This is a question many of us have grappled with. Should you drink a coffee or an energy drink to get that boost you need? Well, as I sit here tired as hell and ready to learn the answer myself, we’ll discuss that today. And as you can probably guess if you’ve read a few articles of mine, we’ll be discussing this for workouts specifically.
Coffee or an Energy Drink: Health
A lot of you probably think this is a pretty clear cut answer, right? Energy drinks are surely less healthy than coffee. Well, it’s not quite so easy for you as that. Different factors are going to effect how healthy (or not) your choice of energy booster is. For starters, as a general rule you’ll find that coffee has a much higher caffeine content than energy drinks. For example, a twelve ounce starbucks pike place roast has 260mg of caffeine. If you compare that to the the one hundred and seventy mg you can find in a Monster drink, it may change your tune.
Of course, there are specific examples of energy drinks that have more or less caffeine in them than a Monster can, but we’re speaking in general terms.
And you should know that caffeine content isn’t the only deciding factor when it comes to health. Coffee is pretty widely known to be healthy. In fact, coffee has been shown to help with chronic tinnitus, can boost your mood, and may even help fend off skin cancer. And that’s just a few examples of coffee’s possitive benefits. But energy drinks can also do pretty good for your body if you know what you’re looking for. You can find many similarities between some energy drinks and gatorades, such as vitamins, nutrients, and amino acids that can help you get a good workout in or really zone in your focus.
This really comes down to your choice of drink for either one to be more or less healthy. Just make sure not to overdo it for either drink, and you’ll be fine.
Coffee or an Energy Drink: Energy
So the next question is pretty obvious. Will a coffee or an energy drink give you a bigger boost? Well, this section is actually going to be pretty short because it’s basically answered already. Outside of personal reactions from drink to drink, it’s all about the caffeine content. If you really need a massive boost, coffee is going to be the way to go. Coffee, as I said before, is generally higher in caffeine than the energy drinks you’ll find on the market. But if you don’t need quite such a large boost, I’d go for an energy drink. Especially one with vitamins and electrolytes if you’re going for a workout boost instead of an “I need to stay up all night” boost. But one thing to consider when reaching for coffee or an energy drink is sugar content. If you’re like me and have high blood sugar already, make sure to be careful. Grab a sugarless can when you can find them, since they usually are pretty high in sugar.
Coffee or an Energy Drink: The Dark Truth
If I’m really honest, even after this research, I don’t think I’d choose either. Especially when it comes to something like workout energy. The best choice for those is usually…well, a pre-workout mix! Pre-workouts are usually sugarless, and you won’t find any with calories in them. But they’re packed with Taurine, L-citrulline, beta-alanine, and other amino acids and vitamins. These help you stay focused and work more explosively during your workouts.
My favorite brand is TLM Research’s Meth Lab. Don’t let the goofy name spook you, it’s got a pretty high caffeine content to keep you focused and energized, and has a great mix of all of those ingredients I mentioned above. I’ve broken plenty of lifting personal records while using it. Just make sure to follow the instructions on the tube and not to take more than you should.
