When you wake up in the morning, or feel low in energy after lunch, what do you prefer as a source of energy: coffee or an energy drink? You may just need a good dose of caffeine, but it's the way you get it that really matters. Some people choose Red Bull, Monster, Adrenalin Rush, Burn or other drinks, others pour themselves another shot of espresso. We looked at the main parameters of both types of drinks to determine which is more harmful: coffee or energy drinks.
Calorie content of coffee and energy drinks
A high calorie count doesn't necessarily mean a food or drink is unhealthy (after all, your body needs calories to function properly). However, it's important to remember where you get your calories from and look for healthy, wholesome sources.
For comparison:
- There are no calories in coffee. More precisely, there are, but in a serving of espresso (or Americano) there are only 2 of them, and in a shot of espresso (or Americano), it’s good if there are 4-5. Given the daily norm of even the most strict diet of approximately 1500 kcal, this is generally unimportant.
- A can of a typical energy drink like Monster contains 110 calories, which mostly come from added sugar.
Sugar has calories, but you won't get any beneficial nutritional value for your body; it's a fast carbohydrate. Coffee is better for long-term activity, and you don't have to count the number of calories in it.
Benefits of taurine for humans
Despite the large number of valuable properties, the principle of action of taurine has not yet been fully studied. But there are effects that are definitely confirmed. So, taurine:
- regulates blood pressure;
- eliminates harmful oxidants (antioxidant effect);
- reduces inflammatory processes;
- helps control the absorption of calcium ions (good for the heart);
- reduces blood pressure;
- controls fat digestion;
- participates in the absorption of fat-soluble vitamins;
- controls blood cholesterol levels.
Taurine protects the eyes from harmful environmental influences. It also has the ability to inhibit the action of the central nervous system, so it is used for severe anxiety and symptoms of depression.
The amino acid also improves memory and other cognitive functions. In men, the supplement improves sperm quality, thereby improving reproductive health. Taurine's ability to reduce blood sugar is beneficial for people with diabetes.
We advise you to study: “How to maintain men’s health: the simplest methods and secrets for men.”
Taurine for athletes
In sports, taurine is used to increase muscle mass and reduce tissue breakdown during intense exercise. When combined with creatine, the amino acid helps relieve fatigue and muscle soreness.
One theory is that taurine has an effect similar to that of insulin. Taurine transports other amino acids and glucose into muscle cells. Due to this, their volume increases, protein synthesis increases and its breakdown decreases. Taurine is especially necessary for vegetarians and vegans, since their diet leads to a deficiency of this substance.
We advise you to study: “All about the nutrition of vegetarian bodybuilders.”
Athletes take the amino acid to improve performance during training. When else is this supplement useful:
- with low immunity;
- decreased libido;
- high physical activity;
- nervous tension and aggressiveness;
- blurred vision;
- decreased attention;
- anxiety and difficulty sleeping.
Taurine is also useful for weight loss. It is involved in the absorption and breakdown of fats, which helps reduce their deposits in the body. Other beneficial properties of amino acids for athletes:
- prevents testosterone levels from decreasing due to oxidation caused by stress, poor diet or toxins;
- improves the action of insulin and glucose absorption, which ensures normal growth and functioning of tissues;
- protects muscles from training loads and accelerates their regeneration.
Sugar content in coffee and energy drinks: which is more harmful?
- Even if energy drinks are advertised as “sugar-free,” they contain artificial sweeteners, which are best avoided from your diet anyway.
- One Red Bull (250 ml) contains 26 grams of added sugar, which is more than half the recommended daily amount in a typical 2,000-calorie diet.
- Sugar-free versions of energy drinks are not very good for you because they contain artificial sweeteners such as aspartame and sucralose.
- But coffee can still be sweet and low in calories: try all-natural stevia instead of sugar and replace the cream with almond milk, which has a great taste, aroma and slight natural sweetness.
If you're concerned about your sugar intake, add just a spoonful of sugar or a natural sweetener to your coffee.
Energy drinks are bad for your health
According to a study by the World Health Organization (WHO), caffeine found in energy drinks in large doses can cause serious health problems.
Caffeine overdose causes nausea and vomiting, rapid heart rate, seizures, high blood pressure, and in some cases, even death. Frequent consumption leads to type 2 diabetes, worsens dental health, and risks obesity, neurological and cardiovascular diseases.
A number of serious problems can arise in pregnant women - late miscarriages, low baby weight and stillbirth.
A study published in the Interantional Journal of Health Sciences in 2015 found that excessive consumption of energy drinks also leads to increased nervousness, insomnia, gastric upset, headaches and excess diuresis (production of urine).
Vladimir Vyatkin/RIA Novosti
Where is there more caffeine in coffee or energy drinks?
If you think that energy drinks contain more caffeine because it makes you feel more alert, this is not true. A standard 250-gram can of Red Bull has 80 mg of caffeine, while a large Americano from a machine has about 90 mg. Unless you're drinking from a large can, the amount of caffeine will be roughly comparable. There are energy drinks with an increased dose of caffeine, and there is decaf coffee. Keep in mind that a healthy adult can consume up to 400 mg of caffeine per day. In situations of stress or fatigue, this dose is reduced.
