Your daily karak or gahwa could be doing more harm than good
Karak tea or gahwa are constantly served everwhere in every home, office, majlis and cafeteria. In the UAE, it’s a ritual. But according to a major new British study, the habit of drinking it while it still burns your tongue could triple your risk of developing esophageal cancer. The study, led by the University of Oxford and published in the International Journal of Cancer, is the largest study…
Karak tea and gahwa are common beverages found in UAE homes, offices, and social gatherings. However, a major British study reveals that drinking these hot drinks at temperatures above 65°C may triple the risk of esophageal cancer. The University of Oxford conducted the largest study on this topic, tracking the health of over a million middle-aged adults in the UK for 14 years. Participants who consumed six or more hot beverages daily faced a higher risk.
Experts in the UAE share insights on how this finding impacts a culture deeply rooted in hot beverage consumption. Dr. Anu Susan George, a consultant in Medical Oncology at Medcare, cautions that while the study is intriguing, it doesn't necessarily mean tea or coffee is inherently harmful. Rather, the issue lies in repeatedly subjecting the esophagus to extremely hot temperatures.
Dr. Tarek AlKhouri, chief medical oncologist at Advanced Care Oncology Center in Dubai, echoes this sentiment, emphasizing that the link between hot drinks and cancer has been known for some time. He also mentions that advising patients to avoid hot drinks entirely is not practical, given their daily consumption.
However, both doctors agree that enjoying karak or gahwa is not off-limits. They recommend allowing hot drinks to cool down before consuming them, as drinking something hot enough to burn the lips, tongue, or mouth might be too hot to safely drink. While beverage temperature is not the primary concern in the UAE, other risk factors such as tobacco use, obesity, spicy foods, and chronic acid reflux are more significant contributors to esophageal cancer.
Dr. AlKhouri notes that all these factors are interconnected with esophageal acidity, which can further increase the risk.
Dr. Anu Susan George stresses that cancer risk is multifactorial, and focusing solely on one behavior may not be enough. A healthy lifestyle, including avoiding hot beverages at extreme temperatures, can contribute to overall well-being and reduce cancer risk. Doctors encourage patients to be vigilant about symptoms like difficulty swallowing, food getting stuck in the throat or chest, unexplained weight loss, persistent indigestion, recurrent vomiting, or ongoing upper abdominal discomfort.
Written by urgent.news from Gulf News's reporting — not their text. Machine-written — may contain errors; check the original before relying on it.
