Food components such as chilli (capsaicin), ginger, mustard, pepper, caffeine, green tea (flavanols) and medium-chain triglycerides have been demonstrated as increasing DIT. The thermogenic effects of these compounds have been shown to be mainly via the sympathetic nervous system. Pharmacological agents such as ephedrine and salicylate as well as food constituents such as methylxanthines (theophylline and caffeine) and caffeine have been shown to possess sympathomimetic properties and induce fat oxidation and thermogenesis in effector cells by stimulating the release of noradrenalin. Flavanoids such as green tea catechins have also been shown to stimulate this pathway. Sympathetically released noradrenalin has been shown to activate Beta3adrenoceptors and thereby induce thermogenesis and fat oxidation in peripheral tissues as well as activate uncoupling protein (UCP1) that mediates thermogenesis in brown adipose tissue (BAT). Plant phenolics have also been shown to demonstrate thermogenic effects, particularly Oleuropein, green tea catechins, Kaempferol, flavanol glycosides, stilbenes and quercetin.