Hot tea really increases the risk of cancer, so here is the recommended safety temperature

The World Health Organization advises waiting for our English breakfast cup to cool down a bit to reduce the risk of esophageal cancer. But how hot is it?

Until now, most research was rather vague on the real temperature part. After all, what burns for one person may be the perfect infusion of another. We finally have a number to help you decide when to take your first sip.

An international team of researchers met to objectively determine the temperature of Goldilocks for hot drinkers. She discovered that once the liquid drank above 60 degrees Celsius (140 degrees Fahrenheit), you ran the risk.

To give you an idea of ​​how you feel, most of us will begin to feel uncomfortable when we hit a surface that approaches 50 degrees Celsius. So, unless you're a little masochistic about this first bite, the news is not so bad.

"Many people like to drink tea, coffee or other hot drinks," says Farhad Islami of the American Cancer Society.

"However, according to our report, drinking very hot tea can increase the risk of esophageal cancer, so it is advisable to wait for hot drinks to cool before drinking."

A lot of research tells us that the temperature of our drinks can affect our chances of developing cancer. The way it works is not clear, but the evidence suggests that the damage caused by the bleaching of our throat cells is probably responsible.

Most studies on the subject focus on the more common habit of drinking tea, asking participants to say how they prefer their water.

It can be a quick and easy way to collect data, but few people are likely to provide accurate numbers. Thus, advisory groups such as the WHO International Center for Cancer Research rely on animal studies that suggest that the 65 ° C limit is an appropriate limit.

To improve previous studies, the researchers launched a survey in Golestan province, northeastern Iran, an area already under scientific review for its tea consumption culture and its relatively high incidence of bad cancer. the esophagus.

The low incidence of smoking and alcoholism, habits that could have affected the results, was an added benefit.

Starting in 2004, trained investigators gathered information from more than 50,000 participants, recording details of everything from their smoking habits to their socio-economic status, and how long they tended to wait before drinking. their tea. Over the years, they have been followed by phone calls to check their health.

More importantly, the team served tea at the first interview, calibrated at 75 degrees. The guests were then invited to take a sip and say if it seemed close to the desired temperature.

For those who preferred a little cool, the team let the water temperature drop by 5 degrees before asking again.

The final results seem a little worrying. Those who drink less than 700 ml of tea (about two cups) heated to over 60 degrees Celsius almost doubled their risk of developing esophageal cancer compared to "quieter" drinkers.

Of course, we need to put these numbers in perspective. This form of cancer ranks eighth among the most common cancers, with a lifetime risk in the United States of about 1 in 132 men and 1 in 455 women.

For those from other parts of the world, such as Iran and China, it is a much more common disease, along with other contributing factors related to diet and health. to smoking that affect incidence rates.

Before you leave the kettle, keep in mind that drinking tea – especially the green variety – can help reduce the risk of various types of cancer.

The evidence is mixed, but taking a few cups of tea a day without sugar will probably not do much harm.

Just be sure to wait a few minutes before cooling down.

This research was published in the International Journal of Cancer.