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Green tea really can help with weight loss, a new study has found.

The debate has long raged over whether the drink has an impact on people's waistlines.

But a new study by a team of scientists at Anglia Ruskin University revealed when combined with exercise, green tea does help shed fat, the Daily Mail reports.

To test their theory, the researchers tested a capsule of decaffeinated green tea extra on 14 active men.

Seven of the volunteers, who had an average age of 21, took the green tea capsule, while the other seven men were given a placebo.

The capsules contained 571mg of decaffeinated green tea extract.

It is thought to be the first time a study has used the decaffeinated version of the tea in tests focusing on weight loss and performance.

As a result, any question over the potential stimulating effects of caffeine were removed.

The team's findings revealed those who took the green tea extract reduced their body fat by 1.63 per cent, compared with those in the placebo group.

Meanwhile fat oxidation rates increased by 25 per cent. This is important because fat oxidation aids weight loss.

The 14 volunteers were asked to cycle for one hour, three times a week.

Those taking the capsule noted their performance increased by 10.9 per cent over a four-week period, increasing the distance they covered from an average of 20.2km to 22.4km.

Dr Justin Roberts, who led the study, said: 'It is known that green tea as a drink can have numerous health benefits as it contains a relatively high amount of an ingredient called EGCG.

'However, to get the dosage required may require close to six or seven cups of green tea a day.

'The 571mg capsules tested contained a daily EGCG dose of 400mg.

'In essence, our study showed that the use of a green tea extract could potentially help people to lose weight, if combined with exercise.

'However, we recognise that a larger scale study is now required.'

The study was published in the Journal of the International Society of Sports Nutrition.