It’s National Hot Cocoa Day

Even though winter doesn't arrive until December 21, it sure looks and feels like winter here in central New York.  What better way to stay warm than with a cup of hot cocoa, which apparently has some positive health benefits.  So, I thought it would be a good idea to share those with you today on National Hot Cocoa Day.

"Hot cocoa helps fight heart disease and cancer. Yes, The sweet treat contains large amounts of disease-fighting antioxidants -- and the heat may get them into the bloodstream faster, according to Ki Won Lee, Ph.D., whose study was published in the Journal of Agricultural and Food Chemistry. "These results," says Dr. Lee, "Suggests that cocoa is more beneficial to health than teas and red wine in terms of its higher antioxidant capacity" and its ability to head off damage that could trigger heart disease and cancer."