If I had a dollar for every story I’ve written about something possibly causing cancer, I would have at least $8 dollars.
And today, The UN’s cancer agency has brought me a step closer to a crisp tenner by stating that very hot bevvies “probably” cause cancer of the oesophagus.
For a bit of background, the International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC) considered coffee a possible carcinogenic since 1991, though in recent times, numerous studies have suggested a lil java ain’t bad for your health at all.
What could be a risk, though, is how hot you like your soychaihalfstrength latte.
Researchers have found a correlation between the consumption of Mate (a steaming hot herbal drink) and cancer of the oesophagus (and gullet). Oesophageal cancer is more common in South American than anywhere else in the world – and that’s where Mate is drunk most frequently.
this is Mate, mate
As you can see in the above GIF, Mate is drunk through a metal straw that delivers the pipping hot concoction straight to the back of the throat – another factor that may encourage tumour growth.
“Studies in places such as China, the Islamic Republic of Iran, Turkey and South America, where tea or mate is traditionally drunk very hot (at about 70C) found that the risk of oesophageal cancer increased with the temperature at which the beverage was drunk,” the IARC has said.
“Drinking very hot beverages at above 65 C was classified as ‘probably’ carcinogenic to humans.”
All this should be taken with a grain of salt, or a sprinkle of Matcha (if you’re into that kind of thing), as these findings were “based on limited evidence from epidemiological studies.”
Better safe than sorry though, hey folks? Hey?!
Source: 9news.
Photo: The Bucket List.
