When Alexandre Dumas first serialized his novel "The Three Musketeers" (from March to July of 1844), the tale of D'Artagnan captured the hearts of people on both sides of the Atlantic. Well, there's another upstanding trio that's exciting and heart-friendly, too: dark chocolate, red wine and green tea. Here's the heartfelt good news...

If you eat chocolate (an ounce of 70 percent cacao) more than twice a week, you'll have one-third less artery-clogging plaque and will cut your risk for heart attack and stroke by 30 percent. Red wine (one glass a day for women, two for men under 65) helps keep arteries and veins clear, boosts good HDL cholesterol and reduces lousy LDL cholesterol and blood clotting (less stroke risk). And green tea is packed with anti-inflammatory compounds that fight skin, breast, lung, colon, esophagus and bladder cancers. Plus, it lowers the risk of high blood pressure by 46 percent to 65 percent.

But the benefits don't stop there: New research reveals that this trio contains powerful polyphenols that are antibacterial. Versions of them (tannic acid and pyrogallol) can be used to create sticky coatings on things like heart stents, catheters, hip replacements and even kitchen cutting boards to reduce infections and inflammation.

Once again, here's an example of how nutrients found in everyday foods improve your life in unexpected ways! So if you regularly enjoy a bit of chocolate, a glass of wine and a cup of tea (all for one, and one for all!), you'll have a stronger immune system and more fun being YOU.