wine

1. A recent study shows that cocoa may help your heart by keeping your blood vessels relaxed, thus easing blood pressure and helping circulation. The study shows that cocoa's antioxidants — called flavonoids — coax the body into making more nitric oxide, which relaxes the blood vessels.

2. Dark (not white) chocolate decreases blood pressure and improves insulin sensitivity in healthy persons.

3. Coffee may reduce the risk of liver cancer and decaf may cut the risk of colorectal cancer, according to two reports recently published by the Journal of the National Cancer Institute.

4. Driving drowsy is less likely to be dangerous if you drink about three cups of coffee along the way, according to a study by the Loughborough University in Leicestershire. Researchers there found that two to three cups of coffee is the amount you need to be less at risk for an accident on the way home if you work late. The drivers who'd had caffeine had a much lower rate of accidents than those who didn't have any coffee. The effects only lasted 30 minutes, though.

5. Red wines are rich in phytochemicals, which act as antioxidants, thus possibly preventing cancer. Red wine has more anti-cancer properties than white wine because the skin is maintained during the wine making process.

6. Drinking red wine or white wine will increase HDL, the good cholesterol. Red wine contains higher levels of phenolic anti-oxidants than white wine does. These phenolic anti-oxidants will help to keep your LDL, or bad, cholesterol levels healthy and will reduce the blood clotting ability of the blood.

7. Good news for wine lovers: red wine has yet another health benefit. Researchers found that a daily glass of red wine can reduce the risk of lung cancer in men by about 13 percent. The magic ingredient seems to be the tannins, which contain powerful antioxidant properties.