Energy drinks and coffee are meant to increase your physical performance and boost energy. Both have the same aim, and they have caffeine as their main ingredient.
Both of the following drinks have different caffeine content. And the different amounts of sugar and calories. Depending on which brand you go for.
If you’re confused and wondering whether you should go for an energy drink or coffee, this article will help you out.
Let’s start.
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Coffee
Coffee is a hot drink made from roasted coffee beans, which are the seeds of berries from some plants.
Coffee is a drink that is usually consumed in the morning, though it can also be finished throughout the day.
There are different types of coffee as black coffee and cappuccino. What you get in a cup of coffee depends on the kind of coffee you have.
Coffee has more straightforward ingredients compared to an energy drink. However, the amount of caffeine in your coffee depends on the brand and the type of coffee you choose.
Coffee comes in powdered form, and it really depends on the brand. You may prefer black coffee, or you may like coffee mixed with sugar and creamer, which have more calories.
Drinking coffee can also protect you from some health problems:
- Parkinson’s Disease
- Type 2 Diabetes
- Liver Disease
- Liver Cancer
- Heart Attack
- Stroke
However, despite the benefits, you still need to watch your coffee consumption since drinking too much coffee can have the following negative impact on your health:
- Insomnia
- Fatigue
- Increase in Blood Sugar Levels
- Acid Reflux
- Heartburn
If you want more information on what caffeine does to your health, watch this video:
Energy Drinks
An energy drink is typically a drink with a lot of caffeine, sugar, and additional additives.
Energy drinks are slightly different from coffee since they have more complex ingredients. They are mainly consumed for an extra boost while increasing your focus and concentration.
Energy drinks can also be used as a pre-workout.
Also, since it will enhance your physical performance, you’ll burn more calories, eventually leading to weight loss.
There are two types of energy drinks available in the market. One comes in powdered form, and the other comes in liquid form.
Powdered energy drinks are mixed with water to make a drink, whereas the liquid ones are usually in cans or bottles, and they’re ready to drink.
Moreover, every brand has different ingredients in its energy drink. Also, the caffeine content and how much sugar energy drinks have depends on the brand you go for.
Drinking energy drinks can have the following health benefits:
- Boosted Energy Levels
- Improved Concentration
- Improved Memory
- Faster Post-workout Recovery
- Improved Mood
However, it’s important to have energy drinks in a certain limit to avoid the following side effects:
- Nausea
- Vomiting
- Headaches
- Insomnia
Caffeine In Energy Drinks And Coffee
Caffeine is the main ingredient of energy drinks and coffee.
Caffeine works as an energy booster that improves your brain’s cognitive functions.
Caffeine can also protect you against diabetes and significantly increase your physical performance and improve your metabolism.
In terms of caffeine, energy drinks and coffee are quite similar.
Both contain almost the same amount of caffeine in a single serving. In fact, this shows that energy drinks have less caffeine than a cup of coffee.
However, the caffeine content in energy drinks depends on the brand of energy drink you go for.
For example, if you go for a Redline Xtreme energy drink, it has 316mg of caffeine, which is a lot more than a cup of coffee.
On the other hand, a cup of coffee has an average of 70 to 140mg of caffeine which is less moderately on the higher side.
According to the FDA, an adult with no medical condition can have up to 400mg of caffeine in a single day.
Keep in mind that it’s very important to keep your caffeine intake under safe caffeine intake. Otherwise, your might experience the following adverse effects:
- Headache
- Dizziness
- Restless
- Insomnia
- Chest pain
- Dehydration
- High blood pressure
- Irregular heart rate
- Anxiety
Sugar In Energy Drinks And Coffee
Sugar is a substance added to food and beverages to add sweetness and taste.
Sugar can have the following advantages:
- Burst of Energy
- Improved Thinking Skills
- Improved Mood
- Storeed Energy
When it comes to coffee, we can control how much sugar we want to add to coffee by adding a single teaspoon of sugar to the coffee. You can even have coffee without sugar.
But when we talk about energy drinks, energy drinks do have some amount of sugar, which increases your sugar intake. The amount of sugar in the energy drink depends on what brand you choose.
If we compare Red Bull with coffee, Red Bull has 26g of sugar in a single can, while you can control how much sugar you need in coffee.
The AHA recommends that a woman can have up to 25g of sugar in a day while a man can have up to 36g of sugar in a day.
It’s important to keep your sugar intake under the safe intake whether you’re having coffee or an energy drink since excessive sugar intake can lead to the following health issues:
- Obesity
- Skin Ageing
- Tooth Decay
- Acne
- Diabetes
- Risk of Heart Disease
- Depression
- Low Energy
Calories In Energy Drinks And Coffee
Every type of coffee and every brand of energy have different amounts of calories.
It really depends on which brand you go for and which type of coffee you like to drink.
