Drinking Pu-erh Tea helps fight obesity

Getting tired of Atkins diet, southern beach and other types of diet?  A new study by Chinese researchers suggest that drinking a type of Chinese tea may help those who love high fat diet to prevent obesity or help weight loss.

The study led by Cao Z. H. and colleagues from Yunnan Agricultural University in Kunming, China tested Pu-erh tea in male Sprague-Dawley rats that were fed a high fat diet for its antiobesity and antihyperlipidaemic effects.

In the study, the rats were randomly fed a control diet, high fat diet, high fat diet supplemented with low, moderate or high doses of pu-erh tea extract (0.5 grams, 2 grams and 4 grams per kg of body weight per day).

The researchers found Pu-erh tea significantly reduced the total body weight and the weight of various adipose pads.

In addition, the tea extract also significantly lowered serum cholesterol, triglycerides and low-density lipoprotein-cholesterol in rats with obesity induced by the high fat diet.

The reduced accumulation of lipid or fat may be due to the fact that Pu-erh tea extract boosted the enzymatic activities of a number of lipases including lipoprotein lipase, hepatic lipase, and hormone-sensitive lipase in the rats with obesity induced by high fat diet.

At least, the increase in the activity of hormone sensitive lipase is due to the fact that Pu-erh tea extract enhanced the transcription of mRNA of the enzyme.

The results reported in the July 16, 2010 issue of Phytotherapy research : PTR suggest that drinking Pu-erh tea may help fight obesity induced by a high fat diet and improve hyperlipidemia.

Pu-er tea is a type of tea made from a "large leaf" variety of the tea plant Camellia sinensis and named after Pu'er county near Simao, Yunnan, China.

David Liu

Photo credit: wikipedia