Don't give up that daily cup of coffee just yet. Studies show drinking coffee may reduce your risk of developing Parkinson's disease, diabetes, cirrhosis of the liver, and colon cancer. It's even been linked to a decreased risk of inflammatory and cardiovascular disease in postmenopausal women.

Why? According to an article in the March 2007 issue of Ladies Home Journal, it's because coffee contains large amounts of flavonoids and antioxidants -- and these combat a whole bunch of illnesses.

Now drinking too much coffee can have adverse side effects, like restlessness, anxiety, and headaches, but limiting yourself to one to four brewed cups per day seems to be a safe practice. Although for those with high blood pressure, consuming between two to four cups per day maybe a bit risky because coffee causes blood pressure to rise immediately after consumption. And all coffee drinkers should fight the urge to add sugar, flavored syrup, and whole milk to to their beverages.

A daily cup of tea seems to be healthy too. Researchers are investigating its use in the prevention of cancer, and we already know both black and green tea have significant quantities of disease-fighting flavonoids -- although not as much as coffee.

Onions are one of the richest sources of flavonoids in the human diet and red onions are a variety that is more naturally higher in these anti-cancer chemicals. Adding a variety of onions and shallots to the diet can help in inhibiting liver and colon cancer cell growth as well as other types of cancers and gives you a good source of vitamins and nutrients. Here is a simple to make but full of flavor red onion salad that includes other ingredients also known to aid in the fight against cancer through diet.

Vicki's Red Onion Salad
1 red onion (cut in half and slice thinly)
1 cucumber (peeled and cut into thin slices)
2 Large Tomatoes (cut into wedges)
1 cup thinly sliced daikon radish
1/4 cup olive oil
1 tablespoon toasted sesame oil
1/4 cup balsamic vinegar
1 tablespoon minced garlic
2 tablespoons fresh cilantro finely chopped

Combine all vegetables in a bowl and toss. In a small bowl whisk the oils, vinegar, garlic and cilantro together and pour over salad ingredients and refrigerate for 30 minutes before serving to let the dressing soak in. Toss again lightly before serving individual portions. Serves 4 to 6.

The California Strawberry Commission shares study findings revealing that a substance in strawberries, quercetin, programs cancer cells to self destruct. Quercetin, a phytonutrient and member of a large class of plant compounds called flavonoids known for anti-cancer, anti-inflammatory and antiviral abilities, is found in strawberries and other fruits. As an example, in addition to strawberries, apple peels have a high level of quercetin.

Researchers tested strawberry fruit extracts on human liver cancer cells. Quercetin was the most active polyphenol of the compounds tested, and showed a dramatic reduction in the life of a cancer cell. Both quercetin and strawberry extract stunted the progression of cancer cell growth. Researchers believe that quercetin may provide protection at several steps in the process of cancer development.

What if eating chocolate was actually good for the body. Too good to be true? Yes, definitely. But the folks at Mars Inc, the makers of Mars bars, Milky Way and M&M's, have begun marketing a new line of dark chocolate candies that they claim may have health benefits. The new line is called CocoaVia. The dark chocolate based candy is packed with flavonals, an antioxidant found in cocoa beans that is thought to have a blood-thinning effect similar to aspirin and may even lower blood pressure. Much press has recently been devoted to flavonoids and the hopes that they might aid in the fight against cancer, diabetes, heart disease, and hypertension. The makers of CocoaVia warn that the candy is not a health food, nor is it medicinal in any way. But if eating chocolate has a few fringe benefits aside from the heavenly taste, that can only be a good thing.