Yet More Health Fear-Mongering

I read on BBC's website the other day that a recent study has linked drinking hot teas to oesophageal cancer. Apparently drinking tea over 70 degrees C increases the risk of the cancer, and it is most pronounced in non-western nations. In the West, teas are usually consumed cooler as many like to add milk. A seperate article on ABC's website said this was extended to piping hot coffee as well (previously linked to cancer causing in 2006 and 2007, but preventing cancer in 2005).


This is yet another in a growing list of cancer "causing" foods, and of course we have been now told to live in fear. I wouldn't be surprised to hear that water is causing cancer somehow (although in Ottawa it wouldn't surprise me). Right now, hydrogenated oils are evil, white bread and pastas, anything with high-fructose corn syrup or too much sugar, trans fats, and my personal last straw, grilled meats, especially those grilled on charcoal. Of course, the debates on aspertame and teflon (apparently teflon might be a carcinogen as well) rage on.


While I agree that HFCS is evil, mostly drinks made with it taste inferior to real sugar, worrying about the increased risk of cancer from any of these foods in a NORMAL diet is probably overkill. Moderation in your diet is probably key to good living, and stress may cause cancer (why not, apparently fluorescent lighting does), so worrying about what you are eating is probably putting you at risk as well.


I can think of a more practical reason for not drinking tea above 70 degrees. If I was a health official, I would state the obvious instead. Instead of saying "Drinking tea above 70 degrees may increase the risk of cancer." I would say "Drinking tea above 70 degrees WILL increase the risk of burning your throat." It is probably the more pertinent concern.


So once this weekend, I had some chips fried in oils that have transfats. And if I have some food with MSG in it, I'll probably not stress it either. A little won't kill me, and life is too good to go around worrying all the time. That being said, I DO worry about fast food. An upcoming blog post will tackle that.