Health warning: Consuming hot tea may lead to cancer, experts advise caution
New Delhi (The Uttam Hindu): In India, tea isn't just a beverage, it's an emotion. Whether it's to say goodbye to morning sleepiness or to relieve fatigue, most people turn to tea. In many homes, the start of the day is considered incomplete without tea. But if this favorite tea is consumed too hot, it can cause serious harm to your body.
Many scientific studies have proven that drinking excessively hot tea can increase the risk of cancer in the esophagus. When we repeatedly swallow very hot things, such as tea at a temperature of 65 degrees Celsius or higher, it damages the delicate lining of the esophagus. This repeated burning of this lining causes inflammation. Along with inflammation, changes in cells begin, which can gradually turn into cancer. In scientific terms, this is called chronic inflammation and cell mutation.
The World Health Organization (WHO) has also confirmed that regular consumption of foods hotter than 65 degrees Celsius increases the risk of esophageal cancer. This raises the question: what type of cancer is this and what are its symptoms? There are two main types of esophageal cancer: esophageal squamous cell carcinoma and esophageal adenocarcinoma. The former typically occurs in the upper part of the esophagus, and its primary cause is thought to be consumption of hot beverages or tobacco. The latter, however, occurs in the lower part of the esophagus, often due to obesity and chronic acidity.
Tea itself isn't harmful. The real problem is that it's too hot. Tea, coffee, or soup, if consumed directly after heating too much, can pose a risk. Ayurveda also believes that food or drinks should be neither too hot nor too cold. According to Ayurveda, "ushan" (hot) drinks can aid digestion, but excessively hot ones can aggravate bile, which contributes to inflammation and many diseases.
If someone is having difficulty eating, has a persistent sore throat, or experiences pain when swallowing, and is also experiencing rapid weight loss without any reason, these signs could be serious. In such a situation, a doctor should be consulted immediately. Often, we ignore these symptoms, thinking them to be minor, which can prove fatal in the long run.