Study Says Hot Drinks Could Triple Your Cancer Risk

Bad News for Cozy Season: A new study from the UK may have you thinking twice about drinking all those pumpkin spice lattes this fall. Researchers identified a clear link between drink temperature and cancer risk, but the findings are specific enough that you can likely hang onto your favorite drink if you stay under a certain threshold.

The Study: Researchers tracked nearly 980,000 UK adults for more than 14 years. Participants reported how hot they liked their tea and coffee and how many cups they drank daily. People who preferred their drinks very hot, in comparison to those who preferred them warm, exhibited about triple the risk of oesophageal squamous cell carcinoma, the most common form of esophageal cancer globally. Six or more hot drinks a day was associated with a 71% higher risk of the disease.

The Takeaway: Earlier research flagged drinks above about 150°F as probably carcinogenic, which is hotter than most morning coffee. Letting your drink sit a few minutes (or adding a little cold milk or an ice cube) can cool it down without changing your routine too much.  

Keep in Mind: Esophageal cancer is still quite rare, accounting for about 1% of all cancer cases in the U.S., and smoking and alcohol remain bigger risk factors for it. Also, a key limitation of the study is that drink temperature is inherently subjective.