average of 144 pounds. In a country where gourmet restaurants and ready to go fast food seems to be lurking around each corner, it’s no wonder why everyone craves for that “perfect” body.

In order to obtain that body, we are willing to pay massive amounts of money for diet pills, exercise equipments, food programs, and many other products that hit the market just to absorb every cent companies can get their hands on. Half of the time, the Health Industries are making up to 60 billion dollars each year by selling ineffective products. So it wasn’t quite a surprise that our favorite American Coke company caught on too.

The Coca Cola Company joined forces with Nestle to produce Enviga, an energy drink claiming to burn calories. Inside the slender green cans, contains one of nature’s most power antioxidants, Epigallocatechin-gallate (ECGC). ECGC is a substance found in green tea that helps boost up your metabolism. Enviga contains 90 milligrams of ECGC per serving, which is four times more than your average Lipton green tea can offer. Enviga contains 100 milligrams of caffeine which is the same amount of a cup of coffee. It also has 200 milligrams of calcium per serving which increases the strength and structure of your bones and teeth.

The motto “Be positive. Drink negative,” demonstrates that each serving of Enviga has five negative calories. Enviga claims to burn off those five calories and little extra. Each can costs in the price range of $1.29 to $1.59. If kept to the routine, by the end of the month, you are expected to have burned 3180 calories, and have spent about $125.10.

Coca Cola commissioned a group of researchers at the University of Lausanne to test and perfect this product before it hit the market. The testing was taken on men and women with normal health and weight between the ages of 18 to 35-year-old. They were given three cans of Enviga everyday before meals. All participators were given three meals a day and two snacks. After a month, participators spent a day in a metallic chamber that measured their fat, protein, carbohydrates and energy. The chamber let out carbon dioxide which led researchers to determine the number calories burned.

Researchers concluded that participators lost an average of 106 calories by the end of the trial. In comparison with Snapple Green Tea, Enviga consists more than two times ECGC and has less than six percent of calories Snapple incorporates. Among with Gatorade, which excludes either ECGC or calcium, it contains less than six percent of calories in a regular Gatorade bottle. Researchers finally conclude the calorie burner drink contains a larger amount of ECGC than any other tea, diet soda or energy drink and contains less calories.

Enviga is now out in the market for everyone. You can buy them at every drugstore or major supermarket. They come in three flavors: the original green tea, berry or peach. Due to your weight, your fat percentage or your age, results may be completely different so do not expect too much. You definitely should not rely on this drink to vanish some pounds. But then again, when is it ever a good time to rely on a calorie burning coke drink?