ATLANTA -- The Coca-Cola Co. said that it will introduce a new green-tea beverage that has been proven to burn calories.

Enviga will hit the market in the Northeast next month and nationwide in January. Coke said it is the product of a joint venture with Nestle and could burn 60 to 100 calories with three 12-ounce servings.

The Atlanta-based company said the drink contains caffeine, calcium and a green tea extract known as epigallocatechin gallate, which speeds up metabolism and increases energy use, epecially when combined with caffeine.

"Enviga increases calorie burning. It represents the perfect partnership of science and nature," said Dr. Rhona Applebaum, chief scientist, The Coca-Cola Company. "Enviga contains the optimum blend of green tea extracts (EGCG), caffeine and naturally active plant micronutrients designed to work with your body to increase calorie burning, thus creating a negative calorie effect. It makes this product stand out as unique. Enviga brings the benefits of green tea to the forefront in a convenient and accessible, great tasting beverage."

The company said that when EGCG and caffeine were present in levels comparable to three cans of Enviga, "healthy subjects in the lean to normal weight range can experience an average increase in calorie burning by 60 to 100 calories."

The company presents the new drink as part of maintaining a healthy lifestyle.

"We've seen a shift in consumers' attitudes toward diet and health and wellness, with more consumers seeking product choices that support active lifestyles, rather than just eliminating things from their diet," said John Hackett, senior vice president, Coca-Cola North America Marketing. "Enviga is a great tasting beverage that invigorates your metabolism to gently burn calories, and it's a positive step people can take as part of a balanced lifestyle -- like taking the stairs."

Coke said Enviga will be available in three flavors -- green tea, berry and peach. It will be sold in 12-ounce sleek cans at a suggested retail price of a $1.29 to a $1.49 per can.

How Does It Work?

The Nestle Research Center in Lausanne, Switzerland, has studied the properties and benefits of green tea for decades, according to Coca Cola Co. The company said that a recent study conducted by the center in collaboration with the University of Lausanne showed that consuming the equivalent of three Enviga beverages over the course of the day resulted in a noticeable increase in calorie burning.

"The accumulated body of scientific research shows the ability of green tea's powerful antioxidant EGCG (epigallocatechin gallate) to speed up metabolism and increase energy use, especially when combined with caffeine," said Nestle researcher Dr. Hilary Green.

EGCG is a naturally occurring antioxidant in tea, including green tea. Coke said that its new drink provides 90 mg of EGCG in each serving, along with 20 percent of the daily value for calcium.