Heat and sip together.. How do hot drinks turn into a cancer risk?!
Experts warn against drinking tea and coffee at high temperatures exceeding 65 degrees Celsius, as these drinks then become harmful and may lead to long-term damage to the esophagus.
It is noteworthy that in 2016, the World Agency for Research on Cancer classified drinks with temperatures exceeding 65 degrees Celsius as potential carcinogens.
Scientists have compiled the largest
- database in South America
- where residents traditionally drink semi-boiled yerba mate
- leading to an increase in esophageal cancer cases there.
Similar studies in
countries in the Middle East, Africa and Asia showed similar results.
The Conversation website notes that
according to Dr. Vincent Ho from the University of Western Sydney
the results of a large-scale study conducted in the United Kingdom on about half a million adults showed that people who drink 8 or more cups of very hot tea
or coffee daily are six times more likely to develop esophageal
cancer than those who drink it at a moderate temperature.
Studies show that
when a hot drink is swallowed regularly, the esophageal mucosa is exposed to subtle damage, forcing cells to constantly regenerate. Over time, errors in this process may accumulate, increasing the risk of cancer.
Animal experiments also
confirmed that mice that drank water at a temperature of approximately 70 degrees Celsius developed cancerous changes faster than those that drank colder water.
In addition
sip size has been shown to play an important role, as larger sips multiply
the effect more than the heat itself. For example, a large sip of coffee at 65
degrees
- Celsius can raise the internal
- temperature of the esophagu
- by 12 degrees Celsius.
Of course,
there is no need to give up tea or coffee
but it is recommended to drink them at a moderate temperature.
Calculations
by scientists from the United States have shown that the ideal temperature
for coffee, in terms of balance between taste
and reducing risks, is about 58 degrees Celsius.
How can tea help "prevent all types of cancer"?
There are more than 200 different types of cancer
the risk of which can be reduced through several healthy lifestyle methods.
Although some of
these methods may require effort, others may be very simple and easy.
One such simple and soothing way that may reduce the risk is to enjoy tea.
Tea expert and researcher Dr Tim Bond said:
"Overall evidence suggests that tea (green and black) may help reduce the risk of cancer because polyphenol activity helps protect cells from damage".
The strength of
this hot drink is due to flavonoids that provide anti-cancer properties.
"Both black and green teas contain polyphenols with some overlap in the types found in the two teas," Dr. Bond explained.
It is noteworthy that Theaflavins and thearubigins are prevalent in black tea, while EGCG and EGC, among other compounds, are found at high levels in green tea.
All of these components belong to polyphenols
- and "all of these polyphenols have antioxidant activity
- which means they can help protect cells in our bodies
- from DNA damage caused by reactive oxygen species (ROS)".
This type of damage is known to increase the risk of cancer, so protecting your body from it can thus reduce your risk of developing this condition.
Moreover
- research has proven that
- tea polyphenols can also reduce
- the growth of cancer cells.
Tea polyphenols
or tea, have been found in laboratory studies to inhibit tumors in various organ sites, including the skin, lung, oral cavity, esophagus, stomach, small intestine, colon, liver, pancreas, and breast," said the tea expert.
However
cancer is started by cell damage and tea polyphenols can help protect against cell
DNA damage, so there seems to be no good reason
why tea cannot protect against all types of cancer.
It is important to note that tea has not been proven to prevent cancer, but rather it only reduces the risk of developing this condition.
How much tea should we drink?
If you tend to drink a few cups a day, you're in luck
as studies show that the ideal amount is between three and four cups a day.
Studies have evaluated
a range of tea intakes for cancer prevention, for example, one to seven cups a day," Dr. Bond said. Several other studies evaluating a range of health outcomes with tea have suggested three to four cups of tea each day.
To get overall health
- benefits including maintaining
- healthy body cells, aim to drink
- three to four cups a day.
And when it comes to making your cup, everyone has a certain preference, from the amount of milk to sugar or no sugar, there are a lot of things to keep in mind.
However
- the expert said that
- fermentation time is most important
- if you want to reap all the good things.
"Brewing tea for a longer period of time helps increase the release of polyphenols into the drink," said Dr. Bond. I recommend steeping the tea for three to four minutes to get the best release of bioactive polyphenols from tea bags or tea leaves.