Al-Marsad newspaper: Many consider tea to be a healthy drink and even a remedy. This is not necessarily wrong, as tea contains a good number of health benefits and powerful and effective herbal compounds. But there are also less healthy teas, one of which triples the risk of cancer.
traditional tea
This is a tea made from the leaves and twigs of a plant called Ilex paraguariensis, known as yerba mate, a traditional tea typical of South American countries and also popular in some Middle Eastern countries, according to healthy.walla.
In the past, drinking this tea was associated with some health benefits, one of which is the strengthening of the immune system. However, a number of studies conducted in recent years indicate that drinking yerba mate frequently increases the risk of cancer significantly.
cancer incidence
One such study, published in the journal Cancer Epidemiology Biomarker and Prevention, identifies this particular tea as a risk factor for lung cancer and gastrointestinal cancers such as stomach and esophageal cancer, bowel cancer, pancreatic cancer and liver cancer. This is due to a carcinogen called PHA (polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons) found in the plant that is used following drying to make yerba mate tea. Other places where this carcinogen can be found are grilled meats and tobacco.
The researchers wrote: “Drinking yerba mate is very common in some South American countries and has been linked to an increased risk of esophageal cancer. This risk may also be related to drinking the drink at too high a temperature or to carcinogens in its leaves.”
In another review of the data following the study was published, researchers concluded that the risk of esophageal cancer for those who drink yerba mate tea is linked to drinking it more than three times per day.
