That morning cup of coffee or tea may come with an unexpected consideration, and it has nothing to do with caffeine. A large analysis involving roughly 980,000 adults found that people who preferred their beverages very hot had a higher risk of esophageal cancer. The findings specifically focused on esophageal squamous cell carcinoma, the most common form of esophageal cancer worldwide.
Researchers looked at participants' preferences for very hot, hot or warm drinks, along with how many hot beverages they consumed each day. Across the two large groups studied, 2,348 cases of esophageal cancer were reported during average follow-up periods of more than 11 and 14 years. The findings suggest that it's not necessarily the coffee or tea itself that's concerning, but repeatedly exposing the esophagus to very high temperatures.
You don't necessarily have to give up your morning coffee or tea. Instead, pay attention to temperature. If your drink is so hot that you need to cautiously sip it or wait between sips, give it more time to cool before drinking. Something as simple as letting your morning cup sit a little longer may help reduce repeated heat exposure to the delicate tissues lining your esophagus.
SOURCE:
INC, September 13, 2026