Can drinking hot tea cause cancer?

Washington: A recent study has found that the temperature of hot tea is linked with elevated risk of oesophageal cancer. However, previous studies had already established a link between drinking hot tea and oesophageal cancer.

The study, which appeared in the International Journal of Cancer, has examined this association between hot tea and oesophageal cancer by prospectively and objectively measuring tea drinking temperature and following 50,045 individuals aged 40 to 75 years for a median of 10 years.

During follow-up, 317 new cases of oesophageal cancer were identified. Compared with drinking less than 700 ml of tea per day at less than 60°C, drinking 700 ml per day or more at a higher temperature (60°C or higher) was associated with a 90 per cent higher risk of oesophageal cancer.

A lot of people enjoy drinking tea, coffee, or other hot beverages. However, according to this study, drinking very hot tea can increase the risk of oesophagal cancer. It is, therefore, advisable to wait until the hot beverage has cooled down before drinking it.