A new study from the University of Oxford revealed that consuming very hot beverages can significantly increase the risk of developing esophageal cancer. The research suggests that the habit of drinking tea, coffee, and other beverages at high temperatures can triple the risk of this disease, leading experts to recommend reviewing this custom.
To reach this conclusion, researchers analyzed data from approximately 980,000 adults in the United Kingdom, from two large health databases: the UK Biobank and the Million Women Study. Participants who consumed hot beverages were asked about their usual consumption temperature, classified as "very hot," "hot," or "warm."
Researchers followed the health records of participants for more than 10 years to verify if they developed esophageal squamous cell carcinoma (ESCC). The analysis compared results between people who reported consuming their beverages at different temperatures.
The results indicated that, compared with people who consumed warm beverages, those who reported drinking very hot or hot beverages had a considerably higher risk of developing the most common type of esophageal cancer, reinforcing the importance of letting drinks cool down before consumption.
