Drinking hot tea can increase the risk of esophageal cancer, especially if you are a heavy drinker or smoker, a new study has found.
But even those who don’t touch alcohol or cigarettes appear to have a higher risk, researchers warned, but they stressed more tests are needed to assess how damaging it could be.
The new study done by scientists in China found drinking tea heated to over 65C (149F) was associated with a five-fold increased risk for esophageal cancer when combined with excessive drinking or heavy smoking.
The Chinese scientists said the link was ‘biologically plausible’ as thermal injury caused by the hot tea to the gullet lining impairing its ability to act as a barrier to harmful toxins from alcohol and smoking.
