Drinking hot tea may increase your risk of esophageal cancer 8-fold

Many people like drinking hot tea. People who studied tea know the proper water temperature for tea steeping and treat it differently according to different tea varieties to ensure the best steeping quality. But few pay attention to the temperature at when they drink it and even think the question ridiculous.
Why should we pay attention to the temperature at drinking tea? Many people will drink tea at once after steeping, and even it is scalding. In fact, the temperature of tea needs to be taken attention, not only related to the taste of tea but also possibly related to your health.

Many people like drinking hot tea

The view of modern medicine

In September 2011, the famous British journal “British Medical Journal ” published a research report ” Hot tea and increased risk of esophageal cancer “. Because of its authoritativeness, the report caused a great deal of excitement in Europe, where black tea is a popular drink.
Researchers in 48,582 people into a questionnaire analysis of the relationship between drinking hot tea and esophageal squamous cell carcinoma, according to the screening of 300 patients with esophageal cancer statistics, they usually have the habit of regular drinking of black tea, but the risk of esophageal cancer has nothing to do with the amount of tea they drink but only with the temperature of the tea.
According to the results of the study, people who regularly drink hot tea have an 8-fold higher risk of esophageal cancer than the general population; The risk of esophageal cancer that of those people who drank between 65 ° c and 69 ° c, was twice compared with those who drank below 65 ° c; Drinking the tea that is less than two minutes just steeped, is 5 times more dangerous than the tea steeped after four minutes.
Unfortunately, this report does not give specific answers about the optimal temperature for tea drinking, but generally, it is not good to drink the tea more than 70℃. Therefore, many scholars have given their own research conclusions based on this research report and recognized that the best temperature for tea drinking should be around 60℃. So is this the most scientific answer?

Drinking tea with a high-temperature may harmful to your oesophageal

The ability of esophagus mucous membrane to drinking hot tea

In fact, the key to the healthiest tea drinking temperature is not the tea temperature itself, but the ability of the esophagus and stomach mucosa.
According to medical experts explain that the most lateral esophageal composed of the mucous membrane, it is a layer of epithelial tissue and connective tissue composed of membrane structure can secrete mucus, is the human immune system’s first line of defense. But it is very fragile, can only withstand the temperature of 50 ~ 60℃, beyond this temperature, the mucosa of the esophagus will get scald, and the tea just steeped temperature is as high as 80℃-90℃.
According to medical theory, once the mucous membrane burns, in order to repair these injuries in time, the epithelial cells of the esophageal mucous membrane will speed up reproduction. If often eat hot food, mucous membrane injury has not been repaired and get scald again, can form a superficial ulcer. Repeatedly scald and repair will cause changes in the mucous membrane further development into cancer.
So the medical expert gives an answer, to eliminate the esophagus cancer that overheats food causes, have a meal, drink water all should not be too hot, soup hot tea hot coffee hot milk had better cool to 40℃ or so when drinkable.

The view of Chinese medicine

People who love hot tea will often defend themselves in this way, the fragrance of tea only can be tasted while at a high-temperature. Except for the question of the stimulation of cold heat to esophagus mucous membrane, is it really that the tea in a high-temperature taste most delicious? This is a very good question to discuss. A lot of practical experience tells us that hot tea can release the most intense aroma, but the taste is no different from the slightly lower temperature.
The traditional Chinese medical advice for tea drinking is –warm. Tea which is not too cold or too hot is best to drink. Cold tea easy to grow phlegm, hot tea will hurt the stomach; And warm tea is the healthiest, can regulate the body Yin and Yang balance, help detoxification.

Should not drinking hot tea just after steeping

Conclusion: let the tea cool for 5minutes after steeping

In conclusion, it may not be possible to give a standard answer to the temperature of the tea. But one thing should be clear: drink the warm tea is the best choice, cool it down after steeping for 5minutes and then taste. Taste delicious tea at the same time, also need to consider the ability of esophagus mucous membrane, so warm tea is the healthiest choice.