As any BYU-Idaho student can attest, January is a cold month. It is time to put on those extra layers of clothing, turn up the thermostat and brew up a warm batch of, well, cocoa.

The popular drinks of old — wassail, an old Saxon phrase meaning “to your health,” mead, negus and bishop — are prohibited by doctrines of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints and the Honor Code, but recent studies show that substituting cocoa, an approved alternative, may improve health. Not only will the cocoa warm up the body, it will also heat up the immune system and prevent certain ailments. The key is the high level of antioxidants, which offsets the damage of oxygen on body tissues.

Cell activity requires oxygen, but when oxygen gets into tissues, it strips electrons from molecules and leaves behind free radicals. These free radicals are factors in heart disease, strokes, cancer and other health problems.

 Cornell University researcher Chang Yong Lee released several studies on antioxidants in cocoa. He found that antioxidants in cocoa were twice as strong as red wine, three times stronger than green tea and five times stronger than black tea.

“The exact daily amount of antioxidants required for good health is unknown,” Lee said. “Nevertheless, a cup or two of hot cocoa every once in a while can provide a delicious, warm and healthy way to obtain more antioxidants.”

Although cocoa can be taken both hot and cold, hot cocoa tends to trigger the release of more antioxidants, Lee said.

When given the choice, Lee recommended the liquid form of chocolate because a normal chocolate candy bar contains 8 grams of saturated fat, while a cup of hot cocoa only contains 0.3 grams.

So as the weather becomes increasingly colder, remember the experts’ advice and sip a mug of hot cocoa while cramming for that biology test on free radicals.