Hot Tea Can Increase Your Cancer Risk, Study Says
It’s common knowledge that certain types of tea offer health benefits, including weight loss, anxiety relief, and help with pesky menopause symptoms. But according to research, your tea might actually be dangerous to your health if it’s too hot.
A recent study published in the International Journal of Cancer linked the consumption of very hot tea with an increased risk of esophageal cancer. Researchers followed 50,045 people over 10 years and found that drinking 700 ml of tea that is too hot per day was associated with a 90 percent higher risk of esophageal cancer when compared to the consumption of less tea at a cooler temperature.
So, how hot is too hot? In this study, the danger zone was defined as 60 degrees Celsius (140 degrees Fahrenheit) or higher. But as you can probably guess, most people don’t measure the temperature of their tea — or any hot beverage — before they take a sip. Fortunately, there is an easier way to tell if tea is too scalding to drink. According to Science Alert, “Most of us will start to experience discomfort when we touch a surface that’s approaching 50 degrees Celsius.”
In other words, if you feel uncomfortable at all while drinking your tea, wait it out before taking a second sip. Don’t try to “push through it,” no matter how much of a rush you’re in. It’s not worth putting your health at risk! Plus, isn’t tea more enjoyable when it’s not burning your tongue anyway?
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