Mega-T Green Tea Drink Mix
Mega-T is a brand of green tea-based weight loss supplements produced by CCA Industries, Inc. – a manufacturer of health and beauty products. The Mega-T label prominently displays a logo stating “Lose Up To 20 Pounds”…whereas the much smaller print underneath it states “*over a period of time with diet and exercise plan.”
Like the Mega-T capsules, the drink mixes supply tea extracts, plus 90 mg EGCG, 50 mg caffeine and 250 mcg of chromium.
Manufacturer’s Description: Mega-T Weight Loss Drink Mix With Green Tea is the natural, delicious, convenient and economical way to help you lose extra pounds.Each scoop of this Drink Mix delivers a 600 mg serving of Green Tea with EGCG. Its antioxidant power helps to curb your appetite, burn calories and fight mental fatigue.
Product Label:
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Serving Size 1 Scoop (5 g) Calories 16 Total Fat 0g Sodium 10 mg |
Total Carb 4 g Sugars 0 g Chromium (Chloride) 250 mcg Protein 0 g |
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Proprietary Blend 600 mg Inactive Ingredients: Maltodextrin, Citric Acid, Natural and Artificial Flavors, Acesulfame Potassium, Aspartame, Contains Phenylalanine |
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Comments: I picked up a container of the “Natural Peach Flavor” Mega-T Drink Mix at the local Rite Aid drug store. It took a little more stirring than I expected to dissolve it in the recommended 6 – 8 oz of water, and even then, it seemed more like a suspension than a true solution, as it was opaque rather than clear. It tasted all right, however…although the peach flavor tended to overshadow the tea flavor. It was sweet enough, with just a slight, sort of chemically/bitter after taste.
As far as efficacy goes: As Paul notes in his review, green tea extract (and EGCG – one of its principal antioxidant compounds) has much to recommend it, for both health as well as weight loss. Nonetheless, the following comment rings true:
Proper diet and an effective exercise program will be key to wringing the most out of a green tea fat burner.
The Mega-T web site does provide some guidance in this area – the company provides a couple of basic, 1200 calorie model diet menus, as well as instructions on how to customize them for higher calorie intakes. Some (beginner) exercise advice is also given.
This is fortunate, since tea supplements alone aren’t likely to cut it. One serving of Mega-T supplies the same amount of EGCG and caffeine found to be useful for increasing thermogenesis and fat oxidation in a 1999 study (I’m guessing this is not a coincidence). The study subjects consumed this amount 3 times/day, for an average 4% increase in 24-h energy expenditure. This is significant…but hardly massive, so while a single serving could potentially be valuable from a total-antioxidant intake perspective, it’s not likely to be very effective as a stand alone weight loss intervention.
Basically, the Mega-T drink mix could be thought of as a combination of green tea extract and Crystal Light. At $7.99 US for 30 servings (the price I paid at the local drug store), it’s a little pricier than a comparable amount of the latter, but also has a little more to offer.
[usrlist “Taste:3.0” “Quality:3.0” “Efficacy:2.5” “Value:4.0″ avg=”true”]
