(CNN) – Worried about packing on pounds this holiday season? Drink some coffee!
Drinking four cups of coffee daily could reduce weight gain from a diet high in fat and sugar, according to a new study.
For the study, scientists at the University of Illinois studied rats on a diet that contained 40% fat, 45% carbohydrate and 15% protein.
They found the rats that consumed caffeine gained 16 percent less weight and accumulated 22 percent less fat than those that didn’t.
Researchers tested the rats using mate tea, synthetic caffeine and caffeine extracted from coffee.
The results don’t mean you should skip eating healthy or overdo it on the caffeine. It’s still important to maintain a balanced diet.
The research was published recently in the Journal of Functional Foods.
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