In The News: That's More Like It

The Los Angeles Times shares encouraging news today -- "Coca-Cola Co. and joint-venture partner Nestle agreed to pay $650,000 in a settlement with 27 states over claims that Enviga green tea burns calories, resulting in weight loss."

If you are not familiar with Enviga, it is a flavored sparkling green tea in the Nestea line of products.

The claim? Drinking three cans per day helps burn anywhere from 60 to 100 calories.

Coca Cola based that claim on the presence of EGCG, an antioxidant in green tea which has been the focus of several metabolic and weight loss studies (here is my take on the research literature.)

The man behind this lawsuit is Connecticut Attorney General Richard Blumenthal, who added that moving forward, "any marketing of Enviga or a similar beverage that uses the terms "the calorie burner," "negative calories" or "drink negative" must clearly disclose that the product doesn't lead to weight loss without diet and exercise."

Small Bites salutes -- and thanks -- you, Mr. Blumenthal.

You Ask, I Answer: Tea & Coffee

I've read a lot about the supposed health benefits of tea (especially green) and coffee [in regards to] cancer, heart disease, and Parkinson's disease [risk].

Any hard data on this?

[If so, do the health benefits] apply to all kinds of teas and coffees?

What about decaf varieties?

-- Corey Clark
(location withheld)

There is plenty of data in the scientific literature showing the health benefits of coffee.

Coffee beans contain a wide array of antioxidants, polyphenols, and health-promoting compounds.

Consistent consumption of 16 to 24 ounces of coffee a day has been linked with decreased risk of Parkinson's disease, liver cancer, type-2 diabetes, and cardiovascular disease.

Additionally, the antioxidants in coffee have been shown to reduce inflammation and inhibit cellular tumor growth.

What these studies basically show is that healthy individuals (these recommendations do not apply to pregnant women) who drink coffee regularly do not need to be concerned with cutting it out of their diet for health reasons.

That said, some percent of the population is sensitive to caffeine, so they are wise to avoid it.

Luckily, both caffeinated AND decaffeinated coffees and teas share the same amount of flavonoids and antioxidants.

Speaking of teas, all varieties (green, white, and black) offer plenty of flavonoids and antioxidants. Herbal teas, however, offer significantly lower amounts.

The biggest issue with these beverages is what people are putting into them (syrups, tablespoon upon tablespoon of sugar, mounds of whipped cream, etc.) that often turns them into calorie, sugar, and fat-laden drinks that do more harm than good.

You Ask, I Answer: Green Tea & Weight Loss

Do you think all the hoopla about drinking green tea has merit for weight loss?

-- Beth (last name withheld)
Portland, ME

This is one of those situations where the science certainly looks promising, but when I consider what we currently know about human application, I think people are jumping the gun.

There is yet to be any major study showing how green tea affects human weight loss.

For example, a well-known 1999 human study published in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition which concluded that flavonoids present in green tea (known as cacethins) had metabolism-boosting properties only consisted of ten subjects.

The most extensive studies on this topic have been done on mice.

One of the latest studies, published in the February 2008 issue of the Journal of Nutrition, focused on mice with a genetic predisposal to obesity.

That study, like several others, showed what appears to be a strong link between a polyphenol in green tea known as EGCG (that stands for epigallocatechin-3-gallate, in case you were wondering) and weight.

More specifically, the mice on a diet supplemented with EGCG gained less weight than those whose diet did not contain the extract.

It is worth pointing out that in that particular study, the mice on the EGCG diet consumed the human equivalent of seven cups of green tea.

Which leads me to why I find blanket statements like "green tea burns fat" to be overly simplistic.

First of all, it appears that to experience any of the thermogenic (body temperature raising) effects, humans need to drink at least seven cups a day.

Second, from the limited studies on humans, it appears that these components in green tea raise calorie expenditure through thermogenesis (essentially heat production) by approximately 4 percent.

Now it's time for some math.

Let's assume that within a 24 hour period of complete rest (think doing nothing but laying on a bed -- this is known as your basal metabolic rate) your body burns 1,500 calories.

If you apply the four percent increase from that particular human study, you can conclude that consuming seven cups of green tea a day would raise that total to 1,560 calories.

Keep in mind, though, that if you sweeten each of those seven cups of tea with just one teaspoon of sugar, you are tacking on 112 calories to your day.

So, here is my stance. If you enjoy sipping green tea, that's great.

It's a wonderful beverage that, when consumed plain, offers not only a variety of polyphenols and antioxidants, but also an absence of calories.

However, as regular readers of this blog know, I oppose the attribution of weight-loss characteristics to specific foods, as it is ultimately overall eating patterns -- and caloric intake -- that affect weight.

