A French-American study presented at the recent 18th International Congress of Nutrition held in Durban (South Africa) showed that the polyphenols contained in green tea have two functions: they improve sensitivity to insulin and reduce oxidative stress. These are precisely two of the mechanisms altered in the metabolic syndrome tied to obesity.

For years, Englishmen, and Englishwomen in particular, have had noteworthy weight profiles. It thus seems only logical to deduce that Britons are much fatter now basically because they no longer drink tea.