Green tea could help you lose weight

A couple of cups of green tea a day could help you shift those unwanted pounds

Green tea has long been hailed for its numerous health properties, but the hot drink can now add 'weight loss aid' to its long list of benefits.

According to a recent study published in online journal Obesity, a compound in the drink called epigallocatechin-3-gallate, or EGCG, helps to significantly slow down weight gain associated with a high-fat diet.

Research carried out involved using obese mice that were all fed on a fatty diet. However, half of the mice were given the compound found in green tea to see if this had an effect.

Results showed that the mice fed on the supplement gained weight at a much slower rate than the rodents fed on the same diet without the added EGCG. They also seemed to be absorbing 30 per cent less fat.

‘There seem to be two prongs to this,' says Dr Joshua Lambert, a food scientist at Penn State University. 'First EGCG reduces the ability to absorb fat and, second, it enhances the ability to use fat.'

The findings show that adding green tea to your diet could significantly aid your chances in shifting those pounds. The compound in the tea, however, doesn’t reduce your appetite as both groups of mice were fed on the same amount and type of food, it simply helps to manage the fat once it has been consumed.

To match the amount of EGCG used in the study a person would need to consume the equivalent of 10 cups of green tea a day. However, just drinking a couple of cups a day could help control your weight.

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