A large-scale study published in the International Journal of Cancer warns that drinking about 700 ml of hot tea and coffee over 60 degrees C nearly doubles the risk of esophageal cancer.
Work conducted by Tehran University of Medical Sciences (Iran) captured the tea drinking habits of 50,045 people aged 40 to 75, living in northeastern Iran, directly noting the heat of the drink they drink every day.
During follow-up between 2004 and 2017, the team detected 317 cases of esophageal cancer. Comparing data on the tea drinking habits of patients and those who are not sick, they found that simply consuming 700ml of hot tea per day above 60 degrees C, or about 2 to 3 cups, the risk of esophageal cancer per person increased to 90%.
This risk will increase to 240% if you drink hot tea or coffee from 75 degrees Celsius or higher.
Not just tea, the researchers warn that a similar mechanism could occur in other hot drinks, including hot coffee and chocolate.
Lead author of the study Dr Farhad Islami said that in the past there have been observational studies showing a correlation between hot tea and esophageal cancer, however, these are the world’s first large-scale study with drinking temperatures measured directly by trained personnel.
There are many mechanisms associated with an increased risk of cancer in overheated tea drinkers, the most recognizable being heat damage, sore throat, DNA damage, and the production of fuels that make up chemicals. .
How to prevent esophageal cancer is very simple: wait for your tea or coffee to cool below 60 degrees Celsius, then drink! In addition, it is possible to add fresh milk to a cup of tea or coffee after it has been brewed as this action allows the temperature of the drink to be reduced immediately and significantly.
The research has just been published in the International Journal of Cancer.
