Among the studies praising green tea for its therapeutic values comes one that suggests that all is not rosy with this tasty treated leaf.

Researchers from Oregon State University and the University of Connecticut fed obese and lean mice varying degrees of a green tea extract. Among their findings:

After mice in the new study had consumed the experimental diet for six weeks, their bones were analyzed for size, mineral content and architecture. Mice that ate a diet that included green tea extract weighed less than those that did not have the extract added to their food. The difference was more pronounced among obese mice, the researchers noted.

The mineral density of the large bone in the leg, the femur, was not affected by body weight, the study found. However, consumption of green tea extract appeared to reduce femur length, volume, mineral content and cortical thickness. A similar effect was noted in lumbar vertebrae…

Previous studies have been glowing for the herb, showing that it helped to decrease the risk of cardiovascular disease and protects against fatty liver disease. This latest study appears in the October issue of Journal of Nutrition.

Source: HealthScout

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