We compared the inhibitory effect of green tea, oolong tea, black tea, and pu-erh tea on lipid absorption using rats in which catheters were placed in the gastric and subclavian veins. The results showed that among rats that received continuous infusion of lipid emulsion and hot water extract of green tea, oolong tea, black tea, or pu-erh tea, increases in blood concentrations of triglycerides (TG) and nonesterified fatty acids (NEFA) were strongly inhibited in rats given green tea, an unfermented tea, compared to oolong tea, black tea, and pu-erh tea, which are fermented teas. Similarly, lipase activity was also strongly inhibited in rats given green tea compared to oolong tea, black tea, and pu-erh tea. These findings indicate that teas inhibit lipid absorption by inhibiting lipase activity, and that this effect is the most prominent for green tea, an unfermented tea.
