Why the temperature of your food and drink could be the key to everything from lowering your cancer risk to losing weight. Experts reveal how to adjust your diet

We all know the importance of a balanced diet, but could the temperature of our food and drink matter just as much?

Evidence from a study of nearly a million people would suggest so. Researchers at the University of Oxford showed that people who prefer very hot drinks (65C or above), in this instance tea or coffee, may have a higher risk of oesophageal cancer.

They estimated that around 14 per cent of these cancers might be avoided if people who prefer a near-boiling beverage switched instead to warm drinks. (As a guide, water from a just-boiled kettle is about 100C.)

And while the International Agency for Research on Cancer classifies drinks above 65C as ‘probably carcinogenic’, experts believe the risks could extend to foods at these searing heats, too.

Rehan Haidry, a consultant gastroenterologist at the private Cleveland Clinic, says while evidence for cancer risk is stronger for drinks – ‘liquid travels fast, coating the gullet, whereas solid food is usually chewed, which cools it, and most people will instinctively stop if it’s too hot’ – each exposure causes inflammation and the cells die, then regrow.

He adds: ‘An occasional hot tea is not something to worry about. Studies show it’s the combination of very hot, in large volumes, daily, for years, which matters.’

Some foods may be more problematic than others, suggests Dr Marion Sloan, a GP and chair of the Primary Care Society for Gastroenterology.

‘Foods most likely to matter are those that behave like hot drinks: soups, gravies, porridge.

‘Thick, liquid foods can stay very hot in the middle after the surface feels fine. A large gulp of something at 70C may expose the gullet to more heat than a tentative sip of something hotter,’ she says. ‘Stir soups and sauces well, let them stand, spread them on a wide plate – and test a small spoonful first.’

For hot drinks Dr Sloan suggests: ‘Add a splash of milk or cold water, but don’t assume a milky drink is cool enough. Wait a few minutes after pouring.’

She points to a 2020 study in the International Journal of Cancer which showed that drinking tea within two minutes of pouring carried more risk than waiting six minutes or more. ‘Aim for below about 60C,’ she adds.

We looked at other ways hot and cold food or drink can affect you.

Icy drinks and heart rhythm problems

Coined ‘cold drink heart’ (in a 2025 study in the Journal of Cardiovascular Electrophysiology), consuming near-freezing foods can trigger atrial fibrillation (AF) in some people. AF is the most common type of irregular heartbeat – and a major risk factor for stroke.

In the US study, 51.5 per cent of patients with AF experienced symptoms within a minute of ingesting cold items, such as frozen smoothies (below 7C). Meanwhile, 86.4 per cent of people who avoided these foods experienced a reduction in their AF episodes, or they stopped altogether.

‘It doesn’t mean everyone with AF needs to avoid cold drinks,’ says Dr Lucy Hooper, a GP at Coyne Medical in London. ‘But it’s useful information.’

Cooled foods help weight loss 

Cooking, then cooling, carbohydrates such as potatoes, rice and pasta before eating increases the resistant starch in them, which could help regulate appetite.

A 2017 study in the journal Nutrition showed that people consumed around 90 fewer calories after eating resistant starch-enhanced muffins than those who ate standard versions – with the researchers concluding it could impact weight by increasing satiety (or ‘fullness’).

‘Resistant starch escapes digestion in the small intestine, arriving in the large intestine where it’s fermented by bacteria,’ explains Jordan Haworth, a gastrointestinal physiologist at the Functional Gut Clinic.

‘This acts as fuel for gut bacteria, which produce compounds called short-chain fatty acids, triggering the release of gut hormones including GLP-1 that send “full” signals to the brain and keep you satisfied for longer.’

Reheating the cooled food doesn’t seem to undermine the benefits – far from it. A 2026 study in the journal Nutrients showed cooling cooked pasta for 24 hours then reheating it significantly increased its resistant starch.

‘However, the temperature benefit still comes primarily from cooling the food after cooking,’ adds Jordan Haworth.

Cooled foods boost the gut

Resistant starch aids the production of butyrate, a short-chain fatty acid that promotes anti-inflammatory cells in the intestinal lining, potentially helping prevent or manage inflammatory bowel conditions such as ulcerative colitis.

It could even help prevent bowel cancer – a 2024 study in Australia suggested that butyrate triggers pre-cancerous cells to die.

Why a warm drink eases a cold 

A hot cordial (73.7C) can improve cold and flu symptoms such as runny nose, coughs and sneezing, according to a 2008 study by Cardiff University Common Cold Centre.

The researchers concluded the higher temperature widened blood vessels, enhancing salivation and throat lubrication.

In line with recent research findings, Dr Helen Wall, a GP at The Oaks Family Practice in Bolton, suggests reducing the temperature of hot liquids to around 60C. ‘This will still be warm enough to offer the same sensory and physical experiences that can offer relief from some viral symptoms,’ she says.

How to stop a ‘brain freeze’ headache

It’s well-known that swallowing something near-freezing can cause ‘brain freeze’. But cold-induced headaches might be more common in people who experience migraines, reported a 2020 study in the journal Cephalalgia. Dr Wall, who has a clinical interest in headaches, explains: ‘When very cold stimulus contacts the back or roof of the mouth, a nerve response causes constriction and swelling of blood vessels in the head.

‘This causes sudden forehead discomfort or throbbing.’

To mitigate, Dr Wall advises: ‘Eat small amounts, slowly, and pause for your mouth to warm up.’

Go lukewarm for IBS

People with irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) may notice cold drinks trigger abdominal pain, bloating or nausea. A 2006 study in the Journal of Gastroenterology and Hepatology found that IBS patients developed discomfort after drinking cold water at 4C (compared to at room temperature, typically around 20-25C).

Jordan Haworth told Good Health: ‘Some research shows colder foods slow gastric motility [reducing muscular contractions, leading to discomfort], whilst hot or warmer foods speed it up.

‘However, we’re talking a few minutes’ difference.’

…The sweet spot?

While there is no single ideal temperature for food or drink, on available evidence there’s consensus aiming for below 60C.

Dr Haidry says: ‘You don’t usually need a thermometer. If it makes you wince, it’s too hot.’