Chennai: Finally there is good news for coffee lovers in the city and surroundings, who make their own special brew of a decoction through filtering that lasts for several hours.
The World Health Organization (WHO)’s associate International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC), which had classified coffee as a possible cause of cancer back in 1991, has finally cleared it of the dubious distinction.
But, before you down the next hot cup of coffee consider this warning: Drinking very hot coffee and other drinks “probably” causes cancer of the oesophagus, the agency said, while lifting suspicion from a cup of joe at “normal serving temperatures”.
For some types of cancer like uterus, liver and breast, there were hints that coffee may even be beneficial, but not if consumed hotter than 65 degrees Celsius (150 degrees Fahrenheit).
The IARC research indicated that hot beverages may increase the risk of oesophageal (food pipe) cancer. So as long as you let your drink cool down a bit before you drink it, you’re unlikely to be much at risk.
Dana Loomis, deputy head of the IARC program that classifies carcinogens, said they began to look into a possible link after seeing unusually high rates of esophageal cancer in countries where drinking very hot beverages is common. He said that even at temperatures below 60 degrees Celsius (140 Fahrenheit), hot beverages can scald the skin, and that consuming drinks at even higher temperatures could be harmful.
Coffee lovers in the city unanimously welcomed the news. “Myself being a heavy coffee drinker, I have no substitutes for coffee. This news gives me yet another reason to love coffee, guilt-free”, says an ardent coffee lover.
