It was found that the mice that were fed a high-fat diet supplemented with green tea gained 20 per cent less body weight and had low insulin resistance than mice who were fed an identical diet without green tea.

These mice also had less inflammation within fat tissue and the intestine. Further, the green tea appeared to protect against the movement of endotoxin, the toxic bacterial component, out of their guts into the bloodstream.

Green tea also helped in a healthier microbial community in the guts of the mice fed high-diet fat. A human study is being conducted to explore the effects of green tea on the leaky gut in people with metabolic syndrome, a condition that puts you at risk of type 2 diabetes and heart disease.

The study also showed improvement in gut health, including more beneficial microbes in the intestines of the mice and less permeability in the intestinal wall, a condition called leaky gut.

The study shows that green tea encourages the growth of good gut bacteria, which leads to various health benefits including decreased risk of obesity.