U.S. researchers suggested green tea may slow down weight gain and serve as another tool in the fight against obesity, Xinhua news agency reported.
Obese mice fed a compound found in green tea along with a high-fat diet gained weight significantly more slowly than a control group of mice that did not receive the green tea supplement, according to U.S. Pennsylvania State University food scientists.
"In this experiment, we see the rate of body weight gain slows down," Joshua Lambert, assistant professor of food science in agricultural sciences, was quoted as saying.
The researchers released their findings in the online version of Obesity on Tuesday.
They fed two groups of mice a high-fat diet. Mice that were fed Epigallocatechin-3-gallate -- EGCG -- a compound found in most green teas, along with a high-fat diet, gained weight 45 percent more slowly than the control group of mice eating the same diet without EGCG.
In addition to lower weight gain, the mice fed the green tea supplement showed a nearly 30 percent increase in fecal lipids, suggesting that the EGCG was limiting fat absorption, according to Lambert. The green tea did not appear to suppress appetite. Both groups of mice were fed the same amount of high-fat food and could eat at any time.
"There seems to be two prongs to this," said Lambert. "First, EGCG reduces the ability to absorb fat and, second, it enhances the ability to use fat."
<한글기사>
녹차가 살을 덜 찌게 해
미국 과학자들이 녹차가 체중 증가를 늦춰 비만을 방지할 수 있다는 연구결과를 발표했다.
중국 신화통신의 보도에 따르면 미 펜실버니아 주립대 영양학자들은 두 그룹의 쥐에 다같이 고지방 음식을 일상 섭취케 했다. 이 중 한 그룹에는 대부분의 녹차에서 발견되는 EGCG을 고지방식과 함께 먹이고 다른 그룹은 이 녹차 보충물 없이 그냥 고지방식만 먹였는데,EGCG을 함께 먹은 그룹이 다른 그룹보다 45% 늦게 몸무게가 늘었다.
연구 결과는 화요일 Obesity지의 온라인 판에 발표되었다.
또 녹차 보충물 섭취 쥐들은 배설물에 지방이 30% 늘어 EGCG가 지방 흡수를 제한하고 있음을 보여 주었다. 두 그룹은 같은 량의 고지방식을 어느 때라도 먹었다. 녹차 보충물이 식욕을 억제하지 않음을 보여 준 것이다.
