Caffeine may offset holiday weight gain, study says

If you're worried about packing on pounds this holiday season, researchers suggest drinking some coffee could help.

A new study found that drinking four cups of coffee daily could reduce weight gain from a diet high in fat and sugar.

Scientists say they tracked rats and discovered those that had caffeine gained 16% less weight and accumulated 22% less fat than those who didn't.

They tested the rats using tea, synthetic caffeine and caffeine extracted from coffee.

The study was conducted by scientists at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign and published in the Journal of Functional Foods.