Coffee Vs Energy Drinks: The Battle To Keep You Awake
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Between attending class, studying for tests, and keeping up a social life outside of college, you may find yourself in need of an occasional energy boost. This will mean making an important decision which has been the center of some serious debate: coffee vs energy drinks. If youre looking for the refreshment that will provide you with the most energy as well as the best health benefits, then read on as we compare these two energy boosters.
Image by Karolina Grabowska from Pixabay
Us Energy Drink Market Statistics
Busy lifestyle and increasing health awareness drive the demand for energy drinks in the US. Whats more, drinking these beverages has become a status symbol, particularly for younger generations. Read our energy drinks facts and statistics below to find out how the energy drink market looks like in the US.
Red Bull Is Sold In 167 Countries
Red Bull became notable in the US in 1997. Although the major energy drink market is in the US, the company sells its flagship product in more than 160 countries. Whats more, the company recently experienced sales growth in Turkey, Brazil, Japan, Russia, and India. The plan is to continue expanding in Western Europe and the Far East.
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Can Monster Kill You
Five people may have died over the past three years after drinking Monster Energy, a popular energy drink that is high in caffeine, according to incident reports recently released by the Food and Drug Administration, the New York Times reported today.22 oct. 2012
What Ingredients Are In Energy Drinks
Energy drinks contain the stimulant caffeine. Sugar, sugar substitutes, vitamins, minerals, amino acids and herbs may also be added.
Health Canada limits the types and amounts of many of these ingredients to be within safe levels for adults when used according to the directions on the label. Health Canada manages the quality and safety of energy drinks under regulations for food products.
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Too Much Of A Good Thing
The subject of caffeine consumption has long been a topic of interest for modern researchers and scientists. Does too much cause memory loss? What about hypertension or anxiety? Is there even a thing as too much caffeine? Unlike other substances on the market, caffeine isnt really regulated at all, so people can truly ingest as much of the stuff as they want. But at what cost?
All in all, regular and even heavy amounts of caffeine use appear to be totally fine for healthy adults. A 2017 analysis of dozens of reports, papers, and experiments on the subject found that adults can safely consume 400 mg/day without suffering from adverse effects on cardiovascular health, calcium balance and bone status, behavior, cancer risk, or fertility. The prescribed number decreases to 100 mg/day for healthy adolescents and 2.5 mg/day for children . So while a single Dynapep may indeed be too much, most folks can safely intake several cups of coffee before even approaching the danger zone.
However, there are certain populations for whom caffeine consumption becomes a little trickier. According to the above report, groups such as pregnant and lactating women, young children, and people with underlying heart or mental health conditions may need to avoid caffeine altogether.
What Energy Drink Has The Most Caffeine In It
In terms of number and number only, that would be Full Throttle.
Java Monster
If youre looking for 200 mg of caffeine beverage in a can, Java Monster will be your choice. Though it consists of less caffeine quantity than above, it includes a high amount of sugar which is a negative point in this drink. It has 35 gm of sugar in each can. It is another highly dangerous beverage for an average person.
You can find a new energy beverage in the market every week. You must be cautious of buying such drinks as beverage companies extensively add sugar, carb, caffeine, and more unnecessary products. If you cannot choose an energy drink with good quantity ingredients, it can harm your health. Youre likely to tame sugar if your drink consists of an extensive quantity of sugar. And if you choose an energy drink with high caffeine quantity, you have more chance of getting caught in addiction. But if it fits well in amount, youll be boosted with fresh energy.
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Tips For Consuming Energy Drinks
Sleep is perhaps the most natural energy booster there is, so bear in mind that energy drinks are NOT to be used as substitutes for actual restful and restorative sleep. They can, however, be just the pick-me-up you need when catching up on your zzzs isnt possible right away.
- Choose the Right Time. Energy drinks typically use caffeine as their main energy booster. It takes several hours, however, to clear caffeine from your system. That means having an energy drink in the late afternoon or evening can disrupt your sleep
- Limit Yourself. Stick to just one or two energy drinks a day, so you are less likely to exceed the safe limits for caffeine intake. A caffeine overdose can lead to serious side effects, plus the possibility of caffeine addiction.
- Eat Something and Drink Water. Having an energy drink when youre very hungry can cause an upset stomach. Also, caffeine tends to speed up water loss, so ensure you drink sufficient water to keep hydrated. Thats especially important since being dehydrated tends to sap you of your energy.
Reign Total Body Fuel: 300 Mg Per Can
Reign is relatively a newcomer to the world of energy drinks. However, this beverage is owned by the same company that produces Monster Energy, so its really no surprise that it’s gotten so popular – or that it has so much caffeine! A single 16 oz can of Reign has 300 mg of caffeine, but these drinks boast no sugar, making them a solid choice for those looking to consume that much caffeine at once.
