How to lower your blood pressure… with coffee

When I tell you that coffee is good for your blood pressure, you’ll probably think I’ve gone crazy. But guess what?

New published research shows that it is. But don’t make a beeline for Starbucks just yet. Because there’s a catch.

This latest study focused on polyphenols extracted from green coffee. So there was no caffeine or steaming mugs involved.

There were, however, plenty of chlorogenic acids. And the Japanese scientists behind this research think that these unique compounds might be responsible for coffee’s beneficial effects.

This was a small study, featuring 15 healthy Japanese men. Each subject consumed 75 grams of glucose either with or without coffee polyphenols. Both groups experienced increases in blood sugar and insulin levels.

But the group taking polyphenols benefited from a significant increase in reactive hyperemia index–a measure of blood vessel relaxation. In other words, just one dose of coffee polyphenols was able to improve endothelial function in this small test group. And proper endothelial function is the key to keeping your blood pressure in check.

The bottom line: If you want a healthier heart, it’s time to go green.

Source:
“Coffee polyphenols improve peripheral endothelial function after glucose loading in healthy male adults.” Nutrition Research. Published online 20 November 2013.