Green Tea May Prevent Weight Gain by Inhibiting Fat Absorption and Promoting Fat Use

Obese mice who were given a daily dose of epigallocatechin-3-gallate (EGCG) – a compound found in green tea, in conjunction with a high-fat diet , were found to gain weight significantly more slowly than a group of control mice fed the same diet but without the added EGCG.  Results of the study by Joshua Lambert, assistant professor of food science in agricultural sciences at Penn State University, and colleagues showed that the mice receiving EGCG gained weight 45% more slowly than control mice, despite eating the same amount of food.  Results also showed that mice receiving EGCG exhibited nearly a 30% increase in fecal lipids. Taken together, these results suggest that EGCG appears to reduce the ability to absorb fat, while also enhancing the ability to use fat. The researchers say that a person would need to drink approximately 10 cups of green tea a day to receive the same dose of EGCG as that used in the study. However, they add that there is evidence to suggest that drinking a few cups of green tea each day may help to control body weight. "Human data – and there's not a lot at this point – shows that tea drinkers who only consume one or more cups a day will see effects on body weight compared to nonconsumers," concluded Lambert.