BP is controlled well now approx. (100/68). I've been using decaf for a year now and want to go back to regular coffee 2 cups in a.m. only. How will that affect BP? If so, how much? Thanks.

There's no way of knowing unless you try it and monitor your blood pressure. Everyone responds differently.

My guess is it would cause a slight rise for a few hours then taper off, if you're not too sensitive.

Right on! :) :)

My guess is it would cause a slight rise for a few hours then taper off, if you're not too sensitive

I asked my specialist the same question while still in the hospital. For some reason, I'd believed NO caffeine at all would be allowed.
Imagine my surprise (shock) on learning I could continue drinking coffee within reason (several cups a day). This came from a doctor who had worked very hard to get my out-of-control blood pressure down to acceptable and consistent levels.

My impression is -as aether pointed out - that coffee is not necessarily a bad drink. Sure it will raise your blood pressure somewhat. So will having a beer and pretzels. :)

flowergirl

I like a good cup of coffee too so I did some experimenting with various caffeinated drinks. I found that if I drank a cup, 8 oz, of regular coffee my BP would rise about 20 points for about an hour. What I found most interesting was that when I drank a 16 oz regular Coke my BP went up 20-30 points and stayed there for about four hours.
I ended up finding a great decaf coffee which I enjoy everyday. However, I buy the beans green and roast them myself and then grind them as needed. When a friend samples this decaf they are surprised how good it is. They are shocked when I tell them it is decaf. If you really enjoy coffee this is the way to go. There is no effect on my BP with this decaf.
Before I got into roasting I would get my coffee half decaf and half regular.
Don

How interesting! I like your little experiment. Thanks for sharing the results! :)

I am not at all surprised that carbonated drinks have a greater and longer lasting effect on our blood pressure than coffee. Have you ever had to clean up a spilled pop drink that's several hours old? What a sticky mess! It is hard to believe that this is what we consume when we drink the pop. :eek:

I'll stick with my coffee. What I sometimes do is use 1/2 coffee and 1/2 hot water. It tastes OK and still gives me a quick caffeine fix. Of course, nothing packs a bigger punch than the real thing. I'll bet your decaf coffee tastes delicious. I know one can buy green coffee beans. Why do I think that roasting them is an art? Is any special equipment needed?

flowergirl