Sometimes, the greatest challenge of the day is simply getting it started.
However, no matter how undeniable the allure of the comfy bed may be, you need to get up. To help with that, you will need something to wake you up.
More often than not, you will have to choose a side in the battle of coffee vs energy drinks. There is a clear choice in that battle, and you will be able to find out which one that is over the course of reading this article.
14 Factors Between Coffee vs Energy Drinks
1. Comparing Calories
Watching how many calories you consume on a daily basis is a good way to stay on top of your health.
If you are calorie counting, then you should know that energy drinks will add a lot to your daily total. Energy drinks rely on sugar and other artificial sweeteners to attain a more palatable flavor. You also have no control over how much sugar is poured into a bottle of the energy drink you are considering getting.
It’s true that coffee is also often sweetened, but you don’t always have to use sugar for that. Different types of milk and cream can work just as well to impart a sweet flavor to the coffee that you are about to drink.
2. Caffeine Amounts
On those days when you have a lot of work to get done, you may assume that energy drinks will be more helpful because they contain significantly more caffeine.
However, as pointed out by the Atlas Coffee Club, energy drinks only contain about 50 mg more of caffeine on the high end compared to coffee.
You should be able to get the same type of boost from both beverages.
3. Considering the Cost
You can probably save a bit of money by buying your preferred energy drink in bulk and just keeping it cool at the fridge at home, but with a one-time purchase of a coffee grinder, you’d be cutting down on your daily expenses by a lot.
4. Awareness of the Ingredients
All the ingredients stirred into a typical cup of coffee are ones you likely know very well. You have the ground up coffee beans, the hot water, maybe a teaspoon of sugar or a different type of sugar substitute, and you may also choose to add a splash of cream or milk to the mixture.
Figuring out which ingredients are used to make energy drinks is a greater challenge.
5. Considering the Flavor
Likely due in part to them featuring some ingredients you are not completely familiar with, the flavor of most energy drinks can seem a bit off. Plus, there’s that aftertaste that is not pleasant at all.
Coffee’s flavor is versatile. Depending on your preference, you can enjoy it slightly bitter or sweetened with sugar and cream. There are also numerous other ways to alter the flavor of coffee that you can try.
6. Keeping You Awake and Alert
Earlier in this article, we talked about how energy drinks feature a bit more caffeine, but it’s important to point out that having more of that substance does not necessarily mean that it will perform better than coffee when it comes to the task of keeping you awake and alert.
Energy drinks give you an immediate boost, and sure, that’s helpful, but they aren’t as good as sustaining you throughout the course of your day. Because of that immediate sugar rush you get from the typical energy drink, the boost you receive will likely prove temporary.
After a few hours, you’re probably going to crash and feel drowsy.
Coffee works better for sustaining your energy throughout the day, and if the need does arise to refuel, it’s easy to fix yourself another cup.
7. Cultural Ties
All kinds of civilizations across the globe have some kind of coffee culture. Coffee is the breakfast beverage of choice for many adults across the world and it is often paired up with staple food items as well.
Meeting up to have coffee is also a social norm in many parts of the world.
Energy drinks have yet to permeate culture in the way that coffee has, and there’s a good chance that may never happen.
8. Connections to Food
Even though energy drinks are infused with citrus flavors and other tastes designed to appeal to the palate, they aren’t used as ingredients for dishes. Energy drinks are useful for the sole purpose of consuming in liquid form. They are far from being the most versatile beverages out there.
On the other hand, coffee has been used as an ingredient in so many recipes.
Coffee has been used as the primary flavoring agent for pastries and cakes. It has also been used to flavor ice cream.
To be clear, coffee is not limited to being an ingredient used only in sweet treats. Many inventive cooks have also made use of coffee’s unique flavor to make their savory dishes more interesting. Cooks have even taken to using coffee to add a complex flavor to their grilled dishes.
It’s hard to imagine any currently available energy drink being used in that way.
9. Appeal to Different Demographics
Many people start consuming either coffee or energy drinks at some point in their late teens or early 20s. Once they pick up that habit, they will likely have it for decades.
However, only coffee has managed to maintain its appeal among older people. That’s not entirely surprising given how strong the artificial flavors of some energy drinks can be.
10. Daily Intake
You have more control over how much caffeine you are ingesting when you stick to drinking coffee. If you want to keep your caffeine consumption low, that is certainly possible, and the same is true if you want to raise it.
Energy drinks are not quite as flexible and your only choice is to consume a lot of caffeine.
11. Popularity
Energy drinks have definitely surged in popularity over the last few decades, but they still can’t match the wide reach boasted by coffee. You may be able to find energy drinks in most convenience stores, but only cups of coffee are served in numerous cafes all over the world.
12. Effects on Rest
Pulling an all-nighter is unpleasant, but at times, necessary. When school projects or work presentations are due in the morning and you still have plenty to do, you will need a boost from an energy-giving beverage.
So, should you reach for a cup of coffee or a bottled energy drink?
The thing about consuming energy drinks for all-nighters is that they may either cause you to crash out of nowhere or they may instead end up keeping you up for way longer than what you wanted.
That same issue is not one you will encounter when you reach for the coffee because you are getting more controlled doses of caffeine.
If you plan on easing into your rest after an all-nighter, coffee is what you will want to drink.
13. Energy Drinks in Disguise
You know when you are drinking coffee because that flavor is unmistakable, but not all energy drinks are formulated in the same way, and their flavors can also differ wildly.
When most people think of energy drinks, they think of the ones in brightly colored bottles or elongated aluminum cans. However, those sugary, citrus-flavored drinks are not the only energy drinks that are widely available.
Those caramel-flavored sodas that line numerous store shelves also feature plenty of caffeine, and they can also be thought of as energy drinks. Just because they are not labeled in the same way, that does not mean that their effects on the body differ significantly from your favorite energy drinks.
Sodas are not considered great for you, and since they are not that different from energy drinks, you can determine for yourself if you should still consume the latter on a daily basis.
14. Addictive Quality
Caffeine is a substance that has a way of keeping people hooked. It can be addictive, and many people have been unable to get away from it.
Being addicted to just about any substance is not good for your overall health.
In order to avoid becoming fully addicted to caffeine, it would be best to stick to enjoying coffee as opposed to downing energy drinks.
Energy drinks are teeming with caffeine, and the more you get used to just consuming plenty of caffeine at regular intervals, the harder it will be to get away from that substance.
Coffee obviously contains caffeine, but the amount is more controlled. Before you even become addicted to the aforementioned substance, you can switch up your blend of choice to one that features lower caffeine content.
In the battle of the energy-giving beverages, the end result is not even close. Coffee comes out as the clear winner in almost every way.
Energy drinks may contain more caffeine, but that is not necessarily a positive.
So, feel free to make yourself a cup of coffee and enjoy its many benefits as you prepare to take on another busy day.
