According to the study's authors, components in green tea known as polyphenols are smaller than those found in black tea, which is why they get absorbed through your body's tissues, thereby impacting energy metabolism in the liver. However, black tea's polyphenols are too large to get through the small intestine and into the rest of your body, which is why it was previously unclear whether or not they would have a beneficial effect on weight loss.
"It was known that green tea polyphenols are more effective and offer more health benefits than black tea polyphenols since green tea chemicals are absorbed into the blood and tissue," said Susanne Henning, the study's primary author and an adjunct professor at UCLA's Center for Human Nutrition. "Our new findings suggest that black tea, through a specific mechanism through the gut microbiome, may also contribute to good health and weight loss in humans."
That particular mechanism appears to be one which changes the bacterial ratio in the intestine by increasing the microbes connected to lean body mass and reducing those connected to obesity. While both black and green teas act as prebiotics in such a way, it appears that black tea might have a leg up over its green partner.
The study required 4 groups of mice to be fed different diets. One group ate high-fat, high-sugar meals, while another had low-fat, high-sugar foods. The remaining two groups of mice were both on high-fat, high-sugar diets, but one of them received a black tea extract, while the other one got given a green tea extract.
After a month had passed, both groups which were given tea extracts had weights which were in line with those on the low-fat diets. It was found that for both of those groups, intestinal samples showed lower levels of obesity-related bacteria and higher levels of lean-related bacteria. However, only the mice which were given the black tea extract showed heightened levels of a bacteria known as Pseudobutyrivibrio, which, the researchers believe, is the secret behind the extract's success.
These mice were also found to have a heightened level of short-chain fatty acids in their stomachs, compounds which have previously been linked to a beneficial effect on energy metabolism.
What Drinking Whiskey Actually Does to Your Body
While we now know that whiskey isn't the cure-all medicine people once though it was, it does have a few proven health benefits.
The 5 Types of Belly Fat Not Caused By Overeating
Your type of belly fat and how it affects your weight loss.
How to Ease Back Pain According to a Famous Surgeon
This easy and effective set of exercises is proven to ease and prevent back pain!
Running After 50: Helpful Tips and Tricks
This video presents some smart and useful tips that will help peple over 50 to jog comfortably.
Why Fragrance in Shampoo Can Harm Your Health
If you see this potentially harmful ingredient on the label of your shampoo, it may be time to switch it for the sake of your health.
8 Of the DIRTIEST Household Items and How to Clean Them
Even in the cleanest of homes, germs might be lurking in the most surprising everyday items. These are 8 items you should look out for and clean regularly.
7 Surprising Health Benefits of Eating Popcorn
Can eating popcorn be healthy for our body? In this article, we explore the little-known benefits of eating popcorn.
Sun Poisoning vs. Sunburn - The Important Differences
Now that the hot months are almost here, it's important to know how to tell sun poisoning from an ordinary sunburn.
WARNING: Why You Should Stay Away From Star Fruit
Hear more about the star fruit, and why you too should avoid it to prevent the risk of brain damage.
Are You Drinking Too Much COFFEE? Hereās How You Can Tell
How do you know that youāve had too much caffeine? It will be useful to look out for the 7 symptoms we list below.
Waking Up With a Dry Mouth? 8 Causes and Home Treatments
In this article, we focus on the symptoms, causes, and home treatments of dry mouth to help you understand and get rid of the condition
9 āContagiousā Conditions That Are Not Truly Contagious
These 9 conditions cannot be transmitted from person to person, though many people believe them to be highly contagious
Why Fragrance in Shampoo Can Harm Your Health
If you see this potentially harmful ingredient on the label of your shampoo, it may be time to switch it for the sake of your health.
Are You Washing Your Hands Correctly?
Proper hand-washing can help protect you from infectious diseases, be it salmonella, the flu, or other dangerous viruses. Here's how to do it
Sleeping in the Cold Isnāt Just Cozier, Itās Healthier
Sleeping in a cold room has a lot of benefits both for your sleep quality and health. It's beneficial for your metabolism and weight loss, may help lower chronic inflammation and pain and promotes hormonal regulation.
These 11 Health Myths Were Finally Cleared By Science
To make a fresh and healthier start in the new decade, let's discuss and leave 11 of the greatest health myths of the 2010's in this article
The Strange Unexpected Reasons Why Seniors Wake Up Earlier
It's NOT a myth, seniors often do get up much earlier in the morning than younger people, and this video explains why this might be happening...
Struggling With Incomplete Bowel Movements? We Can Help
Anyone that suffers from stomach irregularities is likely familiar with incomplete bowel movements, and these tips can help you manage them.
Get the Newest Coronavirus Updates With This Online Map
In this article, weāll direct you to a convenient online map that records the most recent updates about the coronavirus.
