Coffee vs Energy Drinks: Which is Best to Stay Awake?

1. Caffeine Content

When comparing caffeine in coffee and energy drinks, the volume of your drink is the first point to consider. The caffeine content in energy drinks varies from 40-240mg.

The exact amount of caffeine in your coffee depends on the type and size of coffee beans used and how they were roasted. It also varies depending on how strongly the coffee is brewed. To find out what’s the right amount of caffeine for you, check out this awesome caffeine calculator.

The FDA recommendation for caffeine intake for healthy adults is capped at 400mg/day. On average, an 8-ounce cup of coffee offers you about 95 to 100 mg of caffeine. So you can safely have about 4 cups of coffee a day!

Now, how many cups of coffee equal an energy drink?

The answer depends on the amount of caffeine in the energy drink. The more common 8-oz cans of energy drinks, found in convenience stores or gas stations, contain about 80 mg of caffeine. This means your average cup of joe offers you a more powerful caffeine kick than the canned stuff - unless you go for those super-sized cans with 12 to 16-oz.

When you are looking into how much caffeine is in coffee vs energy drinks, you should also think of how these drinks are consumed. When you slowly sip on a hot cup of coffee, the caffeine delivery is much slower in comparison to drinking it all at one go. Whether its a glass of cold coffee, a coffee shake or an energy drink, chugging them down with enthusiasm can result in a caffeine overload.

While energy drinks may give you the caffeine kick faster, you also tend to burn through it quickly and crash faster. With coffee, the effect kicks in slowly and lasts longer.

Winner of round 1: Coffee! You get adequate caffeine from coffee to perk you up. The caffeine effect is more steady and sustained in comparison to that of energy drinks.

2. Nutrients

Energy drinks generally lack significant nutrients. You can enjoy additional health benefits if your drink contains other ingredients such as herbal extracts or amino acids.

Winner of round 2: Coffee again! You get some essential nutrients and antioxidants from coffee while the nutrient content in energy drinks is negligible.

3. Calories

While energy drinks tend to be high in calories, a cup of black coffee has zero calories.

While having four cups of coffee a day stays within the recommended amount of caffeine intake, your calorie intake may shoot up if you are not careful with what you add. Remember that adding milk and sugar will increase the calorie content of your coffee.

You can also sweeten your coffee with natural calorie-free sweeteners such as cane sugar or monk fruit. If you want to go dairy-free, you can add popular plant-based milks such as almond, soy, or coconut milk to your coffee.

Winner of round 3: Black coffee! Energy drinks tend to be high in calories. If you prefer a caffè latte, avoid excess sugar and go easy on the milk to keep your calories on the lower side.

4. Sugar Content

The sugar content of your coffee is in your hands. You can skip the sugar or add natural sweeteners as mentioned above. Unless you are on a strict weight loss diet, you can safely add a teaspoon of sugar to your coffee without worrying too much about it.

Winner of round 4: Coffee! Add some sugar or skip it entirely - it’s in your hands. Energy drinks tend to be full of sugar or unhealthy artificial sweeteners.

5. For Weight Gain/Loss

Whether you’ll gain weight or lose weight with these drinks will depend on your calorie intake.

With their high-calorie content, energy drinks tend to cause weight gain rather than weight loss.

Winner of round 5: Coffee! It promotes weight loss by increasing your metabolism and mobilizing stored body fat. Consuming too many energy drinks can lead to weight gain due to their high-calorie content.

6. Use Cases: Staying Awake, Productivity, Exercise

Caffeine chases away your drowsiness by blocking adenosine, an inhibitory neurotransmitter. This, in turn, leads to the release of neurotransmitters such as dopamine and norepinephrine, making you feel awake and energized.

Compared to energy drinks, coffee has more than just caffeine to keep you awake. It contains other stimulants that affect metabolism, such as theobromine, theophylline, and chlorogenic acid. Coffee is a must-have in my morning routine. I prefer sipping on a warm cup of coffee to wake me up whenever I feel drowsy. On a hot day, there is nothing better than a chilled glass of cold coffee.

Now, how about ‘coffee vs energy drinks for studying’?

Increased productivity: The increase in adrenaline and dopamine helps you stay alert and focused on your tasks, whether it be office work or studies.

Winner of round 6: Hot or cold, it's still coffee for me! The caffeine in coffee and energy drinks blocks adenosine and increases dopamine and norepinephrine release, helping you feel energized, awake, and ready for action.

Is Coffee Healthier than Energy Drinks?

There is no doubt that coffee is healthier than commercial energy drinks. Unlike energy drinks with high caffeine content, the moderate caffeine content in coffee enhances your focus, alertness, and cognitive functions without excessive stimulation.

Beyond its caffeine benefits, coffee has some essential nutrients and antioxidants such as chlorogenic acid. Energy drinks are generally lacking in essential nutrients. Coffee is also relatively lower in calories, especially since you can control how much sugar or cream you add.

Energy drinks may contain other additives such as artificial flavors or herbal extracts with undesirable side effects. While coffee is indeed a healthier choice, the key is moderation - you should limit your daily coffee intake to a maximum of 3 to 4 cups a day.

Are Sugar-Free Energy Drinks Better?

Sugar-free energy drinks can be advantageous if you're trying to reduce your overall caloric intake and manage your weight. They also help diabetics maintain stable energy levels and avoid rapid spikes and crashes in their blood sugar levels. Compared to high-sugar drinks, sugar-free energy drinks are less likely to contribute to tooth decay and cavities.

However, many sugar-free energy drinks use artificial sweeteners such as aspartame, sucralose, and saccharin. These can upset your gut bacteria balance and lead to a host of other health complications.

Although sugar-free, these energy drinks may contain too much caffeine and lack essential nutrients. Also, the taste of sugar-free energy drinks is different from natural sugars and tends to be less satisfying.