food

Mums rejoice. Your morning ‘Cup of Joe’ is actually good for you.

 

There are few things in mum life that are a constant. Things seem to change with the wind. One day your child is a-okay, the next they’re sick or throwing tantrums and it throws your life into chaos. Trust me, with two kids under two years of age, I know.

However, there are two things that can be relied upon to never, ever change – firstly, that you will always be in a sleep deficit, and secondly that you will ALWAYS require coffee! Mmmmm…

That frothy coffee. Image via iStock.

Coffee sometimes gets a bad rap, with many fearing that it can trigger dangerous heart palpitations. But new research shows that drinking a strong coffee in the morning can deliver a much needed boost without getting your heart racing.

Even better, the study showed that regular coffee consumption can actually be good for your cardiovascular health and definitely won’t kill you.

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Scientists at the University of California have suggested it's time to reconsider the old guidelines advising against the regular consumption of caffeine to prevent disturbances of the heart’s cardiac rhythm, saying that people are missing out on some of the potential health benefits of caffeinated food and drinks such as chocolate and tea. Wait, chocolate is good for you too? Tick!

ALL the chocolate too. Image via iStock.

Yes, irregular heartbeats can be serious. Excessive premature atrial contractions (PACs) are a heartbeat that is beating too fast, too slow, or irregular. They have been linked to stroke and death. Premature ventricular contractions, where the heart skips a beat (PVCs), have also been linked to an increase in death.

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The study, published in the Journal of the American Heart Association, looked at the coffee, tea and chocolate consumption of more than 1,000 randomly selected participants. Of the total participants, 61 per cent had more than one caffeinated product daily.

We love you coffee. Image via iStock.

The researchers found no differences in the number of PACs or PVCs per hour across levels of coffee, tea and chocolate intake. They said more frequent consumption of these products was not associated with extra heartbeats.

The bottom line? We can all sip on that latte or wolf down that chocolate bar sans-worry! WINNING.

What's your go to drink for a pick-me-up?