To avoid an attack of tachycardia, tremors in the hands and general weakness, it is worth controlling the amount of caffeine you get from any drink.
Although coffee contains more caffeine, additives in energy drinks, such as taurine, act as enhancers that can help avoid energy crashes and enhance athletic performance. So if you need a caffeine boost before you hit the gym, an energy drink can help you perform better in the gym.
A frequently asked question is: how many cups/mugs of coffee are there in energy drinks, which is more harmful? The answer is about one cup per 250ml jar.
Composition of energy workers
Caffeine is a substance that stimulates the nervous system. Increases blood pressure, accelerates heart rate, and due to the release of dopamine, improves overall mood and well-being. Caffeine-containing drugs and products are used for vigor, to improve a person’s psychophysical activity, and in the treatment of certain diseases. The energy drink contains as much caffeine as 3-4 cups of coffee.
Mate - Paraguayan tea, despite its antioxidant properties, due to the content of high doses of caffeine, also has a powerful effect on the central nervous system, stimulating its work.
Taurine is a sulfur-containing amino acid that is part of energy drinks and has a number of positive facts; in energy drinks it is used for cardiotropic effects (increased heart rate, increased production of norepinephrine).
B vitamins are included in energy drinks to accelerate the conversion of simple sugar (which is also included in the drink) into energy.
Guaranine is a plant substance extracted from guarana leaves that contains large amounts of caffeine. Due to its slow elimination from the body, the effect of the energy drink is longer lasting.
Ginseng is added to such drinks due to its anti-stress and antidepressant properties.
CO2 is carbon dioxide, a colorless gas, added to drinks for faster absorption.
Oxidizing agents, dyes, sweeteners, flavorings are substances that give the drink color, taste, aroma, but can cause severe allergies.
The individual substance in the drink itself is safe in reasonable doses. In combination with each other, this connection becomes dangerous and causes irreparable harm to the body, and the effect of most of them has not yet been fully studied.
The composition of many of these drinks is different, but their effect on the body is the same. Let's look at what substances are included in popular energy drinks:
Red Bull
Contents per 100 ml of product
| taurine | 250 mg |
| caffeine | 32 mg |
| vitamins | niacin 8 mg; B6 - 1.27 mg; B12 - 1.9 mcg |
| squirrels | 0 g |
| fats | 0 g |
| carbohydrates | 11 g |
| calorie content | 46 kcal |
| energy value | 195 kJ |
Adrenaline Rush
Contents per 100 ml of product
| taurine | 240 mg |
| caffeine | 30 mg |
| L-carnitine | 100 mg |
| vitamins | B6 - 0.8 mg; B12 - 0.4 mcg |
| squirrels | 0.5 g |
| fats | 0 g |
| carbohydrates | 12.5 g |
| calorie content | 54 kcal |
| energy value | 230 kJ |
Burn
Contents per 100 ml of product
| taurine | no data |
| caffeine | 30 mg |
| guarana extract | |
| vitamins | B3 - 5.8 mg; B5 - 1.1 mg; B6 - 0.6 mg; B12 - 0.28 mcg |
| squirrels | 0 g |
| fats | 0 g |
| carbohydrates | 13.5 g |
| calorie content | 56 kcal |
| energy value | 234 kJ |
Black Monster
Contents per 100 ml of product
| taurine | 230 mg |
| caffeine | 30 mg |
| ginseng extract | |
| vitamins | niacin 8.5 mg; B6 - 0.85 mg; B12 - 1.3 mcg |
| squirrels | 0.2 g |
| fats | 0 g |
| carbohydrates | 11.8 g |
| calorie content | 50 kcal |
| energy value | 214 kJ |
What is better in composition, what is more harmful: energy drink or coffee
By drinking espresso or Americano you, of course, will not get taurine, ginseng, mate and B12.
The good news is that you don't need nearly as much of these stimulants and vitamins on a daily basis. Some are designed to enhance the effects of caffeine, while others are added because it sounds good, even when there is no clear scientific evidence to support its effectiveness. Energy drinks contain a long list of ingredients such as glucose, sodium citrate, and artificial colors and flavors. They also usually contain extra vitamins, such as B12 and calcium, which should help give you an energy boost. However, your body does not absorb added vitamins that are naturally found in whole foods, so you should not rely on these added vitamins when making your choices.
Of course, B12 is a healthy and important vitamin, but most people get enough of it from their regular diet.
Coffee just contains coffee. Well, yes, Arabica contains more than 2000 compounds, but no one added anything synthetic or unnecessary to it for greater benefit. If you order coffee cocktails, the list of ingredients, of course, expands, but you can still choose a pure black at any cafe.
Different quality of energy in coffee and energy drinks
Coffee can charge you with both mental and physical energy. While sipping a fragrant Americano, most people are able to concentrate perfectly, whether on work projects or driving. From this point of view, coffee is perfect for office workers, students, and in any situations where you need to be attentive and concentrated.
