Skip to main content
SpringerLink
Log in

Potential impacts of dietary inclusion of green tea (Camellia sinensis L.) in poultry feeding: a review

  • Published:
Agroforestry Systems Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

This paper reviews the use of green tea (Camellia sinensis L.) in poultry diets in particular, drawing together the findings of various recent studies, in which attention has been paid to the role of green tea in improving the health of animals and humans. Green tea improved feed intake, final body weight, and nutrient use efficiency and could be used as growth promoter in place of antibiotics. Furthermore, green tea improved immunity against coccidiosis, Newcastle disease, decreased plasma low-density lipoprotein, and decreased serum cholesterol. Animal product quality was improved through decreased meat peroxidation, reduced abdominal fat, improved meat quality, and increased chemical composition of meat. Similarly, egg yolk cholesterol was decreased, egg yolk color was improved, and there was increase in yolk alpha-tocopherol. In quail, green tea improved the intestinal weight, decreased plasma low-density lipoprotein, egg yolk cholesterol, increased edible parts of egg, and improved feed intake and weight gain. Results about green tea showed that it could be supplemented in the diet of broiler, layers, and quail with positive result. This information will be useful for poultry nutritionists, although studies that are more detailed are still needed to prove the effect of green tea on poultry feeding in different situations.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Log in via an institution

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Institutional subscriptions

Similar content being viewed by others

References

  • Abbas RZ, Colwell DD, Gilleard J (2011) Botanicals: an alternative approach for the control of avian coccidiosis. World’s Poult Sci J 68:203–215

    Google Scholar 

  • Abbas A, Iqbal Z, Abbas RZ, Khan MK, Khan JA, Hussain K, Mahmoo Rizwan HM (2017) Immunomodulatory effects of Camellia sinensis against coccidiosis in chickens. J Anim Plant Sci 27:415–421

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Abdo ZM, Hassan RA, El-Salam AA, Helmy SA (2010) Effect of adding green tea and its aqueous extract as natural antioxidants to laying hen diet on productive, reproductive performance and egg quality during storage and its content of cholesterol. Egypt Poult Sci J 30:1121–1149

    Google Scholar 

  • Adegbeye MJ, Elghandour MMY, Faniyi TO, Perez NR, Barbabosa-Pilego A, Zaragoza-Bastida A, Salem AZM (2018) Antimicrobial and antihelminthic impacts of black cumin, pawpaw and mustard seeds in livestock production and health. Agrofor Syst. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10457-018-0337-0

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Alimohammadi-Saraei MH, Seidavi AR, Dadashbeiki M, Edens FW (2016) Response of plasma constituents and body measurement in broiler chickens fed fish oil and green tea powder. Arch Med Vet 48:61–68

    Google Scholar 

  • Angga WA, Rizal Y, Mahata ME, Yuniza A, Mayerni R (2018) Potential of waste tea leaves (Camellia sinensis) in West Sumatra to be processed into poultry feed. Pak J Nutr 17:287–293. https://doi.org/10.3923/pjn.2018.287.293

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Ariana M, Samie A, Edriss MA, Jahanian R (2011) Effects of powder and extract form of green tea and marigold, and α-tocopheryl acetate on performance, egg quality and egg yolk cholesterol levels of laying hens in late phase of production. J Med Plants Res 5:2710–2716

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Attia G, Hassanein E, El-Eraky W, El-Gamal M, Farahat M, Hernandez-Santana A (2017) Effect of dietary supplementation with a plant extract blend on the growth performance, lipid profile, immune response and carcass traits of broiler chickens. Int J Poult Sci 16:248–256

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Azeke MA, Ekpo KE (2008) Egg yolk cholesterol lowering effects of garlic and tea. J Biol Sci 8:456–460

    Google Scholar 

  • Biswas AH, Wakita M (2001) Effect of dietary Japanese green tea powder supplementation on feed utilization and carcass profiles in broilers. J Poult Sci 38:50–57

    Google Scholar 

  • Biswas MA, Miyazaki Y, Nomura K, Wakita M (2000) Influences of long-term feeding of Japanese green tea powder on laying performance and egg quality in hens. Asian Australas J Anim Sci 13:980–985

    Google Scholar 

  • Brenes A, Roura E (2010) Essential oils in poultry nutrition: main effects and modes of action. Anim Feed Sci Technol 158:1–14