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Worst: Mountain Dew Rise
Are you surprised this one landed at the bottom? Mountain Dew may be targeting morning non-coffee drinkers with this, and it may even claim to be flavored with 5% grape juice. However, all this gives rise to what Dr. Avena says is a big warning for young Mountain Dew Rise drinkers: “Although it’s relatively low in sugar, the first ingredient aside from water is sugar white grape juice concentrate and it contains multiple artificial sweeteners and colors .” Why the yellow flag on yellow 5? Avena says: “Some research shows a potential link between artificial colors, including yellow 5, and hyperactivity in children.” In fact, she explains, if a product in the European Union contains yellow 5, among other artificial colors, it must contain a warning label.
How Much Caffeine Is In Popular Energy Drinks
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As a lover of coffee, I dont turn to energy drinks very often.
Dont get me wrong: I actually enjoy some occasional caffeinated energy drinks, but since I typically drink my cold brew coffee every single day, thats plenty of caffeine for me.
Can you have coffee & an energy drink on the same day? Of course.
But, depending on your caffeine tolerance, you may find that level of caffeine consumption to be too much for you.
I want to break down some of the more popular energy drinks out there to see how they stack up. And since this blog is all about health and nutrition, well also take a quick look at the calories, sugar, and ingredients.
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Red Bull Energy Drink
- Caffeine content: 80mg
The iconic duo Bull logo that we see everywhere, Red Bull single-handedly created the energy drink category.
Known throughout the world, behind the adventures of every extreme sports event as the drink that Gives You Wiings.
Founded by an ambitious Austrian man whose goal was to save the people of the world from lacklustre energy levels by serving them caffeinated drinks that he found in Thailand.
Red Bull got off to a rocky start, and was even banned in France for 12 years before things really took off.
Red Bull is still my main go-to energy drink whenever Im working out or playing a friendly basketball match with friends.
Its definitely enough to meet all your energy needs.
Red Bull, a classic favorite.
If youre interested to know what the difference is between Red Bull and Monster, I recommend that you check out my other article where I cover everything you need to know about exactly how they differ.
Can A 12 Year Old Drink Monster
Energy drinks can be harmful to kids and adolescents, and should not be sold or marketed to children under 18, according to a new study by a consumer advocacy group. Kids who drink high-caffeinated energy drinks can suffer negative health, social, emotional and behavioral problems, the study says.24 mar. 2015
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In Canada One In Six Energy Drink Consumers Has Exceeded The Maximum Daily Consumption
About 16% of the Canadian respondents reported ever consuming more than two energy drinks in a day. According to energy drink consumption by age, exceeding two drinks in a day was common among older adults aged 1824, British Columbia residents, and aboriginal respondents . That said, about half of youth and young adults were more of experimental consumers. In other words, theyve consumed five drinks in their lifetime.
Redline Xtreme: 316 Mg Per Bottle
Redline Xtreme is a special version of the popular Redline energy drink. Whats so special and Xtreme about it? Well, for starters, it has a ton of caffeine. This version is marketed toward people who are looking for a big boost of energy before they start their workout because it combines caffeine with a variety of other energy-boosting ingredients.
This drink comes in an 8 oz bottle, which is much smaller than other energy drinks, but each bottle brings the boost with 316 mg of caffeine.
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Strongest Energy Drinks Ranked
Feeling tired during work or study?
Or do you just not have the energy to kick start your workout?
There are many alternatives to get your energy boost. Coffee, tea, caffeine pills, and other caffeinated products. But, lets not mess about, if youre reading this, your go-to energy boost is probably the same as mine energy drinks.
They taste good, often contain tons and tons of caffeine and are great at getting you through the after-lunch slump, night shift, early morning, workout, study session or pretty much anything else that requires some help to accomplish.
But, too many energy drinks can be detrimental to your health and may cause serious side-effects.
With that out of the way, lets take a look at the energy drinks with the highest caffeine and Ill also include a few good options that have less-crazy amounts of caffeine and give you the best bang for your energy-drinks buck.
Lets get started!
Best: Bai Bubbles Sparkling Antioxidant Infusion
If you combine your seltzer obsession with your love for fruit juice, you get Bai’s sparkling energy drinks. Taste-tempting flavors include black cherry, blood orange, grapefruit, blackberry lime, pineapple, watermelon lime, and coconut lime. One can serves up 45 milligrams of caffeine with just 1 gram of sugar and 5 calories. It’s so refreshing that it also makes a great mixer for low-sugar cocktails.
