Very hot drinks probably cause cancer, an agency of the World Health Organisation (WHO) has said.
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At the same time, however, it will say other scientific evidence suggests that drinking anything very hot, around 65 degrees Celsius or above, including water, coffee, tea and other beverages, probably does cause cancer of the oesophagus.
Drinking tea, coffee or other hot beverages at this temperature can cause significant scald burns in the esophagus when they’re consumed and has previously been linked to an increased cancer risk in this part of the body.
On Wednesday it will say its latest review found “no conclusive evidence for a carcinogenic effect” of coffee drinking and will point to some studies showing coffee may actually reduce the risk of developing certain types of cancer.
The findings come after a group of 23 worldwide scientists analyzed all available data on the carcinogenicity of coffee, maté – a leaf infusion consumed commonly in South America and other regions – and a range of other hot beverages, including tea. Higher cancer risk was observed when the beverages were drunk at a temperature of 65°C or more, particularly the case of oesophageal cancer.
“As a heavy coffee drinker, I have always enjoyed my coffee guilt-free”, he said.
According to the National Coffee Association, coffee waiting to be served should sit at 180-185 degrees Fahrenheit (82-85 degrees Celsius).
And in lab studies, very hot water at 65-70 C boosted oesophageal tumours in mice and rats, said the agency.
He said drinks in the UK, Europe and North America were typically drunk at 60C and below, with tea a bit higher at 60C to 65C. “Today we can brew or buy a cup with even more confidence thanks to science”.
“We say: be prudent, let hot drinks cool down”, he told Reuters, adding that the WHO’s advice was to “not consume foods or drinks when they are at a very hot, scalding hot, temperature”.
The findings come after a string of similar reports that link food and drink to cancer. One of the organization’s key philosophies is most cancers are linked to environmental factors and thus are preventable. Based on evidence from hundreds of studies, processed meat was classified as carcinogenic to humans.
Among the cancers studied were breast, pancreatic, prostate, endometrial cancer, liver and oesophageal cancers. A Western diet is typically considered to be low in fiber and high in refined sugars, saturated fats and animal protein.
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The UN body reviewed more than 1,000 research papers – half of them epidemiological studies – to reach this conclusion. Other preventive medicine professors who have participated in the IARC’s cancer monograph program include Thomas Mack; Anna Wu, co-leader of the Cancer Control Research Program at the USC Norris Comprehensive Cancer Center; and Jonathan Samet, director of the USC Institute for Global Health and distinguished professor and Flora L. Thornton chair of the preventive medicine department.