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Cabrera C, Artacho R, Giménez R (2006) Beneficial effects of green tea—a review. J Am Coll Nutr 25:79–99

    CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Cao BH, Karasawa Y, Guo YM (2005) Effects of green tea polyphenols and fructo-oligosaccharides in semi-purified diets on broilers’ performance and caecal microflora and their metabolites. Asian Aust J Anim Sci 18:85–89. https://doi.org/10.3923/ijps.2017.248.256

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Donsì F, Annunziata M, Sessa M, Ferrari G (2011) Nanoencapsulation of essential oils to enhance their antimicrobial activity in foods. LWT Food Sci Technol 44:1908–1914

    Google Scholar 

  • El-Deek AA, Al-Harthi MA (2004) Post molt performance parameters of broiler breeder hens associated with molt induced by feed restriction, high dietary zinc and fasting. Int J Poult Sci 3:456–462

    Google Scholar 

  • El-Deek AA, Al-Harthi MA, Osman M, Al-Jassas F, Nassar R (2012) Effect of different levels of green tea (Camellia sinensis) as a substitute for oxytetracycline as a growth promoter in broilers diets containing two crude protein levels. Arch Geflugelkd 76:88–98

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Erener G, Ocak N, Altop A, Cankaya S, Aksoy HM, Ozturk E (2011) Growth performance, meat quality and caecal coliform bacteria count of broiler chicks fed diet with green tea extract. Asian Australas J Anim Sci 24:1128–1135

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Hrnčár C, Bujko J (2017) Effect of different levels of green tea (Camellia sinensis) on productive performance, carcass characteristics and organs of broiler chickens. Potravin Slovak J Food Sci 11:623–628

    Google Scholar 

  • Huang J, Zhang Y, Zhou Y, Zhang Z, Xie Z, Zhang J, Wan X (2013) Green tea polyphenols alleviate obesity in broiler chickens through the regulation of lipid-metabolism-related genes and transcription factor expression. J Agric Food Chem 61:8565–8572

    CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Jang SI, Jun M, LillehoJ HS, Dalloul RI, Kong I, Kim S, Min W (2007) Anticoccidial effect of green tea-based diets against Eimeria maxima. Vet Parasitol 144:172–175

    CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Janz JAM, Morel PCH, Wilkinson BHP, Purchas RW (2007) Preliminary investigation of the effects of low-level dietary inclusion of fragrant essential oils and oleoresins on pig performance and pork quality. Meat Sci 75:350–355

    CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • John-Jaja SA, Udoh UH, Nwokolo SC (2016) Repeatability estimates of egg weight and eggshell weight under various production periods for Bovan Nera Black laying chicken. Be Ni-Suef Univ J Basic Appl Sci 5:389–394

    Google Scholar 

  • Kaneko K, Yamasaki K, Tagawa Y, Tokunaga M, Tobisa M, Furuse M (2001) Effects of dietary Japanese green tea powder on growth, meat ingredient and lipid accumulation in broilers. Jpn Poult Sci 38:J77–J85

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Karimi K, Pazaki A (2013) Comparison of green tea effects on blood parameters, egg quality, carcasses characteristics and growth performance in the quails fed with- and without-cholesterol. Iran J Dyn Agric 8(Spring 2011)

  • Khalaji S, Zaghari M, Hatami KH, Hedari-Dastjerdi S, Lotfi L, Nazarian H (2011) Black cumin seeds, Artemisia leaves (Artemisia sieberi), and Camellia L. plant extract as phytogenic products in broiler diets and their effects on performance, blood constituents, immunity, and cecal microbial population. Poult Sci 90:2500–2510

    CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Khan SH (2014) The use of green tea (Camellia sinensis) as a phytogenic substance in poultry diets. Onderstepoort J Vet Res 81(1):01–08. https://doi.org/10.4102/ojvr.v81i2.706

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Kojima S, Yoshida Y (2008) Effects of green tea powder feed supplement on performance of hens in the late stage of laying. Int J Poult Sci 7:491–496

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Liu W, Rouzmehr F, Seidavi A (2018) Effect of amount and duration of waste green tea powder on the growth performance, carcass characteristics, blood parameters, and lipid metabolites of growing broilers. Environ Sci Pollut Res 25:375–387

