Coffee is a complex topic to understand and there are many myths and mysteries about it. The only thing that is easy to comprehend about coffee or caffeine is that the more it is consumed the greater will be the negative effects, especially for people who are sensitive to caffeine. Nonetheless, with time, caffeine will show its effects.
Anything can spike blood pressure. The higher the blood pressure, the greater the risk of health problems like, heart attack, heart stroke, or any other heart disease.
Caffeine has been proven to increase blood pressure in some people. The normal blood pressure level is 120/80 mmHg, which is quite difficult to maintain, as caffeine is present in almost every beverage.
Coffees that have the least amount of caffeine are best for blood pressure. Doctors advise their hypertensive patients to consume coffee with less caffeine or keep the caffeine intake less, drink about one or two cups of coffee.
Caffeine varies on the type of coffee, every coffee contains a different amount of caffeine. Here is a list of coffees with their quantity of caffeine.
| Types of Coffee | Caffeine Quantity |
| Decaffeinated coffee, 6 fl oz (178 g) | 1.8 mg |
| Coffee, espresso, 1 fluid ounce (30 g) | 63.6 mg |
| Instant coffee, 1 packet (2 g) | 62.8 mg |
| Coffee, instant, chicory, 1 serving 6 fl oz (179 g) | 37.6 mg |
| Coffee, instant, french, 4 teaspoons (1 serving) ( 13 g) | 32 mg |
| Coffee, instant, mocha, 1 serving 2tbsp (13 g) | 46.8 mg |
Keep reading to know more.
Does a cup of coffee affect blood pressure?
Researchers say caffeine does lead to a short-term increase in blood pressure, although this increase differs from person to person. People who have a high consumption of caffeine in their diet and are hypertensive, are advised to drink less caffeine, some people stop their coffee consumption immediately, but it can lead to caffeine withdrawal syndrome.
Coffee is consumed everywhere in every form. Consuming a moderate amount of caffeine has many health benefits but some people have less tolerance to caffeine; therefore, even one cup of coffee can raise health issues for them.
People who don’t consume caffeine can have a spike in blood pressure when they have exposure to caffeine, but they will develop a tolerance, and blood pressure will return to normal levels.
What is the best coffee for high blood pressure?
Coffees with the least amount of caffeine like decaf are the best for high blood pressure.
Decaffeinated coffee has little to no caffeine found in it. According to NCAUSA, decaf contains about 3% caffeine, with as little to 2 mg of caffeine. This is perfect for people with high blood pressure as caffeine is usually the culprit to the spike in blood pressure.
Does this mean the benefits that are associated with caffeine are removed from decaf coffee? To an extent, yes. But decaf coffee carries their own fair share of benefits that is absent in regular coffee.
For one, decaf is a lot easier to stomach for people with caffeine sensitivity. It is also associated with lower mortality and a reduced risk of lung cancer.
Coffee comes in many types, what that means is, some coffees are high in caffeine and some are low, some coffees are sweet, and some have a bitter taste.
Moreover, if you are the kind of a person who has a hard time cutting down on caffeine then there are many foods that can help with high blood pressure, you can add them to your diet to keep the blood pressure at a normal level.
Here is a list of foods that can help in high blood pressure:
- Citrus food – Citrus food includes oranges, lemons, and grapefruit. These foods are considered to have a lowering effect on blood pressure because these foods contain, vitamins and many minerals which help in reducing heart disease risk factors, one of them is high blood pressure.
- Swiss Chard – Swiss chard, also known as leafy greens. They have many nutrients that help in regulating blood pressure. 145 grams of cooked leafy green will give you 17% of potassium and 30% of magnesium, which is the average amount one should eat daily.
- Fatty Fish – Fatty fish like salmon and sardines contain omega-3 fats which are supposed to be good for heart health. The fats from the fish reduce inflammation and decrease blood vessel constrictions, which help in decreasing blood pressure levels.
- Berries – Berries like strawberries and blueberries have innumerable health benefits. Berries are rich in antioxidants. Antioxidants like anthocyanins increase nitric oxide levels in the blood which reduces the creation of blood-vessel restricting molecules; thereby reducing the blood pressure levels.
- Chia or Flax seeds – Chia and flax seeds are packed with nutrients that are good for blood pressure regulation. Studies have said, flax seeds may help in lowering blood pressure levels if whole seed forms are consumed for 12 weeks or more.
- Spinach – Spinach contains a high quantity of nitrates and antioxidants like calcium and potassium, which are necessary for one’s health.
- Lentils and Beans – Lentils and beans are rich in nutrients, for instance, fiber and magnesium, these nutrients help in blood pressure regulation. Consuming just the right amount will maintain blood pressure levels.
- Celery – Last but not the least, celery. It carries substances like phthalidas, which helps in relaxing blood vessels; thereby lowering blood pressure levels.
Does coffee raise blood pressure?
Coffee can be a cause of high blood pressure, however, that is not the case with every person. Such effect of caffeine differs from person to person. A person who just started consuming caffeine is most likely to experience high blood pressure. The body takes time to build a tolerance for caffeine until then your blood pressure can easily raise.
Doctors have advised their patients who suffer from hypertension to cut down their caffeine intake, although not completely. Abrupt discontinuation can lead to caffeine withdrawal syndrome.
All the information that you need to know about what caffeine does to the heart is in this video.
Will quitting coffee lower blood pressure?
Quitting caffeine will certainly lower your blood pressure, especially if you’re sensitive to caffeine. According to John Hopkins Medicine, if caffeine spikes your blood pressure within 30 minutes of drinking your coffee, you should cut back on the caffeine. But that’s not to say you should quit it entirely.
Caffeine has its fair share of negative effects but it also does have some positive ones.
Caffeine should be consumed in an amount that your body can tolerate. Some people have a high tolerance to caffeine that even immoderate consumption won’t harm them. Whereas people who are sensitive to caffeine will suffer from high blood pressure or irritated bowel.
Caffeine has different effects on every person, it completely depends on the person’s body. So quitting coffee without gathering complete knowledge about how your body reacts to caffeine can come with negative effects.
In conclusion.
The best coffee for high blood pressure is decaf as it contains barely any caffeine and caffeine is what causes a spike in blood pressure.
If you are a hypertensive person, caffeine can easily raise blood pressure. Doctors have advised keeping an average consumption of caffeine even if you are a hypertensive person because completely quitting can also have bad effects.
Caffeine can be too much for some people; therefore, there are coffees with much less caffeine, that you can switch to. Coffee is made in many types and caffeine quantity varies with that, espresso contains the lowest amount of caffeine.
If you are suffering from hypertension and are unable to cut down caffeine intake, there are foods that you can eat which will help in maintaining blood pressure levels. Foods high in antioxidants and nutrients are best for high blood pressure. I have listed foods that contain such substances above.