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Does drinking coffee and tea lower your cancer risk? New study explores

Should you consume more coffee or tea?

Cup of coffee on a table
Jason Villanueva / Pexels

In a new scientific meta-analysis of more than a dozen studies published today, researchers suggest that coffee and tea consumption could lower the risk of developing certain kinds of cancers. The findings, published in a peer-reviewed journal of the American Cancer Society, examined how head, neck, and throat cancers could be impacted by consuming coffee and tea regularly. The meta-analysis reviewed 14 studies on tea and coffee consumption, suggesting that those who drink more than cups of caffeinated coffee each day could have a reduced risk of developing head or neck cancer by as much as 17%.

The study’s senior author, Dr. Yuan-Chin Amy Lee said: “While there has been prior research on coffee and tea consumption and reduced risk of cancer, this study highlighted their varying effects with different sub-sites of head and neck cancer, including the observation that even decaffeinated coffee had some positive impact. Coffee and tea habits are fairly complex, and these findings support the need for more data and further studies around the impact that coffee and tea can have on reducing cancer risk.”

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The research also examined the cancer risk of drinking coffee and tea for decaf drinkers. Drinking decaffeinated coffee or tea was only associated with a reduced risk of one type of head and neck cancer. Additionally, decaf drinkers were found to have a 25 percent lower risk of developing cancer in their mouth or tongue. While the results of this comprehensive analysis are promising, this research doesn’t apply to all types of cancers. Researchers have concluded additional studies are needed to draw more conclusive data.
Emily Caldwell
Emily is a freelance journalist with a focus on food, travel, health, and fitness content. She loves to travel to new…
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