Remember to Have a Cup of Hot Cocoa with Grandma

There is something nostalgic about the image of sitting down and having a cup of hot cocoa with grandma. Even though most of the hot cocoa I have consumed in my life has been done as an effort to stave off hypothermia during Boy Scout campouts, there is still something about the image of grandma fixing a cup of cocoa that is strangely comforting. As it turns out, perhaps my subconscious was trying to send me messages about improving cognitive function in seniors. My subconscious is, after all, very intelligent and concerned with matters of seniors and memory retention. I digress.

A new study has shown that seniors who consume an average of two cups of hot cocoa a day shown a slight improvement in their cognitive function. The sources releasing this study are quick to point out that drawing factual conclusions at this point would be unwise due to the small sample size and the relatively small differentiation they observed between the two groups studied. The scientists expressed concern that this in no way advocates the consumption of hot cocoa and cautioned against the dangers of obesity brought about by the needless consumption of hot cocoa with regards to cognitive function. Killjoys.

We could wait to have a cup of hot cocoa with grandma until the results of the study have been more fully flushed out. As for me and my house, we will take no chances by minimizing our chocolate intake until slow-poke scientists finish their work. Hot chocolate for all!

Below you will find a link to my favorite hot cocoa recipe. I recommend adding in a dash of cayenne and subbing in bittersweet chocolate chips for half of the chips it calls for. Salud!

http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/semi-homemade-cooking-with-sandra-lee/the-best-hot-chocolate-ever-recipe/index.html