There's Something Making Us Fatter, But It's Not Fat...
When most people hear about "carbs", they automatically have a bad connotation, but not all carbs are the same and not all are "bad" for you.
10 Uses for Essential Oils You May Never Have Heard Of
Other than in aromatherapy, essential oils can actually do much more...
7 Signs of Toxin Overload in Your Body You've Ignored
This article looks at some of the common signs that can tell you if your body is suffering from a toxin overload.
COVID-19: Face Masks Reduce the Severity of the Disease
Face masks serve as a barrier that can reduce how much of the virus can reach the mask wearer, which could ultimately lower the severity of the disease
The Most Important Information About Fruits and Vegetables!
This chart should be printed and hanged in every kitchen in the world.
Our Guide to Proper Eye Care and Avoiding Cataracts!
Read these tips to prevent a cataract ever forming on your lens!
Should We Throw Away Spotty Fruit & Veg? TED-ED Reveals
The US food industry is responsible for wasting some $30 billion of fruit & veg a year. But can this be avoided? Is it better that we don't need blemished food?
Anxiety and Grief Can Cause Profound Cardiac Injury
āA broken heartā is one expression we might want to take more literally. As thoroughly explained in this incredibly insightful lecture, the effects of heartbreak, as well as other emotions, both positive and negative, all leave a very real, physical
Need a Break from Coffee? Enter 6 Energizing Replacements
6 delectable coffee alternatives that are just as invigorating as coffee, but taste different and have quite a few notable health benefits
10 Bizarre Things Our Body Does Finally Explained
From hiccups to yawning to getting those webbed fingers in the pool - all the weird things our body does will now be explained...
Why You Must Eat Berries and Apples to Prevent Dementia
A type of antioxidant present in berries, tea, and apples may be not simply beneficial but necessary to prevent dementia and Alzheimer's
Once and For All: Is Milk Bad For You?
Milk is one of those polarizing subjects. No matter what your stance on the matter is, this video is sure to deepen your knowledge about milk
Did You Know The Bizarre Origins Of Your Beloved Foods?
Here is a detailed look at the origins of some of our favorite food items that you are unlikely to be aware of.
Just a Dash of This Common Herb Can Benefit Your Wellbeing
Learn what health issues peppermint is most beneficial for and how to use this herb to improve your wellbeingĀ right here.
Hit a Weight Loss Plateau? Hereās What Youāre Doing Wrong
Why is it so hard to lose weight past a certain point? Several factors may be contributing to your weight loss plateau.
One More Reason Why We Should Get More Sleep
We were always told that it's important to get enough sleep every night, but no one really explained it. This video is the BEST explanation I've gotten, and convinced me to make sure I get as much sleep as possible!
Test Your Hearing: Can You Hear that Last Sound?
As we grow older, we can hear less and less sound frequencies. How young are your ears? Take this audio test.
Quinoa May Be Even Healthier Than You Thought
To better understand why itās a super-food, we have compiled a list containing the health benefits of quinoa you should know about.
Sit at a Desk All Day? This Stretch Will Help You Sleep
This quick stretch will counteract the harmful effects of sedentary lifestyle on your sleep and will help you feel more refreshed every morning
Tiny Magical Balls ā 6 Health Benefits of Tapioca
Some people love them, some find them odd, but these tiny pearls are actually quite good for you and packs a nutritional punch that can boost your overall health considerably.
10 of the Most Common Misdiagnoses Made by Doctors
In the US, 1 out of every 20 adults are misdiagnosed. Here are 10 conditions that are commonly missed or mistaken for something else!
These Foods Are the BEST at Really Reducing Nausea
Nausea is as annoying as it is uncomfortable and debilitating, but eating certain foods can really help you recover and forget about nausea
WHO Says COVID-19 Could Be Airborne - Hereās What It Means
Covid-19 may be spread even easier than previously estimated, with even the WHO now suggesting it may be airborne. Here's what this means for you...
A Few Health Tips to Keep You In Good Shape!
This week in health tips: Lower your blood pressure, learn great exercises for your stomach and lower back, get some great nutritional advice and more...
Is Breakfast REALLY the Most Important Meal?
Breakfast is the most important meal of the day - truth or myth? Watch to find out what happens to your body when you stop eating breakfast for two weeks.
14 Seemingly Healthy Foods That Can Harm the Kidneys
Diet is one of the key ways you can keep kidneys healthy, even after they sustained some damage. Avoid these foods for long-term kidney health.
10 Simple Habit Changes Will Help You Quickly Lose Weight
Ten easy to follow habit changes that will help you take down those pounds much sooner.
The Morally Murky Way to Speed Up Covid-19 Vaccine Process
Some scientists are proposing a controversial plan that could get us the coveted covid-19 vaccine faster. How does it work and what are the reprecussions?