Drinking a smoking coffee upon waking, sipping a boiling tea in a meeting or a burning soup on a winter evening. Familiar, almost automatic gestures. However, these daily reflexes could prove to be much more harmful than you think.
Drink at more than 65 ° C: a known risk but ignored
The alert is not new. In 2016, the International Cancer Research Agency (IARC) ranked drinking consumption at more than 65 ° C as “probably carcinogenic for humans”. Contrary to what one might think, it is not the type of drink that is in question, but its temperature.
One of the first alarms was drawn in South America, where the mate is traditionally consumed burning, around 70 ° C. The researchers observed a marked increase in esophagus cancers. Similar observations followed in Iran, Turkey and China, where tea is often drunk very hot.
But what about in Europe? So far, few studies were leaned over our habits. It is now done with this large -scale British research, which reveals a net statistical link between very hot drinks and cancerous lesions in the esophagus.
When the heat hurts the body from the inside
According to scientists, the mechanism is simple but insidious. The extreme heat would cause direct aggression of the cells of the esophageal wall, causing repeated wounds. By force, these micro-lensions could degenerate. The term used by researchers to designate this alteration is a “thermal injury”.
This hypothesis was tested on genetically predisposed mice: when these were exposed to 70 ° C water, cancer lesions appeared much faster. The impact of temperature is therefore not theoretical, but very real and measurable.
What is the ideal temperature for drinking without danger?
Experts have even managed to determine a maximum temperature to minimize risks. According to Professor Vincent Ho, gastroenterologist in Sydney, this limit would be precisely at “57.8 ° C”.
In other words, it is better to let your tea cool a few minutes before carrying it in your mouth, even if the urge to warm up is pressing. The taste will only be better – and your health will say thank you.