Energy drinks, according to many people, provide physical energy due to the large amount of sugar and stimulating additives. They also “bring you to your senses,” but at the same time it is often impossible to do creative work, complete a coursework, or come up with a presentation. I don’t want to sleep, but I don’t have concentration either, there is only the physical energy of the body.
Mixing two different types of stimulants to get the maximum effect from each is not recommended.
The benefits and harms of energy drinks for the body
Energy drinks can be classified as stimulants. They can be divided into two groups: “coffee”, which are more often used by people of mental work and students, and the second group “vitamin-carbohydrate”, which contain significantly more vitamins and carbohydrates, as the name suggests, they are more often used by people conducting a lot of time in the gym. All such drinks are carbonated, which accelerates their effect on the body.
Any manufacturer defends its interests and, of course, declares that such drinks are healthy. But scientists and doctors unanimously say that they are harmful. In addition to the components listed above, any of the energy drinks contains large quantities of sugar, glucose, fructose, shock absorbers, stabilizers, dyes, and various additives, which undoubtedly cause harm to the body.
The first sensations after taking an energy drink are the appearance of vigor, increased tone, and improved performance. This may be enough for 3-4 hours, while a cup of coffee will help you cheer up for 1-2 hours, and then a sharp decline may occur. This can lead to sleep disturbances, depression, headaches and even poor coordination and orientation.
Effect of caffeine on the cardiovascular system
Energy drinks by themselves do not provide any energy or benefit; they only boost your internal abilities, the body’s reserves, and are a kind of key to internal strength. But you need to understand that the body’s capabilities are limited in any case and they can run out, and this will happen much faster when you waste them unwisely with the help of such drinks. And then the body may become exhausted in the literal sense, since the presence of mateine dulls the feeling of hunger, and in the sense that you use all internal reserves.
Caffeine can lead to depletion of the central nervous system, since it is a diuretic, this means dehydration of the body, which is especially important to remember for those who are actively involved in sports; in no case should you drink such a cocktail during and after training, this can cause tachycardia , excessive excitement, nervousness. Regular consumption of energy drinks is addictive.
“Coffee” drinks are in no case compatible with alcohol, as they will lead to a sharp increase in blood pressure and a possible hypertensive crisis. Vitamin B in excess will lead to heart rhythm disturbances and tremors in the arms and legs. Melatonin in our body is responsible for regulating sleep processes. And an excess of melatonin leads to its disruption.
High sugar content and high calorie content
It must be remembered that energy drinks are high in calories. Like any carbonated drink, they destroy tooth enamel and contribute to the appearance of caries. High sugar content contributes to its increase in the blood, which can lead to disturbances in the functioning of the immune system and diabetes. You should not count on the vitamins contained in “vitamin-carbohydrate” energy drinks; they will not at all replace a vitamin complex or fruits and vegetables in their pure form.
The content of glucuronolactone in two cans of the drink exceeds the daily norm several hundred times. Today, even scientists cannot say about the consequences of its interaction with caffeine. So it is impossible to say about the safety of his influence.
The first jar you drink will put you in a state of euphoria, excitement, help you concentrate on work, improve brain function, help get rid of drowsiness, but after some time there will be a decline, you will feel a sharp loss of strength and you will reach for a second jar, as you will want to go back into a state of activity. The effect will be less. You will want more - and so imperceptibly it drags on. And a completely opposite reaction may occur.
Expert opinion
Marianna Sergienkova
Expert of the LiteDay project. Pharmacist, certified fitness trainer, leads exercise therapy, Pilates, step and aerobics groups, 27 years old
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IMPORTANT: these drinks should absolutely not be consumed by children, pregnant and lactating women, hypotensive and hypertensive patients, people with heart disease or chronic diseases.
Prices for coffee and energy drinks: which is more harmful to the budget?
250-330 ml cans of Red Bull or Burn cost approximately 90–100 rubles. Do you need two jars overnight? For 150–200 rubles you can buy a 250 gram pack of coffee. If you consider that for one cup the standard amount of ground coffee is 7 g (a heaping teaspoon or one pour into the coffee machine), it turns out that you get approximately 35 cups from one pack. So if we are talking about budget and savings, the question of what is worse, coffee or energy drink, is not even worth it.
If you buy a drink in a coffee shop (like you would grab an energy drink in a store), a serving of Americano will cost the same 80–100 rubles. But without chemical additives, a natural product. If you buy a drink from a coffee machine in a store, it will be even cheaper.
Let's sum it up
- There are no calories in coffee, and about 100 kcal in energy drinks per 250-gram jar.
- Your Americano can be sweetened with natural stevia. The finished product contains either a lot of sugar or artificial sweeteners.
- In terms of caffeine, drinks are approximately the same, but artificial additives often enhance its effect, so the answer to the question of what is more effective, what invigorates better, coffee or energy drink, is ambiguous.
- If we talk about the composition, you yourself understand what is healthier – natural coffee or synthetic energy drink.
If you have no other choice, there's nothing wrong with drinking energy drinks every now and then—it's almost like drinking soda. But if you have the opportunity and you are wondering which is more harmful, coffee or energy drinks, choose coffee because it is a natural source of caffeine. If you drink your coffee black, you don't have to worry about calories, sugar, or additives.
