Is coffee healthier than energy drinks or soda?

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adamw4721

7 posts

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#64221 11-Jul-2010 11:14

I just thought i'd share with people some of my views on coffee vs energy drinks/soda drinks. It's a fact of life, people need a pic-up potion to see themselves through the day.
Coffee may contain as much caffeine as lift plus or v, but............

1. Coffee is a plant based food with antioxidants and phytonutrients.
2. Coffee is much lower in calories, even with suger and milk added.
3. There is no artificial colouring, sweetening, or other additives.
4. Coffee doesn't have other stimulants in addition to the caffeine.

Now correct me if my argument is full of holes, what are your thoughts?

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#349903 11-Jul-2010 11:39

I would have to agree with you. I guess the saying "everything in moderation" stands true. Too much of anything can't be good for you.

I definitely prefer to drink coffee over energy drinks to get my pick-ups.

vinnieg

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#349928 11-Jul-2010 14:46

adamw4721: I just thought i'd share with people some of my views on coffee vs energy drinks/soda drinks. It's a fact of life, people need a pic-up potion to see themselves through the day.
Coffee may contain as much caffeine as lift plus or v, but............

1. Coffee is a plant based food with antioxidants and phytonutrients.
2. Coffee is much lower in calories, even with suger and milk added.
3. There is no artificial colouring, sweetening, or other additives.
4. Coffee doesn't have other stimulants in addition to the caffeine.

Now correct me if my argument is full of holes, what are your thoughts?

I drink both and I'd agree, soft drinks have way way more sugar than the average mocha or latte, or home instant

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NonprayingMantis

6434 posts

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#349952 11-Jul-2010 16:32

I don't really care about which is healthier - I don't drink coffee or energy drinks for their health benefits, and the difference is marginal.

I prefer coffee in the mornings, and, if feeling tired when I want to be awake (night out etc), energy drinks in the evening.

nickd

447 posts

Ultimate Geek

#349954 11-Jul-2010 16:34

Playing the opposite side of your argument here out of interests sake:

1. Energy drinks are made mainly from water and sugar, both natural/plant based.

2. I would have to check on this point, I'm thinking about sugar free variants of the energy drinks here.

3. To be fair on this one, what is being compared here is two different things, what you would need to compare with is a shelf stable coffee, seeing the energy drink is also stored (I think you will find that now coffee has additives/colouring etc).

4. That could be why people choose energy drinks over coffee. Sugar could also be considered a stimulant, go feed some to a small kid and see what happens, it's excellent fun.

Your argument is not full of holes at all, however you are comparing apples with oranges (I know what you are trying to get at, but I'm being devils advocate here). I shall now go put on my flame resistant suit.

Coffee smells amazing though!

coffeebaron

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#349959 11-Jul-2010 17:09

I'll think I better start drinking more coffee :)

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nickd

447 posts

Ultimate Geek

#349965 11-Jul-2010 17:37

@coffeebaron: Your signature seems to suggest having energy drinks instead...

1gkar

722 posts

Ultimate Geek

#349976 11-Jul-2010 18:04

It is a well-known fact that coffee can be an addiction. I have heard of cases where the people weening off it can have some reasonably noticeable side effects, eg. headaches, ill-temper, etc.

Don't know about the energy drinks, but I would assume similar is applicable. As noted in an earlier post, moderation is preferable.

I wouldn't know from experience as I don't drink coffe & have never tried V, Red Bull, etc.

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nickd

447 posts

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#349981 11-Jul-2010 18:11

1gkar:
Don't know about the energy drinks, but I would assume similar is applicable.

Correct.

Mooseboy

124 posts

Master Geek

#350019 11-Jul-2010 20:16

1gkar: It is a well-known fact that coffee can be an addiction. I have heard of cases where the people weening off it can have some reasonably noticeable side effects, eg. headaches, ill-temper, etc.

Don't know about the energy drinks, but I would assume similar is applicable. As noted in an earlier post, moderation is preferable.

I wouldn't know from experience as I don't drink coffe & have never tried V, Red Bull, etc.

I wouldn't really call it an addiction, as that implies stronger psychological and physiological cravings, but yeah, caffiene dependence is pretty tough when you stop having it. It starts to replace some of the bodies natural stimulants, so when you first go off it the headaches are pretty bad.

Funnily enough, a person who is dependant on caffiene builds up such a tolerance to it that the stimulant effect that it has actually only brings them up to the same level as a person who doesn't use caffiene at all. So if you really want to use caffiene as a means to stay awake, its a good idea not to drink caffienated beverages often.

1gkar

722 posts

Ultimate Geek

#350022 11-Jul-2010 20:37

Mooseboy:
1gkar: It is a well-known fact that coffee can be an addiction. I have heard of cases where the people weening off it can have some reasonably noticeable side effects, eg. headaches, ill-temper, etc.

Don't know about the energy drinks, but I would assume similar is applicable. As noted in an earlier post, moderation is preferable.

