We’re all used to the idea that if our mug of tea or coffee isn’t ‘piping hot’ that it somehow loses its effectiveness, but scientists are now warning against this preference saying that it’s best to let the beverage cool down a bit, or else you could be at a greater risk of cancer.
Very hot drinks such as tea, coffee and hot chocolate have now joined the list of probable cancer triggers like air pollution, smoking and over-exposure to UV radiation by being in the sun without protection.
The findings were revealed by the World Health Organization, whose international agency for research on cancer looked at over a thousand studies collecting evidence on the link between the disease and high-temperature drinks.
Some research has suggested that coffee and tea could prevent certain types of cancers, so it’s not the drink in itself that carries the risk, but it being consumed at a temperature that’s above 65C, which incidentally, is quite a bit cooler than most hot beverages served in restaurants or at home.
The very desi habit of pouring your tea into a saucer, blowing on it and slurping it down may not be exactly what’s required, but no harm in letting it sit for a couple of minutes before consuming if you know what’s good for you!