Drinking your tea or coffee piping hot? This everyday habit could raise cancer risk

A large study involving nearly one million people has found a link between very hot drinks and oesophageal cancer. Experts say the overall risk remains low, but allowing tea or coffee to cool before drinking may help protect the food pipe.

In Short

• Researchers analysed data from 977,282 middle-aged men and women participants
• Drinks at 65 degrees Celsius or above were classed as very hot
• Repeated thermal injury to the food pipe may drive harmful changes

For many people, a steaming cup of tea or coffee is part of the daily routine. Some prefer their drink warm, while others like it almost boiling. But new research suggests that the temperature of your drink may matter more than you think.

Researchers from the University of Oxford have found that regularly drinking beverages at very high temperatures may be linked to a greater risk of developing oesophageal cancer, also known as food pipe cancer. The study looked at data from 977,282 middle-aged men and women, making it one of the largest studies to examine the connection between hot drinks and this type of cancer.

The researchers found that people who reported drinking their tea or coffee very hot had around three times the risk of developing oesophageal cancer compared with those who drank their beverages warm. However, experts have stressed that oesophageal cancer remains relatively uncommon, so the increase in risk does not mean that drinking a hot cup of tea will cause cancer.

WHAT TEMPERATURE IS CONSIDERED TOO HOT?

The study classified drinks at 65 degrees Celsius or above as very hot. At this temperature, a beverage may feel extremely hot while drinking and can potentially cause repeated irritation or injury to the lining of the food pipe.

A freshly brewed drink can be much hotter than this. Water coming directly from a fully boiled kettle can reach around 100 degrees Celsius. Once poured into a cup, tea or coffee may still remain around 90 to 95 degrees Celsius.

Experts therefore recommend waiting for a few minutes before drinking a freshly prepared hot beverage.

There is no universally agreed waiting time because the cooling rate depends on the amount of liquid, the cup, room temperature and whether milk has been added.

HOW CAN VERY HOT DRINK AFFECT THE FOOD PIPE?

The oesophagus is the tube that carries food and drinks from the mouth to the stomach. When extremely hot liquids pass through it, they can cause thermal injury to the cells lining the food pipe.

Repeated exposure to very hot beverages may lead to irritation and damage over time. Scientists believe that this repeated injury and the body's process of repairing damaged cells could potentially contribute to changes that increase cancer risk.

Researchers say more work is still needed to understand exactly how temperature, frequency of consumption and the type of beverage affect this risk.

DRINKING MORE HOT BEVERAGES MAY ALSO MATTER

The study also found that consuming six or more hot drinks a day was associated with a higher risk.

This does not mean that everyone who drinks several cups of tea or coffee will develop cancer. Other factors can have a much stronger influence on a person's risk.

Smoking and alcohol consumption are among the important established risk factors for oesophageal cancer. Maintaining a healthy lifestyle and avoiding tobacco remain much more important steps for reducing cancer risk.

Adding milk may lower the temperature of tea or coffee slightly, but researchers caution that a milky drink can still be too hot if it is consumed immediately after preparation.

HOW TO MAKE YOUR TEA OR COFFEE SAFER

You do not necessarily need to give up tea or coffee. The simpler approach is to avoid drinking them while they are scalding hot.

Allow your drink to cool until it feels comfortable to sip. If you have just poured boiling water into your cup, waiting a few minutes can significantly reduce its temperature.

It is also worth paying attention to takeaway drinks, particularly when ordering an extra hot beverage. Some coffees served commercially can reach temperatures considerably higher than what most people find comfortable.

WHAT ARE THE WARNING SIGNS OF OESOPHAGEAL CANCER?

Oesophageal cancer can sometimes cause symptoms that may initially be mistaken for common digestive problems.

Possible warning signs include persistent heartburn, indigestion, difficulty swallowing, pain in the throat or chest and unexplained weight loss.

Having these symptoms does not necessarily mean a person has cancer, but persistent or unusual symptoms should be discussed with a doctor.

The new findings suggest that something as simple as allowing your tea or coffee to cool before drinking could potentially reduce one avoidable source of irritation to the food pipe. However, experts emphasise that the overall risk of oesophageal cancer remains low and that avoiding smoking and reducing alcohol intake are among the most important ways to lower the risk.

- Ends