I wouldn't know from experience as I don't drink coffe & have never tried V, Red Bull, etc.

I wouldn't really call it an addiction, as that implies stronger psychological and physiological cravings, but yeah, caffiene dependence is pretty tough when you stop having it. It starts to replace some of the bodies natural stimulants, so when you first go off it the headaches are pretty bad.

Funnily enough, a person who is dependant on caffiene builds up such a tolerance to it that the stimulant effect that it has actually only brings them up to the same level as a person who doesn't use caffiene at all. So if you really want to use caffiene as a means to stay awake, its a good idea not to drink caffienated beverages often.

I respect your opinion but disagree with your interpretation of the word 'addiction.'

The Oxford dictionary defines addict as, "to apply habitually," and "to devote (oneself) to." Also, "one who is addicted to to some habit."

There is no qualification to state of mind or physiological or psychological necessities. These are assumptions people make, by adding qualifiers to a word. We all do it. It is how the written & spoken language "progresses." I apostrophise the word to emphasise that not all progressions are good: take text speak, for example. My own opinion, I can't stand the denegration.

Some people will agree that a lot of coffee drinkers do habitulise their intake. And devote themselves to the drink. I was recently working at Fonterra, and even though there are numerous coffee vending machines (with suspect grade coffee, I would assume), & proper machines, they still have a CoffeeGuy truck come on-site.

adamw4721

7 posts

Wannabe Geek

#350034 11-Jul-2010 21:23

Leave aside the caffeine in both coffee and energy drinks. My view is that coffee is a perfectly healthy plant based food. Obviously not as healthy as broccoli or tomatoes, but still it's only the caffeine content which can have negative effects in high doses or on a regular basis. Energy drinks on the other hand, they contain enormous amounts of glucose, sucrose, carbondioxide etc. The artificial sweetners in the sugar free varieties are thought to to be even more harmful.

NonprayingMantis

6434 posts

Uber Geek

#350062 11-Jul-2010 23:39

adamw4721: Leave aside the caffeine in both coffee and energy drinks. My view is that coffee is a perfectly healthy plant based food. Obviously not as healthy as broccoli or tomatoes, but still it's only the caffeine content which can have negative effects in high doses or on a regular basis. Energy drinks on the other hand, they contain enormous amounts of glucose, sucrose, carbondioxide etc. The artificial sweetners in the sugar free varieties are thought to to be even more harmful.

you do know that glucose and sucrose are 'plant based' too.

and as for carbon dioxide, what do you think plants take in for respiration?

Also, why does something being 'plant based' make you think it is healthy? It shouldn't.
if you think plant based = healthy, then why not try some Atropa belladonna

(just like when something says it is 'natural' you should not take that to mean healthy either. plenty of really nasty natural things out there)

nzscom

67 posts

Master Geek

#350081 12-Jul-2010 09:03

For the soft drinks debate, soft drinks; diet coke, diet pepsi, etc., contain a sweetener called aspartame which has gone through all kinds of internet rumours for years. It's been linked to all sorts of problems including Gulf War syndrome!

This wikipedia entry seems to say that all the rumours are false. But hey, who believes everything they read on the internet right? ;)

BurningBeard

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#350152 12-Jul-2010 10:49

nzscom: For the soft drinks debate, soft drinks; diet coke, diet pepsi, etc., contain a sweetener called aspartame which has gone through all kinds of internet rumours for years. It's been linked to all sorts of problems including Gulf War syndrome!

This wikipedia entry seems to say that all the rumours are false. But hey, who believes everything they read on the internet right? ;)

This is a good read: http://www.theness.com/neurologicablog/?p=43

I really don't think there's any danger.

There's a lot really unscientific stuff floating around these days, especially in the form of forwarded emails.

__

I'll occasionally have a V if I need an extra kick but I've found a couple of pieces of fruit or a cuppa joe just as invigorating.

Dare I say it, and this is just an observation - a majority of people I see on a reglar basis that consume energy drinks frequently have really poor diets in general or are quite overweight.

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Jaxson

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#350162 12-Jul-2010 11:09

NonprayingMantis: just like when something says it is 'natural' you should not take that to mean healthy either.

I totally agree with this. I hate the use of the word healthy on diet stuff like lettuce.

In this case healthy is used more because eating the 'healthy' option prevents you eating the fatty option etc. Healthy is then used more because of what the food lacks rather than it itself being healthy.

If you're lost in the bush you want a pie man, not a lettuce. Man can't survice on lettuce alone so it's not a healthy food. It has no nutriants, fats or protein so it's not that helpful, and therefore is not healthy.

Problem is how easily we can get the substantial food in our society, and how we eat huge energy meals when we're not expending much energy in our day to day lives.

Anyway, coffee would be healthier than any softdrink with sugar in it. I read somewhere though that not many people are drinking just coffee any more, it's more fancy with fatty milk/cream/sugar in it anyway.

end rant.

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