A new study has found a possible link between drinking very hot tea or coffee and an increased risk of esophageal cancer.
The UK-based research followed nearly one million middle-aged people for around 14 years. Researchers compared participants who preferred their tea or coffee “very hot” with those who described their drinks as simply “hot.”
The study found that people who consumed very hot beverages had an approximately threefold higher risk of esophageal squamous cell carcinoma, a type of cancer affecting the esophagus, the tube that connects the mouth to the stomach.
Researchers defined a “very hot” beverage as one with a temperature of 65°C or above. The same temperature threshold is also used by the International Agency for Research on Cancer when referring to very hot beverages.
By comparison, tea and coffee are commonly consumed at temperatures of around 50°C to 60°C, although the actual temperature can vary depending on preparation methods and drinking habits.
The findings suggest that the temperature at which beverages are consumed may be an important factor alongside the type of beverage itself. However, the study does not establish that drinking hot beverages directly causes cancer.
As a precaution, experts suggest allowing extremely hot tea or coffee to cool for a while before drinking.
