Habitual Caffeine Intake and the Risk of Hypertension in Women
This study found no link between caffeine from coffee and high blood pressure. However, the relationship was there for cola beverages, both diet and fully sugared. A few comments here. I believe coffee has gotten a bad rap because of the habits usually associated with it (i.e. coffee=breakfast, coffee & danish, stressed out office worker…) but the polyphenol content of coffee is pretty high and would confer a protective effect on a variety of conditions. The fact that colas increased risk should come as no great shocker.
But, for those decaffers out there, pay attention to how your coffee is decaffeinated. Many use a process involving trichloroethylene and methylene chloride-compounds which have been shown to cause cancer in the lab. Granted, the levels the animals were exposed to were much lower whatever residues are left in the coffee, but it does leave room for questions.