Key Takeaway
Document believed to be from 19th century details recipe using Bolivian coca leaves, kola nuts and wineAn Italian friar has unearthed a document from the pharmacy archives of an ancient convent in Florence describing a medicinal potion made from Bolivian coca leaves and kola nuts, prompting suggestions it could have been a precursor to the famous US soft drink, Coca-Cola.…
Published July 30, 2026 · Category: News
Overview
Document believed to be from 19th century details recipe using Bolivian coca leaves, kola nuts and wine
An Italian friar has unearthed a document from the pharmacy archives of an ancient convent in Florence describing a medicinal potion made from Bolivian coca leaves and kola nuts, prompting suggestions it could have been a precursor to the famous US soft drink, Coca-Cola.
Details
Father Manuel Russo, rector of the San Marco convent, said he stumbled across the yellowed document, a sort-of promotional flyer, while sorting out the archives.
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Source
Originally published at www.theguardian.com.
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What is "Was Florentine friars’ fatigue-fighting elixir a precursor to Coca-Cola?" about?+
Document believed to be from 19th century details recipe using Bolivian coca leaves, kola nuts and wineAn Italian friar has unearthed a document from the pharmacy archives of an ancient convent in Florence describing a medicinal potion made from Bolivian coca leaves and kola nuts, prompting suggestions it could have been a precursor to the famous US soft drink, Coca-Cola.Father Manuel Russo, rector of the San Marco convent, said he stumbled across the yellowed document, a sort-of promotional fly
Who reported this story?+
This story was reported by The Guardian World.