UNIVERSITY PARK, Penn.
Food researchers at Penn State University have demonstrated that tea limits fat absorption to slow down weight gain in mice.
Obese mice at the start of the experiment gained less weight due to the effect of EGCG, an active compound in tea.
Mice in the study consumed the same amount of high-fat food but the group drinking green tea rich in Epigallocatechin-3-gallate put on half the weight of the control group. Tests showed a 30 percent increase in fecal lipids which indicates EGCG was limiting fat absorption.
Primary researcher Joshua Lambert said the results “suggest that if you supplement with green tea you gain weight more slowly.”
Mice in the study, published in the journal Obesity, grew heavy 44 percent slower. People often consider dietary changes only after they have experienced significant weight gain, say researchers, which makes the findings more relevant.
Lambert explained there are two prongs to this effect, "First, EGCG reduces the ability to absorb fat and, second, it enhances the ability to use fat."
Humans would have to consume approximately ten cups of green tea daily to obtain the equivalent dose of ECGC given to the mice. Further research is necessary to determine if these results can be duplicated in humans.
Source: Obesity (formerly Obesity Research)