Is your morning ritual coffee and a chocolate croissant?
Mayo Clinic cardiologists warn that caffeine and theobromine in chocolate create a "double whammy" for the heart.
Dr. Lisa Richards explains on the Heart Matters podcast:
"This pair increases the heart rate to 120 beats per minute even in healthy people. The risk of arrhythmia increases fourfold."
User Denis from Yekaterinburg shared the story on Reddit:
"After coffee with chocolate brownie, I was hospitalized with an attack of tachycardia. Doctors said that I miraculously avoided a heart attack."
A 2023 study published in the Journal of Caffeine Research confirmed that the combination of caffeine and theobromine reduces the elasticity of blood vessels by 30%, increasing the risk of stroke.
But how to enjoy coffee without harm? World Coffee Events barista Sofia Torres recommends replacing chocolate with dates:
"They provide sweetness, but contain magnesium, which counteracts the effects of caffeine."
Scientists from the University of California have proven that dates reduce cortisol levels by 20%, compensating for stress from coffee.
Try the recipe for a date and cardamom latte, found on the menu at London's Monmouth Coffee.
