Black Tea Extract Prevents Weight Gain

OSAKA, JapanTaking 5 to 10 grams per day of Chinese black tea extract has been shown to prevent weight gain in people who consume typical high-fat and high-calorie Western diets, according to a new study published in the journal Phytotherapy Research.

Researchers at Nippon Supplement Inc., used in vitro and in vivo assays to investigate the anti-obesity effects of Chinese black tea (Pu-erh tea) and of gallic acid (GA) on mice. Female mice were given one of seven diets with either high fat, or a normal dietary composition, or supplemented black tea extract, or GA in different doses for a period of 12 weeks. Black tea extract and GA in doses of 0.6% and 0.1%, respectively, significantly suppressed weight gain. Mice given black tea extract in some dose did not raise levels of blood triglycerides after eating a corn oil emulsion. Further research found black tea extract and GA inhibited pancreatic lipase activity that releases fatty acids and triglycerides into the blood stream and promotes weight gain.