We've been advised that our brains, particularly our memories, can stay sharp if we exercise, eat right and get plenty of sleep. Now it's recommended we also drink hot cocoa.
Specifically, two cups of hot cocoa a day does the trick, says a new study just
published in Neurology, the official journal of the American Academy of Neurology.
My chocolate-tuned ears perked up this morning, when "CBS This Morning" reported
on the study.
I love hot cocoa and all things chocolate. Believe it or not, last week – keep in mind that it's August – I had a cup of hot cocoa with miniature marshmallows in it.
But back to the newly released study, I soon learned that this good news is for so-called older people, to help prevent dementia and such.
Just because I can get the seniors' discount for my cup of cocoa at Denny's does not mean I'm a so-called older person. I will not submit to being an old fogie until I can no longer hike and jog and be able to drive to the store to pick up stuff like Dove dark chocolates, Snickers bars, Prairie Farms chocolate-chip ice cream, Entenmann's chocolate donuts, and all the makings for hot cocoa.
I will, however, submit to consuming chocolate and doing so until I grow old and die.
When my wife and I were buying our first home, we were having lunch with our
real-estate agent, a true lover of chocolate. I decided to have dessert and ordered a
hot-fudge sundae, as did our broker, who then remarked: "If God created anything better than chocolate, he kept to himself."
I've always remembered that, and I occasionally repeat it, always in a reverent manner. It is pure chocolate wisdom. It's not in the bible, but it wouldn't surprise me if someone said it is. People say things are in the Bible that are not in the Bible. Sometimes it's because of misinterpretation, while other times it's because people want to legitimize or glorify their agendas. I don't have a chocolate agenda. I just really, really, really like
chocolate.
While I'm trying to stay away from wheat products these days, I must admit that chocolate makes me cheat sometimes. For example, my wife came home recently with some chocolate-covered donuts, knowing that I continually crave chocolate and have a history of adoring donuts.
After she apologized for buying these beautiful things made with wheat flour and smothered in deep, dark chocolate, she was in a quandary about what to do with them.
She apologized? "Oh, I'm sorry; I keep forgetting you're not eating wheat," is what she said. She went to all the trouble of buying those exquisite belly bombs just for me. She was so thoughtful. Now, visualize – if you can; I'm sure you can – those chocolate donuts, which were the same as glazed donuts but drenched in a luscious darkness that definitely smelled chocolaty, heavenly. I could not appear ungrateful, so I refused to toss away Anne's kindness and the donuts' chocolaty goodness. I devoured one. Then I poured a glass of cold milk and gobbled another. Fantastic! Yahoo!
Researchers, nutritionists and health experts have been telling us for some time that dark chocolate contains antioxidants and can be good for our hearts. That's all I ever needed to hear to ensure that I treat myself daily to a little dose of antioxidant-packed nourishment from the cacao-bean gods.
Admittedly, I never needed a lot of encouragement to eat chocolate before all the health and nutrition information. Don't we all like chocolate? Do you know anyone who doesn't? I wouldn't trust anyone who doesn't like chocolate.
The basis for this dialogue was, oh yeah, the study about hot cocoa benefiting our brains, so that we can remember things when we get older. I'll add that good scoop to my reasons for drinking cocoa and chocolate malted Ovaltine and for eating Toblerone dark chocolate with honey and almond nougat from Switzerland and Freia melkesjokolade from Norway.
Has anybody seen any studies on marshmallows?
Specifically, two cups of hot cocoa a day does the trick, says a new study just
published in Neurology, the official journal of the American Academy of Neurology.
My chocolate-tuned ears perked up this morning, when "CBS This Morning" reported
on the study.
I love hot cocoa and all things chocolate. Believe it or not, last week – keep in mind that it's August – I had a cup of hot cocoa with miniature marshmallows in it.
But back to the newly released study, I soon learned that this good news is for so-called older people, to help prevent dementia and such.
Just because I can get the seniors' discount for my cup of cocoa at Denny's does not mean I'm a so-called older person. I will not submit to being an old fogie until I can no longer hike and jog and be able to drive to the store to pick up stuff like Dove dark chocolates, Snickers bars, Prairie Farms chocolate-chip ice cream, Entenmann's chocolate donuts, and all the makings for hot cocoa.
I will, however, submit to consuming chocolate and doing so until I grow old and die.
When my wife and I were buying our first home, we were having lunch with our
real-estate agent, a true lover of chocolate. I decided to have dessert and ordered a
hot-fudge sundae, as did our broker, who then remarked: "If God created anything better than chocolate, he kept to himself."
I've always remembered that, and I occasionally repeat it, always in a reverent manner. It is pure chocolate wisdom. It's not in the bible, but it wouldn't surprise me if someone said it is. People say things are in the Bible that are not in the Bible. Sometimes it's because of misinterpretation, while other times it's because people want to legitimize or glorify their agendas. I don't have a chocolate agenda. I just really, really, really like
chocolate.
While I'm trying to stay away from wheat products these days, I must admit that chocolate makes me cheat sometimes. For example, my wife came home recently with some chocolate-covered donuts, knowing that I continually crave chocolate and have a history of adoring donuts.
After she apologized for buying these beautiful things made with wheat flour and smothered in deep, dark chocolate, she was in a quandary about what to do with them.
She apologized? "Oh, I'm sorry; I keep forgetting you're not eating wheat," is what she said. She went to all the trouble of buying those exquisite belly bombs just for me. She was so thoughtful. Now, visualize – if you can; I'm sure you can – those chocolate donuts, which were the same as glazed donuts but drenched in a luscious darkness that definitely smelled chocolaty, heavenly. I could not appear ungrateful, so I refused to toss away Anne's kindness and the donuts' chocolaty goodness. I devoured one. Then I poured a glass of cold milk and gobbled another. Fantastic! Yahoo!
Researchers, nutritionists and health experts have been telling us for some time that dark chocolate contains antioxidants and can be good for our hearts. That's all I ever needed to hear to ensure that I treat myself daily to a little dose of antioxidant-packed nourishment from the cacao-bean gods.
Admittedly, I never needed a lot of encouragement to eat chocolate before all the health and nutrition information. Don't we all like chocolate? Do you know anyone who doesn't? I wouldn't trust anyone who doesn't like chocolate.
The basis for this dialogue was, oh yeah, the study about hot cocoa benefiting our brains, so that we can remember things when we get older. I'll add that good scoop to my reasons for drinking cocoa and chocolate malted Ovaltine and for eating Toblerone dark chocolate with honey and almond nougat from Switzerland and Freia melkesjokolade from Norway.
Has anybody seen any studies on marshmallows?
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