Raises risk
Very hot drinks
above 65 °C (149 °F). Drinks.
- Verdict
- Raises riskStudies link it to higher cancer risk.
- How sure
- Rung 3 · ModerateConsistent observational studies or small trials, not yet confirmed by large trials.
The rung shows how sure the science is, not how big the effect is. How to read these ratings
Cancers affected
Esophagus
What the evidence shows
The WHO's cancer agency classes very hot drinks as probably carcinogenic, based on limited human studies; the temperature, not the drink, seems to matter.
What to do
Let tea and coffee cool for a few minutes.
Sources
To take it to your doctor, print this page.
Related
Every food we rated, or follow one cancer step by step: breast cancer, colorectal cancer, lung cancer and prostate cancer.