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Miura Y, Chiba T, Miura S, Tomita I, Umegaki K, Ikeda M, Tomita T (2000) Green tea polyphenols (flavan 3-ols) prevent oxidative modification of low-density lipoproteins: an ex vivo study in humans. J Nutr Biochem 11:216–222

    CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Molan AL, Faraj AM (2015) Effect of selenium-rich green tea extract on the course of sporulation of Eimeria oocysts. J Dent Med Sci 14:68–74

    Google Scholar 

  • Muharlien M (2010) Improving egg quality through the addition of green tea in laying chickens feed. J Ilmu dan Teknol Has Ternak 5:1–6

    Google Scholar 

  • Namita P, Mukesh R, Vijay KJ (2012) Camellia sinensis (green tea): a review. Glob J Pharmacol 6:52–59

    Google Scholar 

  • Naviglio D, Gallo M, Le Grottaglie L, Scala C, Ferrara L, Santini A (2012) Determination of cholesterol in Italian chicken eggs. Food Chem 132:701–708

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Nideou D, Soedji K, Teteh A, Decuypere E, Gbeassor M, Tona K (2017) Effect of Carica Papaya seeds on gastro-intestinal parasites of pullet and production parameters. Int J Probiotics Prebiotics 12:89–96

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Rahmani HR, Qaisari AA, Taheri R, Khaddami A, Toghiani M (2008) Effect of using green tea leaf and vitamin E in diet on yield and storage duration and meat oxidative stability of broiler chickens. J Sci Technol Agric Nat Resour Isfahan Univ Technol 12:403–411

    Google Scholar 

  • Rizk YS, Ismail II, Abu Hafsa SH, Eshera AA, Tawfeek FA (2017) Effect of dietary green tea and dried seaweed on productive and physiological performance of laying hens during late phase of production. Egypt Poult Sci J 37:685–706

    Google Scholar 

  • Samynathan R, Perisamy SK, Gandhi S, Anitha J, Sanmugam G, Padmanabhan M, Kanniappan GV (2016) Biochemical and molecular analysis of Camellia sinensis (L.) O. Kuntze tea from the selected P/11/15 clone. J Genet Eng Biotechnol 14:69–75

    PubMed  PubMed Central  Google Scholar 

  • Santini A, Novellino E (2017) Nutraceuticals in hypercholesterolaemia: an overview. Br J Pharmacol 174:1450–1463. https://doi.org/10.1111/bph.13636

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Santini A, Novellino E, Armini V, Ritieni A (2013) State of the art of ready-to use therapeutic food: a tool for nutraceuticals addition to foodstuff. Food Chem 140:843–849

    CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Saraee MHA, Seidavi A, Dadashbeiki M, Laudadio V, Tufarelli V (2014) Effect of dietary supplementation with different levels of green tea powder and fish oil or their combination on carcass characteristics in broiler chickens. Pak J Zool 46:1767–1773

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Saraee MHA, Seidavi A, Dadashbeiki M, Laudadio V, Tufarelli V (2015) Supplementing fish oil and green tea (Camellia sinensis) powder in broiler diet: effects on productive performance. Res Opin Anim Vet Sci 5:99–104

    Google Scholar 

  • Sarker MSK, Kim GM, Yang CJ (2010) Effect of green tea and biotite on performance, meat quality and organ development in Ross broiler. Egypt Poult Sci J 30:77–88

    Google Scholar 

  • Seidavi A, Simões J (2015) Evaluation of dietary fish oil plus green tea supplementation on the gizzard, ileum and cecum microflora in broiler chickens. Arch Zootec 64:248

    Google Scholar 

  • Seidavi A, Asadpour L, Dadashbeiki M, Payan-Carreira R (2014) Effects of dietary fish oil and green tea powder supplementation on broiler chickens immunity. Acta Sci Vet 42:1

    Google Scholar 

  • Seidavi A, Dadashbeiki M, Asadpour L, van den Hoven R, Alimohammadi-Saraei MH, Alise M, Santini A (2017) Dietary green tea powder affects the immunologic parameters of broiler chicks. Ital J Anim Sci 16:108–114

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Shahid W, Ahmad A, Mangaiyarkarasi R, Omer M, Shahina N, Abdurraheem U, Zahra Y (2013) Effect of polyphenolic rich green tea extract as antioxidant on broiler performance during 0–4 weeks. Int J Adv Res 9:177–181