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It Starts With A Seed
Caffeine is a bitter, white crystalline purine of the methylxanthine class found in over 60 varietals of plants, seeds, and leaves in Africa, East Asia, and South America. While some anecdotal evidence suggests that caffeinated tea was discovered by Chinese Emperor Shennong in as early as 3000 BCE, its generally accepted that the first credible case of coffee consumption came in the 15th century in the Middle East. Over the next 200 years, it would spread throughout the region, into Asia, and then eventually into Europe by the 18th century.
Nowadays, about 90% of Americans consume caffeine in some shape or form during the day. This number is consistent with global statistics, with some experts gauging that over 2.25 billion cups of coffee are served daily.
So, how exactly do we get from leaves to one of the worlds most booming industries? Typically, farmers soak the plants in water until the liquid has been infused with the purines properties. As deceptively simple as that! For this reason, the strength of any given batch of coffee can vary depending on the specific plants used.
How Much Caffeine Is In Red Bull
Since a can of Red Bull is smaller than most other energy drinks, the caffeine levels reflect that. An 8oz can of Red Bull contains 80mg of caffeine.
If you were to drink 2 cans of Red Bull, you would be consuming 16oz of fluid and 160mg of caffeine, putting it right on par with Monster or Rockstar.
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How Much Caffeine Is Too Much
As we mentioned a little earlier, up to 400 mg of caffeine a day appears to be considered safe for most adults. That is the amount of caffeine in roughly three to four cups of java, ten cans of cola, or two energy shot drinks.
Although there are many highly caffeinated energy drinks on the market, the truth is that its probably not a good idea to be consuming 300 mg of caffeine all in one sitting. Consuming too much of this popular stimulant can cause some pretty unpleasant side effects such as headache, insomnia, nervousness, irritability, muscle tremors, and heart palpitations – just to name a few.
List Of Energy Drinks
The following is a notable list of energy drinks, with a few coffee variants, and some soft drinks such as Coca-Cola, Mountain Dew, and Pepsi listed for comparison, and marked in a different color. The caffeine content in coffee and tea varies, depending on how the coffee beans were roasted, among other factors.
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Honey Almondmilk Flat White
Starbucks flat white drinks are prepared with three ristretto shots of espresso for a grande. And if youre following along, you know thats one more than most other grande espresso beverages.
Additionally, the Honey Almondmilk Flat White pairs creamy almondmilk with Blonde Espresso Roast.
In other words, a grande Honey Almondmilk Flat White has 3 shots of blonde roast for a total of over 200 mg of caffeine.
Honey Almondmilk Flat White Caffeine Content: 225 mg
How Do You Select An Effective Energy Drink
When trying to decide on an energy drink, go beyond the obvious that its a drink to energize you. The fact is, the most effective energy drink does much more than boost your energy levels. You can expect it to:
- Give You More Than a Sugar Rush. That would only leave you feeling lousy afterward. You want an energy drink that has proven energy boosters such as the often-used combination of caffeine and taurine. It should add to your intake of nutrients by being more than just empty calories.
- Come Loaded with Natural Supplements. Dont just go in search of what energy drink has the most caffeine. Look for ingredients like B vitamins, ginseng, guarana and Gingko Biloba. The idea is to find a drink which, along with the needed energy boost, will also help to improve your concentration and enhance your athletic performance.
- Contain Ingredients You Actually Want to Put into Your Body. There are many energy drinks out there that are actually very unhealthy. Read reviews like this one to find out about the best brands, produced by reputable companies.
- Taste Like Something You Actually Want to Drink. Here, too, is where researching through reviews really You cant know what an energy drink tastes like until you have tried it for yourself. Reviews will, however, give you a pretty good idea. Having a range of flavors is also a plus for any energy drink, so your palate doesnt become bored with it.
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The Most Fascinating Energy Drink Facts And Statistics
More often than not, people turn to something with caffeine to stay alert and have more energy. Generally, moderate intake of caffeinated drinks cant be harmful. However, drinking too much or mixing a caffeinated beverage with alcohol can be dangerous. For this and much more information, keep reading.
Final Word On Caffeinated Energy Drinks
In conclusion, its best not consume any energy drinks or high-caffeine foods if you are below 18 years of age. Even if you are an adult, you should only consume energy drinks if you do high-intensity workouts or play sports at a competitive level.
Also, stick to one can a day or as per the instructions on the label. If you do normal workouts or jogging just to stay fit, avoid energy drinks. There are better options such as coconut water or plain water.
Avoid consuming too much tea and coffee throughout the day, and stick to a couple of cups per day. Do not stop drinking caffeine all of a sudden. You should reduce the dose gradually, otherwise, youll experience withdrawal symptoms.
Do check the caffeine content of various foods you consume to help you decide if you should have it and how much. In addition to energy drinks, various foods such as tea, coffee, certain ice creams, yogurt, chocolate bars, granola bars, soft drinks, and certain over-the-counter medicines contain caffeine. Be sure to check the brand and the information provided on the pack or jar.
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