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Business Standard
09-07-2025
- Health
- Business Standard
Could your daily office chai be harming your hormones, making you sick?
A warm cup of tea, freshly delivered from the nearby tea stall straight to your desk in that familiar polythene pouch or flimsy plastic cup or the paper cup lined with plastic. Comforting? Sure. But here's a thought that might shake up your routine—what if this daily ritual is quietly messing with your hormones or increasing your long-term cancer risk? Dr Mohit Sharma, Senior Consultant in Internal Medicine and Endocrinology at Amrita Hospital, explained in an interview with Business Standard, 'When hot tea is poured into polythene bags or substandard plastic cups, harmful chemicals like phthalates, Bisphenol A (BPA), and styrene monomers can leach into the beverage. These materials are not built to withstand high temperatures, and hot liquids above 60 degrees Celsius can cause them to degrade and shed into your drink.' Additionally, microplastics —tiny plastic particles increasingly found in food packaging—can find their way into your cup too. What health risks do BPA, phthalates, and microplastics pose? Dr Sharma said long-term, l ow-dose exposure to these substances—especially when you consume such tea 2–4 times a day—can slowly start affecting your health. 'Many of these compounds are endocrine disruptors, which means they mimic or interfere with hormones like oestrogen, testosterone, insulin, and thyroid hormones,' he said. Long-term consequences may include: Hormonal imbalances Reduced fertility Weight gain, fatigue, and sleep disturbances Insulin resistance and type 2 diabetes Increased risk of breast, prostate, and thyroid cancers 'Over time, these daily exposures can quietly add up, without you even realising it,' said Dr Sharma. Is there scientific evidence linking plastic-packed chai to cancer? While we don't yet have direct, large-scale human studies tracking tea consumption from plastic packaging to specific cancers, the science is concerning. Dr Mandeep Singh Malhotra, Director of Surgical Oncology at CK Birla Hospital, explained, 'There is increasing evidence that hot beverages served in polythene or low-quality plastic cups may cause chemicals like BPA, phthalates, and microplastics to enter your body. These can increase oxidative stress, cause DNA damage, and lead to hormonal imbalances—all of which are potential cancer triggers.' He added that while randomised trials are lacking, cell-line studies and animal research strongly suggest these chemicals can contribute to cancer development and hormonal disorders. Are our food safety standards not enough? Technically, yes. India's Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) regulations (2018) allow only food-grade plastics for packaging food and beverages. These include materials like Polyethylene Terephthalate (PET), Polypropylene (PP), and Low-Density Polyethylene (LDPE), with strict limits on how much chemical migration is allowed into your food. 'In real-world setups, however—street vendors, local caterers, or even some office pantries—cheap, recycled, or non-compliant plastic is still widely used,' Dr Sharma warned. Most of the time, cost and lack of awareness override safety—especially in office delivery systems where tea is packed in bulk and transported in thin polythene bags or plastic containers. Ramesh, a 39-year-old tea seller, told Business Standard, 'It's about the cost and convenience mainly. A polythene pouch costs less than 50 paise. It's cheap and easily available, far more affordable than paper cups, thermocol, or eco-friendly containers. For bulk tea orders, that's what works best for us. It's spill-proof and saves our time as we can just deliver and don't have to serve each person.' 'No one ever told us that plastic bags with hot tea could be harmful. We've been doing this for years,' said Raju Singh, a 29-year-old roadside chaiwala in Delhi. Could repeated chai-in-plastic consumption be making you sick? 'Repeated exposure to hot beverages in plastic or polythene, even in small doses, can have a cumulative toxic effect,' said Dr Sharma. And office-goers might be at greater risk, simply because they're more likely to: Consume 2–4 cups of tea daily at work Ignore packaging quality for the sake of convenience Be exposed over years, not weeks How can you enjoy your tea without toxic exposure? It's not about quitting chai—it's about how you consume it. Both doctors agree: Avoid hot beverages in polythene or low-quality plastic Use ceramic, glass, or stainless steel mugs—preferably carry your own to work Encourage office pantries or vendors to use certified, food-grade, heat-resistant materials Ditch microplastic-lined paper cups too—they're not as innocent as they look 'Even old-school kulhad wali chai is a far safer and healthier option,' Dr Malhotra added. 'Earthenware, ceramic, and glass don't leach chemicals when exposed to heat. Getting back to our roots could save us a lot in the long run.'
Time Business News
04-07-2025
- Health
- Time Business News
Innovations and Trends in the Global Telestroke Services
Telestroke services are a form of telemedicine that links stroke experts with patients and other healthcare providers in remote or underserved areas through real-time audio-visual technologies. Telestroke services markets are expanding as a result of increasing stroke cases, the use of telemedicine, technological improvements, government initiatives, and the demand for remote care in underserved communities. Key Growth Drivers and Opportunities Integration with Wearable Technology and Remote Monitoring: The future of telestroke may further harness wearable technologies and remote monitoring devices to detect an early onset of stroke. The wearable technology would monitor the biometrics of the user and warn both the user and the Telemedicine Providers against possible stroke manifestations. Early intervention once the first onset of symptoms appear can save lives and reduce the severity of stroke-related complications. Challenges Telestroke faces several limitations. Perhaps the main one is the need for a stable internet connection, which can be hard to come by in rural areas. Specialist staff are also needed to ensure the systems are operated correctly and the information interpreted correctly. Issues concerning data privacy, limited integration with existing hospital infrastructure, or even diagnosis/treatment delays resultant of technical failures or specialists' lack of instantaneous availability lead to different considerations. Innovation and Expansion Under the ICMR Initiative, Amrita Hospital Introduces a Tele-Stroke System in Kotagiri In September 2024, to provide cutting-edge stroke care to rural areas, the ICMR's TeleStroke project was started at Kotagiri Medical Fellowship Mission Hospital in partnership with Amrita Hospital, Kochi. By offering critical care services to rural, tea estate, and tribal communities, the initiative hopes to ensure that stroke victims receive prompt intervention and follow-up treatment. A three-day medical camp including thrombolysis stroke clinics and stroke awareness workshops for local physicians and medical personnel was attended by more than 200 tribe people. The Last State in Australia to Provide Telestroke Service was Queensland In July 2023, the state government of Queensland has committed A$5.8 million (USD 4 million) to launch a telestroke service. The virtual telestroke service, which is anticipated to debut in 2024, aims to assist around two million residents in rural and regional locations with little to no access to stroke specialists. Furthermore, residents of rural and isolated locations, who are reportedly 17% more inclined to have a stroke than residents of urban areas, are anticipated to profit tremendously from the program. Inventive Sparks, Expanding Markets Companies in the concentration of telestroke services would be Sevaro Health, Inc., Eagle Telemedicine, Teladoc Health, Inc., and TELESPECIALISTS, among others. The core strategies for companies remain oriented towards rapid response times, building a solid technological infrastructure with high-quality video capabilities, forging strong alliances with local Telemedicine Providers, and focusingfully on patient education and awareness. About Author: Prophecy is a specialized market research, analytics, marketing and business strategy, and solutions company that offer strategic and tactical support to clients for making well-informed business decisions and to identify and achieve high value opportunities in the target business area. Also, we help our client to address business challenges and provide best possible solutions to overcome them and transform their business. TIME BUSINESS NEWS
