Want to get rid of those extra kilos?

Grab a cup of black tea, say scientists who have found that the beverage may promote weight loss by encouraging growth of metabolism-boosting bacteria.

Everybody is aware about the benefits of green tea, but a recent study has suggested that black tea also may promote weight loss and other health benefits by changing bacteria in the gut.

According to the University of California — Los Angeles Health Sciences researchers, a study on mice showed that black tea alters energy metabolism in the liver by changing the gut metabolites.

The study found that both black and green tea changed the ratio of intestinal bacteria in the animals: The percentage of bacteria associated with obesity decreased, while bacteria associated with lean body mass increased.

The new findings showed that black tea polyphenols, which are too large to be absorbed in the small intestine, stimulate the growth of gut bacterium and the formation of short-chain fatty acids, a type of bacterial metabolites that has been shown to alter the energy metabolism in the liver.

In the study, four groups of mice received different diets — two of which were supplemented with green tea or black tea extracts: Low-fat, high-sugar

High-fat, high-sugar and green tea extract High-fat, high-sugar and black tea extract After four weeks, the weights of the mice that were given green or black tea extracts, dropped to the same levels as those of the mice that received the low-fat diet throughout the study.

The researchers also collected samples from the mice’s large intestines (to measure bacteria content) and liver tissues (to measure fat deposits).

However, only the mice that consumed black tea extract had an increase in a type of bacteria called Pseudobutyrivibrio, which could help explain the difference between how black tea and green tea change energy metabolism.