Delhi, December 20, 2024 : During the winter season, people enjoy drinking tea and coffee with great enthusiasm. Apart from tea and coffee, drinks like hot chocolate and soup are also commonly consumed to keep the body warm. But do you know that regularly consuming such hot substances could increase your risk of cancer?
Drinking hot beverages during winter provides the body with necessary warmth, but frequent consumption can cause serious problems for the stomach and intestines. Recently, there has been considerable discussion about the risks posed by hot drinks. It’s important to spread awareness about this risk. The good news is that by being mindful of certain things, you can reduce the likelihood of developing cancer due to hot beverages.
The International Agency for Research on Cancer has declared that beverages with a temperature exceeding 65°C can be carcinogenic for humans.
The reason behind this is the thermal damage caused to the esophageal lining by hot drinks. This thermal damage can extend to the esophagus and also harm the stomach and intestines. However, at temperatures below 65°C, beverages like tea, coffee, and hot chocolate do not contain carcinogenic elements. If you have gastrointestinal inflammation, you need to be extra cautious as the chances of developing cancer increase in such conditions.
While drinking hot soup, hot chocolate, tea, or coffee during winter can be comforting, the associated risks should not be ignored.
It should be noted that beverages like coffee are not directly responsible for increasing cancer risk; instead, it’s the temperature of these drinks that is the factor. Reducing the risk of cancer from hot beverages is not too difficult. You just need to ensure that you don’t consume excessively hot drinks. Let your tea, coffee, or any other hot beverage cool down a little before drinking it. This way, you can enjoy your hot drink while also protecting your body from thermal damage.
Summary: Drinking hot beverages above 65°C can increase cancer risk due to thermal damage. Let drinks cool down before consumption to reduce health risks.