Americans drink more coffee than any other beverage, and research has shown that a couple of cups a day is safe for most people and offers health benefits.

But coffee can cause a spike in blood pressure, so we asked John Higgins, MD , a cardiologist and professor of medicine at UTHealth Houston, whether it's still safe to drink coffee when you've been diagnosed with high blood pressure, and if so, how much.

Q: I am a coffee drinker, but I've recently been diagnosed with high blood pressure. Is it still safe for me to enjoy one or two cups of coffee a day?

Higgins: The short answer is yes. Moderate coffee consumption appears reasonably safe for most people with controlled or mildly elevated blood pressure , though responses vary.

Although caffeine has been shown to raise blood pre

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