So, if green tea is not to your liking, you are not at a weight-loss disadvantage.

Numbers Game: Answer

A 12-ounce Cosi blueberry promeganate smoothie contains 544 calories.

(Note: a 12-ounce can of regular Coca Cola clocks in at 143 calories)

It goes to show -- high caloric values aren't just found in large portions.

(Sidenote: Get the 20-ounce "gigante", and sip away 1,087 calories!)

It's crazy to think that this 12-ounce beverage packs almost twice as many calories as a large fountain beverage from McDonald's.

Cosi advertises it as a "blend of frozen fruit with a green tea base," which helps to explain the astounding caloric value of this smoothie.

Bases are often sugar-loaded flavor agents.

They were smart in choosing a green tea one because it delivers sweet flavor while still sounding "healthy."

A lot of people have this concept that anything with green tea in it is automatically healthy or low-calorie. I'm afraid that ain't so.

Food companies know this, which is why I was not surprised to see Haagen Dazs' new green tea ice cream flavor at the store earlier this week.

The fact is, smoothies are not an optimal source of nutrition.

The overwhelming majority are excessively sugared (we're talking 6 to 8 tablespoons of sugar on average for a 12 ounce!) and don't deliver any of the fiber present in a piece of fruit.

Since liquid calories (particularly those from fruit smoothies, which are lacking fat, fiber, and protein) are not as effective at providing a sense of fullness, it's very likely you will be hungry soon after finishing such a concoction.

If they are one of your favorite beverages, feel free to have them, but keep in mind that save one or two exceptions, you are buying an overly sweetened, high-calorie treat, not liquid nutrition.

Eat Your Tea

Convenience is a huge factor behind our food choices.

Whether you're pressed for time or away from a kitchen for a few days, snacking on-the-go is part of many people's daily routine.

It certainly doesn't help that most convenience foods comes in the shape of chips, cookies, candy, sugary sodas, and protein bars that are often loaded with sugar and saturated fat.

Alas, I am happy to add Tzu (The Tea Bar) to my Hall of Fame - which currently includes Lara Bars, Clif Nectar Bars, and Pure Bars.

I knew Tzu was worth looking into when I stumbled across it at my local deli and read the ingredient list: sprouted whole grain brown rice, whole grains (oats, buckwheat), whole grain rye, sesame seeds, green tea leaf, green tea powder, konnyaku fructose, flax seeds, sapporo brewer's yeast, and bamboo salt.

Do you see all the pluses? No artificial ingredients, no syrups, no sugary soy and rice crisps, no hydrogenated oils, and fructose is not one of the first five ingredients.

I do wish the flax seeds were included in their ground state (since, in their entirety, they are completely undigested by our bodies), but I consider that to be a very promising ingredient list.

The nutrition profile is very nifty, too. Each bar contains a mere 110 calories, 1 gram of fat, 35 milligrams of sodium, and 2 grams of sugar.

It also offers 4 grams of fiber, 60% of our vitamin C needs, 15% a day's worth of calcium, 20% of the daily magnesium recommendation, and 20% of the recommended daily intake of selenium.

The best thing about it is -- this is all done with real food (not by injecting synthetic vitamins and minerals into the bar, as so many other products do)!

As you all know, I do not recommend a product on my blog until I taste it. Tzu passed that exam with flying colors. If you like the taste of green tea, you will absolutely love this bar.

So what about the inclusion of green tea?

At 3 grams per bar, that's equal to 2 cups' worth. Most studies showing health benefits (mainly on cardiovascular health) from green tea involved participants drinking 4 to 6 cups a day.

While Tzu bars contain a fair amount (which, if anything, helps rather than hurts), their virtues go well beyond that, as they are low-fat, low-calorie, tasty, and a good source fiber, vitamins and minerals.

Numbers Game: Answer

A standard shrimp tempura roll provides 550 calories.

From a strictly caloric standpoint, that's equal to 13 Chicken McNuggets!

Sushi can actually be very nutritious, thanks to its healthy proteins and fats (especially avocado), but tread carefully when it comes to rolls with tempura (a.k.a. "deep fried" -- a real shame to do to something as healthy as fish) and/or eel (which is cooked in a special sauce that contributes calories and added sugars).

Best bet? Start off with a high-fiber appetizer like edamame, steamed broccoli with garlic, or steamed spinach to make up for the white rice's lack of fiber. Then, choose any rolls that do not include tempura or mayonnaise.

Every sushi place I have ever gone to serves green tea for free, so have a cup or two along with the beverage of your preference for some bonus phytonutrients.

Above all, savor and enjoy!