Go ahead and drink that hot cocoa!

Ryan Nagelmann / CC

According to multiple studies, drinking two cups of hot cocoa per day may have cognitive benefits and improve blood flow in the brain. One study published in the medical journal Neurology found that seniors who drank two cups of hot cocoa a day for one month performed better on thinking and memory tests than those who didn’t. Brain imaging also showed cocoa-drinkers had better blood flow in the brain. Another study found that flavanols, a type of nutrient in cocoa, can improve blood oxygen levels in the brain and are linked to cognitive benefits.