For Perfect Pipes, Avoid Piping Hot Tea
Drinking Steaming Hot Tea Triggers Increased Throat Cancer Risk
Excessively hot cup of tea
To really rest and relax, what’s more soothing than a nice, piping hot cup of tea? I drink tea every day, and I can tell you it’s one of my favorite beverages not only for its good taste and smell, but it because it relaxes me.Â
And these days, I can get all the relaxation I can get.
But according to a new study, just how piping hot a cup of tea is can do just the opposite for one’s vocal pipes – in short, the intensity of its hotness increases the risk of throat cancer.
According to Iranian researchers who published their study in the British Medical Journal, there appears to be a significant link between hot tea, consumers of hot tea, and throat cancer.Â
For instance, among the nearly 900 men and women they followed – a third of whom had some form of esophageal cancer already – there was an eight-fold increase in cancer among those who drank their tea when the temperature of their tea was 158 degrees Fahrenheit, as opposed to others who drank their tea when it was much cooler, around 149 degrees Fahrenheit.
There was also a link with regards to how long the participants waited before wetting their black tea-loving whistles (the participants drank an average of one liter of black tea per day). For example, similar to that guy everyone knows who wants to sink his teeth into a pizza that’s cheese is still simmering, many participants preferred to drink their tea straight from their stove top to tea cup (less than two minutes after tea was done cooking). Their lack of patience was rewarded with a risk of cancer five times higher than those who waited four or five minutes before imbibing.
The research was performed by doctors from Tehran University of Medical Sciences, and was published in the British Medical Journal.
Researchers can’t be sure what the link is between excessive heat and cancer. Whatever it is, it jibes with past research regarding the link between consuming food heated to an excessive degree and cancer (burned or scorched meat, for instance). Unlike the tea, though, they know what causes that risk (it’s the chemicals that are produced – chemicals called heterocyclic amines – which form on the meat due to the excessive heat caused by overcooking).
This study focused solely on tea and what effect excessively hot tea had on the throat, yet I’m thinking that ALL hot beverages have just as destructive an effect on the lining of the throat, if for no other reason than tea is one of the more nutritious beverages one can drink (the natural ones, anyway), yet still poses a health risk when overheated.
Anyway, food, er, drink for thought:Â Keep those pipes as perfect as can be and blow on your tea before tossing (or sipping) back your next brew.
Sources:
MSNBC
Discovery Health
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Posted: April 5th, 2009 under Cancer.
Tags: hot tea
Comments
Comment from Kim
Time April 5, 2009 at 6:00 pm
I am a nurse and yes really hot liquids and foods can cause cancer of the throat.
Comment from Chandra
Time April 5, 2009 at 6:01 pm
nowadays everything we drink, eat or even wear is linked to cancer…….
thanks so much
have a nice easter weekend…..
Comment from Lucy
Time April 5, 2009 at 8:01 pm
I’ve been drinking very hot coffee and tea for 50 years. Guess I need to make a quick change.
Comment from Marte Cliff
Time April 5, 2009 at 9:47 pm
Somehow I can’t feature wanting to drink anything that hot! Other people must be a lot tougher than me.
Comment from Stephanie
Time April 6, 2009 at 12:47 am
We recently moved from the US to Ireland, and I can tell you they Love their tea Piping hot here. When you’re out somewhere, if there’s not thick steam rising from your cup, they take it away and get you a new one…with the tea almost boiling in your cup. There was one place that I didn’t think I’d ever get to hold on to my cup long enough to be able to drink my tea!
I’d like to see some numbers regarding throat cancer statistics here and in the UK.
Comment from Gerrit de Lange
Time April 6, 2009 at 1:27 am
Interesting! What effect does tea and coffee and chocalates have on blood pressure? What are the good things (effects) from drinking tea, coffee and eating chocalates? Seems anything that is “TOO”, is not good? Thanks for all the emails and info. God bless.
Comment from Salami femi
Time April 6, 2009 at 2:01 am
Really,am confuse but i have always found pleasure reading your reseaches .i will try it and see for a few days/weeks
Comment from alan diares
Time April 6, 2009 at 5:12 am
I am a green tea drinker. And I thank for this information. Now, I will follow your advise not to drink my tea excessively hot.
Comment from pearsebutler
Time April 6, 2009 at 8:29 am
As a singer I can agree with the fact that drinking very hot tea will damage your voice.
Spill some of the tea that you drink onto your wrist,(on the inside) and feel what it does to your throat!
For some reason you don’t feel the pain when you drink,but feel the effect on your skin outside. WOW!
Comment from Dr Mohammed Kashem Ali
Time April 7, 2009 at 3:52 am
I had the opportunity to work as a physician in the ministry of health of Iran for a considerable time. I had the practical experience to see Iranians consuming exceess hot tea.at the same time the incidence of oesophageal carcinoma i saw was aso more.So this might have some interrelation for the pathogenesis of this disease.
Comment from Erwin
Time April 8, 2009 at 2:19 pm
Yes ,you are right. I had a friend that died from of esophageal cancer. He used to drink his coffee straight from the stove.