A columnist at The Telegraph has said she would rather accept a cancer risk than drink her tea cold, after new research linked very hot drinks to oesophageal cancer. The piece, published on 10 September 2026, responds to a study reported by several UK outlets.
The Guardian reported that drinking very hot drinks could roughly triple the risk of oesophageal cancer. The BBC said very hot drinks may damage the food pipe and raise cancer risk. Cancer Research UK's news desk said the UK study connects hot drink consumption to one type of oesophageal cancer.
The Times covered the same findings from a practical angle, asking how people can make the healthiest tea or coffee. The Telegraph's headline framed the story as a personal choice, with its writer stating a preference for hot tea over the alternative.
The coverage centres on one study and one cancer type, and the reports describe an association between very hot drinks and raised risk rather than a confirmed cause. The outlets also differ in presentation: some stress the damage hot liquid may do to the food pipe, while others focus on what temperature is safer for daily tea and coffee.
What to watch next is whether further research confirms the link and whether health bodies adjust their guidance on serving temperatures for tea and coffee.
