REGULARLY drinking tea or coffee at temperatures of 65°C or higher may nearly triple the risk of oesophageal cancer, according to a University of Oxford study involving 977,282 middle-aged men and women.
The study, published in the International Journal of Cancer, found that people who drank beverages classified as “very hot” faced about three times the risk compared with those who drank them warm.
Researchers said extremely hot liquids could damage the lining of the oesophagus as they pass towards the stomach.
Drinking six or more hot beverages a day was also associated with a higher risk.
Adding milk may cool tea or coffee slightly, but researchers cautioned that the drinks could still be too hot to consume safely.
Tea poured immediately after water has boiled can be close to 100°C, while its temperature typically falls to about 90°C to 95°C after being poured into a cup.
Lead researcher Dr Keren Papier said previous research in South America, where very hot herbal mate is widely consumed, had also found a similar association between hot drinks and oesophageal cancer.
“More research is now needed to identify the exact temperature of drinks that is associated with an increased risk,” she said. - September 12, 2026
