YSK: Drinking tea or coffee very hot is linked to a higher…
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YSK: Drinking tea or coffee very hot is linked to a higher risk of one type of esophageal cancer
Why YSK: A lot of us start drinking coffee or tea before it has properly cooled because we’re in a rush. A large new study suggests that the temperature itself may matter, regardless of whether the drink is coffee or tea and letting it cool is a simple precaution.
The study analyzed two large UK cohorts totaling 977,282 adults, followed for an average of roughly 11 to 14 years. People who said they preferred their drinks “very hot” had about three times the relative risk of developing esophageal squamous cell carcinoma compared with people who preferred them warm. The researchers did not find the same association with esophageal adenocarcinoma, the other main subtype they examined.
The results were similar whether participants mainly drank tea or coffee. That supports the idea that temperature, rather than the specific drink, may be responsible. One proposed explanation is that repeated thermal injury to the lining of the esophagus could make the tissue more vulnerable over time.
The International Agency for Research on Cancer has also classified drinking very hot beverages, defined as above 65°C/149°F, as “probably carcinogenic to humans.”
To keep this in perspective, this was an observational study, so it found an association rather than proving that very hot drinks directly cause cancer. Participants reported their preferred temperature; researchers didn’t measure every drink. It’s also worth noting that “three times the risk” is a relative figure, which does not mean that everyone who drinks very hot beverages has a high absolute risk. Smoking and heavy alcohol consumption are also well-established major risk factors.
The practical takeaway is that you don’t need to carry a thermometer. If your drink is too hot to sip comfortably, give it more time to cool instead of repeatedly pushing through the discomfort. As a bonus, many people also find that coffee and tea flavors become easier to distinguish once the drink has cooled a little.
Sources:
\2026 study – International Journal of Cancer\ https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1002/ijc.70654
\IARC assessment of coffee, maté and very hot beverages\ https://www.iarc.who.int/news-events/iarc-monographs-evaluate-drinking-coffee-mate-and-very-hot-beverages/
#education
Why YSK: A lot of us start drinking coffee or tea before it has properly cooled because we’re in a rush. A large new study suggests that the temperature itself may matter, regardless of whether the drink is coffee or tea and letting it cool is a simple precaution.
The study analyzed two large UK cohorts totaling 977,282 adults, followed for an average of roughly 11 to 14 years. People who said they preferred their drinks “very hot” had about three times the relative risk of developing esophageal squamous cell carcinoma compared with people who preferred them warm. The researchers did not find the same association with esophageal adenocarcinoma, the other main subtype they examined.
The results were similar whether participants mainly drank tea or coffee. That supports the idea that temperature, rather than the specific drink, may be responsible. One proposed explanation is that repeated thermal injury to the lining of the esophagus could make the tissue more vulnerable over time.
The International Agency for Research on Cancer has also classified drinking very hot beverages, defined as above 65°C/149°F, as “probably carcinogenic to humans.”
To keep this in perspective, this was an observational study, so it found an association rather than proving that very hot drinks directly cause cancer. Participants reported their preferred temperature; researchers didn’t measure every drink. It’s also worth noting that “three times the risk” is a relative figure, which does not mean that everyone who drinks very hot beverages has a high absolute risk. Smoking and heavy alcohol consumption are also well-established major risk factors.
The practical takeaway is that you don’t need to carry a thermometer. If your drink is too hot to sip comfortably, give it more time to cool instead of repeatedly pushing through the discomfort. As a bonus, many people also find that coffee and tea flavors become easier to distinguish once the drink has cooled a little.
Sources:
\2026 study – International Journal of Cancer\ https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1002/ijc.70654
\IARC assessment of coffee, maté and very hot beverages\ https://www.iarc.who.int/news-events/iarc-monographs-evaluate-drinking-coffee-mate-and-very-hot-beverages/
#education
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