Drinking Piping Hot Tea Compared To A Lukewarm Cup Could Increase Your Risk Of Esophageal Cancer, Study Says
A new study published in the International Journal of Cancer shows drinking extremely hot beverages can increase your risk of throat cancer when regularly consumed at a temperature of more than 140° F, compared to those who drink their cups lukewarm. (For reference, the boiling point of water is 212° F.)
If you're in the camp that likes to sip on tea the minute it's poured, here's what you need to know. Researchers looked at more than 50,000 individuals in Iran, ages 40 to 75 years in age, over a period of more than 10 years. Participants were asked about their tea preferences and habits; those who drank 700 mL of tea a day (about three cups) and liked it very hot-140° F or more-had about a 90 percent increase in esophageal cancer risk.
"Our results substantially strengthen the existing evidence supporting an association between hot beverage drinking and ESCC," the study's authors wrote in an abstract.
Dr. Farhad Islami, the study's lead author, told Fox News it is advised that tea drinkers wait until their tea cools down before drinking it.
The finding is slightly different from the recommendations currently listed on the American Cancer Society's website. There, it is advised to avoid very hot liquids with temperatures above 149° F. The organization lists age, gender, obesity, and diet as potential risk factors, too. The risk for this kind of cancer increases with age; men and people who are overweight or obese have a higher chance of developing it, too.
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