Angela Braden has researched and reported on wellness and lifestyle for a decade. She has been published hundreds of times in national and international magazines. Angela serves as a speaker for Alive! Expo (health convention) and as the Editor and Founder of www.angelicindulgence.com web magazine, where you’ll find more indulgent health tips and articles updated monthly.

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Wine, Chocolate, Coffee and Tea— Indulge with confidence.

Healthy Decadence

Vive with Vino! (In moderation). In a recent Dutch study, researchers reported that those who drank a half glass* of wine a day actually had lower all-causes death rate and an almost 50% lower cardiovascular disease death rate than the other groups. The wine drinkers also lived, on average, 4 years longer than those who do not drink at all and 2 years longer than those who drank beer or hard liquor. Many experts believe the stress-reducing properties of wine play a major role in its apparent longevity-enhancing effects. This is in addition to wine’s benefits to the cardiovascular system and its well-known antioxidant activity. Antioxidants are desirable because they gobble up free radicals, destructive molecules that are implicated in heart, premature aging and other less than indulgent ailments.

Cheers, to another healthy indulgence!

*Note the small amount, however. Imbibe more and the health risks begin to outweigh the benefits.

Dark chocolate—not milk chocolate—is another potent antioxidant. Latest news: research shows that milk, with either chocolate or tea, may interfere with the absorption of the antioxidants, negating the health benefits. The healthiest choco choice: organic dark chocolate, sweetened with natural cane sugar, all by its sweet little self (read: in moderation and skip the latté).

Java lovers take heart—according to researchers at Harvard, moderate coffee drinkers have lower incidence of type two diabetes. That could simply be because they are typically thinner (the most important factor in type two diabetes risk). Then again, if a little caffeine jolt in the AM helps you stay thin over time, it probably wins the cost/benefit analysis, since obesity is now the number one health risk in the U.S., surpassing even smoking. Plus, coffee is the number one source of antioxidants in American (yes, antioxidants, once again). This stat really probably means we don’t eat enough fruits and vegetables. In any case, coffee may also reduce the risk of developing gallstones, discourage the development of colon cancer, improve cognitive function (pretty obvious), and reduce the risk of Parkinson's disease, according to research. Even better, decaffeinated coffee may have the same benefits, without the addictive stimulant. It’s also inversely related to diabetes and yes, it has the antioxidants.

Even better still, many a former java junky has discovered an antioxidant-rich (love those) tea that originates from South America called yerba maté. This healthy herbal tea is derived from a holly tree and has been shown to boost immunity and improve weight loss without the caffeine crash and burn. In fact, the number one weight loss supplement in Sweden and Norway, called CUUR, is now receiving rave reviews across the United States. CUUR, being touted as the healthiest “diet pill” yet, combines yerba maté with green tea (another antioxidant superstar), coleus extract and birch extract and is proven to reduce cravings for sugar as it increases energy—all without feeling jittery.

Remember, feeling good is good for you! Feeling guilt is not. So keep the weight off, the energy up, and the antioxidants flowing. Sip on that cup of joe with the morning paper, savor a bit of vino each day, and enjoy a bite of dark cocoa—all with confidence. Wholesome decadence is absolutely possible . . .and pleasure is healthy.

Stay Well!

Angela

Click here and check out Angela's other healthy tips.

*Opinions expressed are solely those of the writer