Drinking very hot beverages, including coffees and teas, has been deemed a “probable cause” of oesophageal cancer.
According to reports, the UN cancer agency has said that the temperature (specifically over 65 degrees Celsius) as opposed to the type of drink is a risk factor.
The finding is based on a review by the International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC) of more than 1,000 scientific studies about the possible link between coffee and cancer.
The organisation’s director Christopher Wild said: “These results suggest that drinking very hot beverages is one probable cause of oesophageal cancer and that it is the temperature, rather than the drinks themselves, that appears to be responsible.”
The IARC itself explained: “Studies in places such as China, the Islamic Republic of Iran, Turkey and South America, where tea or mate is traditionally drunk very hot (at about 70 degrees Celsius) found that the risk of oesophageal cancer increased with the temperature at which the beverage was drunk.”
“Drinking very hot beverages at above 65C was classified as ‘probably’ carcinogenic to humans.”
The Independent reports that in 1991 it was revealed that coffee “possibly caused cancer” but that the World Health Organisation is expected to revise this and suggest that, other than concerns regarding temperature, there is insufficient evidence for this status.
With regards to the link between very hot drinks and oesophageal cancer, it is worth noting that the studies also considered other lifestyle factors and that very few people consume their beverages at such temperatures.
If you do, perhaps it is worth letting your cuppa cool down a bit before you drink it.
