A major United Kingdom study warns that drinking very hot tea or coffee raises the risk of a serious throat cancer, and the danger climbs with both temperature preference and cup count.
Story Highlights
- Very hot beverages are tied to higher risk of esophageal squamous cell carcinoma, not all types.
- Risk rises when people prefer hot or very hot drinks and consume several cups daily.
- Global cancer agency says temperature, not tea or coffee itself, is the likely hazard.
- Some experts urge caution, noting the evidence is “probable,” not certain.
What the new United Kingdom study actually found
United Kingdom Biobank researchers tracked adults who reported how many cups of tea or coffee they drank and whether they liked them warm, hot, or very hot. The study found a higher rate of esophageal squamous cell carcinoma among people who preferred hot or very hot drinks, and the risk grew as daily cups increased. The link did not appear for esophageal adenocarcinoma. The design was observational, so it shows association, not proof of cause and effect.
Participants who said they liked their beverages hot or very hot and drank more than four cups per day showed the strongest association with esophageal squamous cell carcinoma. Researchers reported a clear dose pattern, meaning risk rose with more very hot beverages. The finding held across tea and coffee, which points to heat as the common factor rather than a chemical unique to any drink. The study used cancer registry follow-up to confirm diagnosed cases.
Why temperature, not the drink, is the core concern
The International Agency for Research on Cancer, part of the World Health Organization, reviewed global evidence in 2016 and classified drinking very hot beverages as probably carcinogenic to humans, meaning Group 2A. The agency said it is the temperature, not the beverage, that appears responsible for higher risk of cancer of the esophagus. The agency placed the “very hot” threshold at above about 65 degrees Celsius.
The agency stressed limits. The classification is “probable,” not certain, and it does not specify how many very hot drinks would cause harm. That nuance often gets lost in headlines that skip the temperature warning and blame tea or coffee in general. The 2016 review relied on studies in humans and animals and aligned with real-world habits, like very hot maté and scalding tea traditions in some regions.
Evidence from Africa supports a heat-risk pattern
Case-control research from Malawi and Tanzania compared “hot” versus “very hot” drinkers and found nearly double the odds of esophageal squamous cell carcinoma among those who preferred very hot tea or coffee. That work strengthens the idea that higher temperature raises risk over time through repeated thermal injury to the food pipe. The African studies complement the United Kingdom cohort by showing similar patterns in places where people often drink at hotter temperatures.
Scientists describe a likely mechanism. Repeated heat damage can inflame and harm the lining of the esophagus. Over years, that injury may drive abnormal cell changes. This pathway is separate from acid reflux or alcohol chemicals. It depends on how hot the liquid is when it touches tissue, and how often that exposure happens. That is why cup count and temperature preference together seem to matter in the data.
Important limits and the right takeaway for readers
The United Kingdom Biobank study did not measure drink temperature with a thermometer. It relied on people’s reports of “warm,” “hot,” or “very hot.” That can blur exact exposure levels. Also, the signal was specific to esophageal squamous cell carcinoma and did not extend to adenocarcinoma. Observational studies can miss confounders, even with careful adjustments. These are real limits and argue for better temperature tracking in future work.
🔴 Study links very hot drinks to triple risk of oesophageal cancer
A 14-year Oxford University study of nearly a million middle-aged Britons found that drinking beverages at 65 degrees Celsius or above increased squamous cell oesophageal cancer risk nearly threefold compared to… pic.twitter.com/zeJkV5XlBf
— NewsTongue (@NewsTongueX) September 9, 2026
Some cancer experts remain cautious and say the evidence that hot liquids alone raise risk is not yet solid, especially outside heavy smokers or drinkers. That caution reflects the “probable” label and the gaps in precise temperature data. Still, the global agency’s review and multiple studies point in the same direction: scalding drinks pose a repeat heat injury risk, and cooler serving temperatures likely lower that risk.
What this means for daily habits and public trust
For daily life, the guidance is simple and low-cost: let tea or coffee cool from scalding before drinking. That keeps comfort without courting heat damage. For public health messaging, officials should avoid fear-based claims that “tea causes cancer.” The risk centers on very hot temperatures and repeat exposure, not normal warm cups. Clear language helps people act on facts and pushes back against sensational claims that erode trust.
For a country already skeptical of health authorities and tired of whiplash headlines, this story shows a better path. Agencies should share what we know, what we do not, and what practical step helps now. In this case, serve cooler than about 65 degrees Celsius, and avoid gulping several very hot cups a day. That respects people’s choices and treats citizens like adults who can weigh small changes for long-term benefit.
Sources:
mirror.co.uk, nature.com, iarc.who.int, pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov, pubs.rsc.org, sciencedirect.com