For instance, a plain cup of coffee has 5 calories, but adding other ingredients will increase the number of calories, so it depends on what kind of ingredients you added along with it.
Whereas energy drinks have a fixed number of calories, the number of calories you consume from an energy drink totally depends on the brand you go for.
In context, a woman’s recommended daily calorie intake should be around 2000 calories while a man’s recommended calorie intake should be around 2500 calories in a day.
Whichever beverage you go for, it’s important to keep a track of your calorie intake since consuming more calories than your body needs can have the following disadvantages:
- Disturbed Hunger Regulation
- Promoted Excess Body Fat
- Increased Risk of Diseases
- Impaired Brain Function
- Nausea
However, if you’re on a diet or take a restricted amount of calories, you should opt for sugar-free energy drinks since they won’t increase your calorie intake.
While if you’re more into coffee, then you should have coffee with minimal dressing since the less you add in your coffee, the fewer calories you will consume.
Side Effects Of Both Beverages
Coffee and energy drinks both don’t have any major side effects if you consume responsibly.
In coffee and in energy drinks, the primary ingredient is the same, which is caffeine. Caffeine makes you feel energetic and makes your mind more alert.
Apart from caffeine, both of these beverages have different ingredients in different quantities, but it’s important to drink both of these drinks in moderation.
When it comes to energy drinks, you should keep track of your consumption since excessive consumption can cause the following side effects:
- Increased Heart Rate
- High Blood Pressure
- Heart Palpitations
- Insomnia
- Dehydration
- Restlessness
- Weight Gain
- Diabetes
- Sugar Overload
Whereas, coffee also has caffeine which can be harmful if not consumed in moderation. Excessive drinking of coffee can cause adverse effects, such as:
- Vomiting
- Increased Thirst
- Difficulty Breathing
- Chest Pain
- Upset Stomach
- Diarrhea
Moreover, if you’re underage, you should avoid consuming too much caffeine since it can be dangerous.
Besides the age factor, pregnant women should also avoid having energy drinks because caffeine may cause miscarriages.
How many cups of coffee equal an energy drink?
On average, an energy drink may contain around 80-200 milligrams of caffeine, while a cup of brewed coffee typically contains around 95 milligrams. The caffeine content in energy drinks and coffee can vary widely, making it difficult to equate the two in terms of cups.
To determine how many cups of coffee equal an energy drink in terms of caffeine content, it is advisable to refer to the specific product labels or contact the manufacturer for accurate information. It’s also crucial to be aware of individual caffeine sensitivity and tolerance levels.
Can energy drinks and coffee be healthy?
Energy Drinks and Coffee can be healthy. Both energy drinks and coffee can provide a temporary boost in energy and alertness due to their caffeine content. However, it’s important to note that they should not be relied upon as a substitute for a balanced diet, regular exercise, and sufficient sleep.
The health effects of energy drinks and coffee can vary among individuals. While moderate consumption of these beverages is generally considered safe for most healthy adults, excessive intake can lead to negative health outcomes. It’s crucial to be aware of the potential risks associated with high coffee and energy drink consumption.
Which Works The Best?
Both, coffee and energy drinks have more or less the same result.
Coffee is great for mornings when you need to get out of bed, while energy drinks are great for some extra boost that you need before working out.
If you stay up late during the night, then energy drinks can help boost your focus.
I personally think both are equally good and it depends on what you prefer the most and what works for you the most.
But regardless of which one you decide to drink, remember to drink in moderation since it could lead to some serious health issues.
Where Can You Get Them?
You can get both of these drinks from anywhere.
The easiest way is to get them from a store or buy them from a shop.
However, if you prefer to buy online and don’t want to step out of the house, you can get them from e-stores. You can even get great pricing and discount from the e-store as well.
If you’re into energy drinks and want to buy some, you can get them from online stores, such as; Amazon and eBay. Some energy drinks bran even have their official website as well, so you can order from there as well.
While, if you’re more into coffee, you can get it from any local coffee shop. You can even brew your cup of coffee at home if you want some great coffee.
Coffees are also available in local stores. The different brand sells brewed coffee in another packaging. You can easily get it from any nearest convenience store.
If you want to know where to buy drinks like V Energy, check this article here: Where Can You Buy V Energy Drink? (Answered)
Alternate Energy Drinks
If you settled for energy drinks, try out these:
Bottom Line
Energy drinks and coffee, both are equally effective for increasing your alert and making you more active. I can’t say that one is better than the other.
However, both of the drinks have different ingredients.
Coffee has more simple ingredients, whereas energy drinks have more complicated ingredients. It’s difficult to say that which one is the better drink.
In terms of results, both have equally good results.
Both do their job and provide you with your desired result. It totally depends on your personal preference that which one you like the most and what works for you.
Regardless of whichever you choose, remember to drink in moderation.