It was only about 19 degrees this morning when I left for work. As I stood on the TRAX platform, shivering and waiting for my train to arrive, I reflected that this must be what it feels like to be a TV dinner that’s been in the freezer since 1998, the kind that has a thick fur of ice crystals covering the salisbury steak. I couldn’t wait to hit the coffee machine when I reached the office. Naturally, I was only interested in its warming properties — well, okay, the caffeine hit was calling to me as well — but according to an interesting article I just ran across, there are other good reasons to have a nice cup o’ joe on a cold morning:

Researchers at the University of Scranton found that a cup of coffee is the number one source of antioxidants in the U.S. diet. “Nothing else comes close,” said study leader and chemist Joe Vinson. “One to two cups a day appear to be beneficial.”

 

Beer came in second. Potatoes were a strong third.

And for those of you who don’t like coffee, the same article contains good news for you, too:

Research led by Cornell University’s Chang Yong Lee found that hot cocoa, on a per-serving basis, has four to five times more antioxidants than black tea, two to three times more than green tea, and almost two times more than red wine.

 

“A cup or two of hot cocoa every once in a while can provide a delicious, warm and healthy way to obtain more antioxidants,” Lee said.

So much for the local culture’s prohibition against hot beverages…