    Google Scholar 

  • Shomali T, Mosleh N, Nazifi S (2012) Two weeks of dietary supplementation with green tea powder does not affect performance, d-xylose absorption, and selected serum parameters in broiler chickens. Comp Clin Pathol 21:1023–1027

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Song D, Wang YW, Hou YJ, Dong ZL, Wang WW, Li AK (2016) The effects of dietary supplementation of microencapsulated Enterococcus faecalis and the extract of Camellia oleifera seed on growth performance, immune functions, and serum biochemical parameters in broiler chickens. J Anim Sci 94:3271–3277

    CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Thinh NH, Vinh NT, Doan BH, Dang PK, Quy-Hanoi-Vietnam T (2016) Effect of dietary supplementation with green tea powder on performance characteristic, meat organoleptic quality and cholesterol content of broilers. In: Tropical animal science and production (TASP 2016)

  • Thomas DV, Molan AL, Ravindran AV (2010) The ability of green tea to positively modify the gut microflora in broiler chickens. Aust Poult Sci Sympos 21:203–206

    Google Scholar 

  • United Stated Department of Agriculture (USDA) (2000) Nutrient database for standard reference. Release 13, NDB No. 10199, 1975

  • Uuganbayar D, Bae IH, Choi KS, Shin IS, Firman JD, Yang CJ (2005) Effects of green tea powder on laying performance and egg quality in laying hens. Asian Australas J Anim Sci 18:1769

    Google Scholar 

  • Uuganbayar D, Shin IS, Yang CJ (2006) Comparative performance of hens fed diets containing Korean, Japanese and Chinese green tea. Asian Australas J Anim Sci 19:1190

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Yamane T, Goto H, Takahashi D, Takeda H, Otowaki K, Tsuchida T (1999) Effects of hot water extracts of tea on performance of laying hens. Jpn Poult Sci 36:31–37

    Google Scholar 

  • Yang T, Koo M (1997) Hypocholesterolemic effects of Chinese tea. Pharmacol Res 35:505–512

    CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Yang CJ, Yang IY, Oh DH, Bae IH, Cho SG, Kong IG, Choi KS (2003) Effect of green tea by-product on performance and body composition in broiler chicks. Asian Australas J Anim Sci 16:867–872

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Zarezadeh S, Rustaei Alimehr M, Alizadeh A, Mohammadi Qeisar M (2013) The effect of adding green tea and fish oil to the diet of broiler chickens on performance and humoral immune response against Newcastle. Anim Prod Res 1:1–13

    Google Scholar 

  • Zarghi H, Golian A (2014) The effect of green tea on the performance and blood metabolites of Japanese quail. In: 6th Iranian Congress on animal sciences

Download references

Acknowledgements

Financial support by Rasht Branch, Islamic Azad University, Grant Number 17.16.4.8774 is gratefully acknowledged. Lindsay Sawyer is thanked for his help with the English.

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Animal Science, Rasht Branch, Islamic Azad University, Rasht, Iran

    Alireza Seidavi & Majid Belali

  2. Facultad de Medicina Veterinaria y Zootecnia, Universidad Autónoma del Estado de México, Toluca, Estado de México, Mexico

    Mona M. Y. Elghandour & A. Z. M. Salem

  3. Department of Animal Science, College of Agriculture and Natural Sciences, Joseph Ayo Babalola University, Ikeji-Arakeji, PMB 5006 Ilesha, Nigeria

    Moyosore J. Adegbeye

Authors
  1. Alireza Seidavi
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  2. Majid Belali
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  3. Mona M. Y. Elghandour
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  4. Moyosore J. Adegbeye
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  5. A. Z. M. Salem
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Corresponding authors

Correspondence to Alireza Seidavi or A. Z. M. Salem.

Ethics declarations

Conflict of interest

The authors declare that they have no conflict of interests.

Additional information

Publisher's Note

Springer Nature remains neutral with regard to jurisdictional claims in published maps and institutional affiliations.

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Check for updates. Verify currency and authenticity via CrossMark

Cite this article

Seidavi, A., Belali, M., Elghandour, M.M.Y. et al. Potential impacts of dietary inclusion of green tea (Camellia sinensis L.) in poultry feeding: a review. Agroforest Syst 94, 1161–1170 (2020). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10457-019-00444-x

Download citation

  • Received:

  • Accepted:

  • Published:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10457-019-00444-x

Keywords

Search

Navigation