ABSTRACT
Biologically active ingredients of dietary origin show a propensity to stimulate energy expenditure (EE) by inˆuencing subtle cellular and metabolic processes linked with energy dissipation. There is immense interest in these naturally occurring substances in view of their potential application in body weight (BW) reduction. Natural ingredients have received particular attention as alternatives to conventional weight management strategies with limited long-term effectiveness. One such natural product-derived ingredient is tea, deemed to possess biological activities relevant to the prevention and treatment of obesity. The potential body fat-suppressive effects of tea have recently drawn attention. The perceived benets of tea intake have received increased scientic scrutiny. Dietary adjuncts, as exemplied by caffeine and tea-associated constituents, exert a facile effect on metabolic rate and substrate oxidation (Jung et al., 1981; Dulloo et al., 1989, 1999, 2000; Astrup et al., 1990, 2000; Komatsu et al., 2003; Harada et al., 2005).
