Green tea is your new go-to cuppa, thanks to its anti-obesity and anti-inflammatory properties
By stephdiaz // 2019-08-26
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Green tea is a popular health drink in many parts of the world. In a recent study published in the Journal of Nutritional Biochemistry, researchers found that green tea helps regulate weight and prevent gut inflammation. “Two-thirds of American adults are overweight or obese, and we know that just telling people to eat less and exercise more isn't working. It's important to establish complementary health-promoting approaches that can prevent obesity and related problems,” said Richard Bruno, one of the authors of the study. According to several studies, green tea promotes the growth of good gut bacteria, thus exerting a positive effect on health and lowering the risk of obesity. This prompted researchers from Ohio State University to investigate the natural substances found in green tea.

Green tea prevented mice from gaining excessive weight

Green tea is widely consumed in Asian countries because of its health benefits. This popular drink can prevent obesity and protects against inflammation. The active compounds present in green tea -- known as catechins -- can also prevent cancer and promote heart and liver health. For their study, the researchers looked into the effects of green tea on mice fed two different types of diet. For eight weeks, they put one group of mice on a high-fat diet designed to induce obesity, and put the other group on a normal diet. They also treated half of each group with green tea extracts. The researchers monitored the mice's body weight and fat tissue and measured their insulin resistance and other factors, such as:
  • Gut permeability
  • Endotoxin translocation, or the movement of a gut bacteria-derived component to the bloodstream, where it triggers inflammation and causes insulin resistance
  • Inflammation in the fat tissue and gut
  • The composition of “good” and “bad” bacteria in the gut
The researchers found that mice treated with green tea extracts had 20 percent less weight gain than mice fed an otherwise identical diet without green tea. Mice given the green tea extracts also had less permeability in the intestinal wall -- a condition called "leaky gut" that, in humans, is linked to inflammation as well as a number of other health problems. The researchers also found that green tea extract helped improve microbial balance in the treated mice’s intestinal tract, which reduced inflammation. A healthier composition of gut microbes also allowed the mice’s bodies to process food better and retain less fat.

What is green tea?

Tea is one of the most popular beverages in the world. Approximately 78 percent of all teas consumed is made from black tea, while 20 percent is made from green tea. All types of tea, excluding herbal teas, are made from the dried leaves of Camellia sinensis. (Related: Green tea vs. white tea: Both come from the same tree, but each offers different health benefits.)

Green tea is made from un-oxidized tea leaves and is considered as one of the least processed types of tea. Because it goes through very minimal processing, green tea still contains many beneficial compounds. Many people believe that drinking green tea is good for the health because it contains high levels of antioxidants and beneficial polyphenols. In Asia, people drink as many as 10 cups of green tea per day. If you’re looking for a healthy natural beverage, green tea may be the drink for you. Not only does it aid in maintaining a healthy weight, but green tea also offers plenty of health benefits. To know more about green tea and other foods that aid in weight loss, visit Food.news. Sources include: ScienceDaily.com ScienceDirect.com MedicalNewsToday.com
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