Everyday drink choices may influence cancer risk, according to an April 2, 2019 article in Business Insider. The article outlines the latest research on links between alcohol, coffee, hot drinks, and sugary drinks and cancer risk.
Heavy consumption of sugar-sweetened beverages may increase risk of death from cancer, according to a recent study from Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health. One of the ways that these drinks harm the body is that they flood it with easily absorbed and digested sugar, and lack nutrients like fiber that promote feelings of fullness, lead author Vasanti Malik, a research scientist at Harvard Chan School, told Business Insider.
“You just end up consuming more calories per day, and it leads to weight gain over time,” she said, which can ultimately lead to obesity-related cancers, including breast and colon cancers.
Among the other findings mentioned in the article:
- While moderate consumption of alcohol may reduce heart disease risk, it may increase risk of some kinds of cancer.
- Roasting coffee produces a tiny dose of the chemical compound acrylamide, a probable carcinogen, but there is no evidence that it is enough to be harmful. Coffee may in fact protect against certain cancers.
- Drinking very hot beverages may increase the risk of esophageal cancer.
Read the Business Insider article: 4 drinks you consume every day that might raise your risk of cancer
Learn more
Alcohol and health: it’s complicated (Harvard Chan School news)
Op-ed: Coffee doesn’t need cancer warning label (Harvard Chan School news)