AHHH! HOT COCOA
IT FROTHS WITH CANCER-PREVENTING COMPOUNDS

There is a new reason to enjoy hot cocoa on a cold winter's night. Consider it a health drink.

Cornell University food scientists report that cocoa teems with antioxidants that help prevent cancer. Scientists have long known that cocoa contains antioxidants, but no one knew just how plentiful they were.

When they compared the anti-cancer activity of cocoa to green tea and red wine-beverages known to contain antioxidants, they found that cocoa has nearly twice the antioxidants of red wine and up to three times those found in green tea.

While scientists know antioxidants are essential for good health, they do not know how much we need every day.

Hot cocoa is better for us than cold. When cocoa is heated, more antioxidants are released.

Tea and wine still offer health benefits. Cornell researcher Chang
Yong Lee does not suggest that we eliminate them from our diets.

Would a chocolate bar be even better than cocoa? No. "Although a bar of chocolate exhibits strong antioxidant activity, the health benefits are still controversial because of the saturated fats present," the researchers say. Cocoa has about one-third of a gram of fat per one-cup serving, compared with eight grams of fat in a standard-size 40-gram chocolate bar.

Cocoa can also help prevent osteoporosis. Cocoa is a tasty way to include calcium-rich milk in our diets. Calcium helps prevent or lessen bone-mass loss. After age 50, 1,200 milligrams of calcium daily are recommended to help prevent osteoporosis. One cup of milk provides 300 milligrams.

HOT COCOA MIX: Make your own mix, using nonfat dry milk powder, to keep on hand for a hot drink on a cool morning or evening.

• 8 cups nonfat dry milk powder
• ¾ cup cocoa
• 1 ½ cups sugar
• Combine ingredients in a large container and shake well, until all white streaks have disappeared and the mix is an even, light chocolate color. Store in the covered container.

For hot cocoa, put ¼ cup mix in a cup and fill with hot water. Stir well.

Recipe source: University of Wyoming Cooperative Extension.