Feel the Burn?
May 8th, 2009 by Penny Hagerman
Steaming hot tea can be hazardous to your health!
No, I’m not talking about calorie burn. I’m talking about that steaming hot cup of tea some of us enjoy every day.
I recently read some discouraging news: A new study shows that, if drank too soon after brewing, hot tea can be hazardous to your health—and lead to deadly throat cancer!
As a dedicated tea drinker, this news took the steam right out of my sails (pun intended). I don’t know about you, but for me, tea’s slightly odiferous flavor and moist steam, inhaled as I drink, heighten the appeal of its caffeinated goodness.
Without the steam, it just isn’t the same. After all, who likes lukewarm tea?
According to the study, recently published in the British Medical Journal, letting tea steep for four to 10 minutes—and cool a measly nine degrees—before drinking can cut the risk of cancer by half.
That seems significant. Not only does drinking too-hot tea put our health at risk; it puts insurance rates at risk too.
Maybe I’d better rethink my tea-drinking strategy!
For more information on these recent findings, read our article on tea drinking here. Then decide for yourself, and let us know your thoughts: is the trade-off in temperature worth it?
May 14th, 2009 at 11:25 am
Very interesting post. Thanks for it. I am going to keep it in mind and try to let my tea steep a bit more before I drink it.
May 19th, 2009 at 10:03 am
You and me both, Dave! Thanks for reading and weighing in.