Preventive effect of Iranian green and black tea on diet induced obesity in rats

BACGROUND: Traditional medicine can be considered as a method to reduce dietary obesity. OBJECTIVS: The aim of the present study was to assess the protective effect of Iranian green and black tea on diet induced obesity. Twenty four male Wistar rats (180±20 g) were divided into four groups. Control group was fed with rat regular diet (4% fat), and the three reminder groups were fed by high fat diet (25% fat). While control (C) and a high fat group (HF) had ad libitum access to water, the rest high fat groups had free access to drinking black tea (HF+BT) or green tea (HF+GT) instead of water. Eight week later rats were euthanized, weighed and their abdominal fat and organs separated and weighed. While Feed intake showed significant decrease in HF group compared with the control group (99.25±12.03 vs. 113.59±14.40 g/day; p<0.05), the levels of energy intake (454.54±55.09 vs. 405.52±51.43 kcal/day; p<0.05) and weight showed increase (283.33±13.84 vs. 223.33± 15.11g; p<0.05). Green and black tea made decrease in body weight gain compared to the HF group (71.67±1.61g and 57±12.95 vs. 104.33±21.75 g; p<0.05). However, the abdominal fat was just lower in HF+BT group than the HF group (2.90±0.56 vs. 4.19+.77g; p<0.05). Consumption of Iranian black and green tea may help to regulate body weight and reduce weight gain induced by high caloric food.