Recently, coffee and energy drinks have been 50/50 in popularity for caffeine enjoyers. Compared to coffee, energy drinks are absolutely the most sensible choice of caffeine hands down.

To start off, any type of coffee takes time to prepare even if you’re simply making “normal” instant coffee with cream and sugar. I prefer to forgo the hassle of making it myself, or breaking the bank at Starbucks, for the convenience of an energy drink.

Coffee doesn’t give you the quick, easy caffeination as a single can of an energy drink will; if you’re a real caffeine fiend, one iced coffee simply won’t cut it. The average amount of caffeine in a small cup of coffee is 94mg, comparing that to a Celsius, for example, one can has 200mg of caffeine. If you want to stay awake, energy drinks are your best friend.

There’s no comparing the flavors between coffee and an energy drink given they’re so different from each other, but energy drinks are more refreshing since they don’t feel as heavy and intense as a cup of coffee can.

The truth is (unless you’re a 60 year old who prefers plain flavorless black coffee), in order for coffee to taste remotely good, tons of sugar, creams and flavorings have to be added which, needless to say, is bad for your health if you’re a regular coffee drinker.

In terms of what’s the healthier option, there’s a common stereotype involving energy drinks that they are extremely unhealthy and will likely give you a heart attack by the age of 25. However, the truth is that the very unhealthy options like Rudbull and C4 energy drinks aren’t the only options out there. Drinks like Alani and my personal favorite, Celsius, are healthy options that can provide benefits like boosting your metabolism, vitamin C and B12 that a sugar filled iced coffee doesn’t provide.

Of course, partaking in energy drinks, like anything else, should be done in moderation. In my experience and according to Advent Health you could have symptoms like, “Anxiety, restlessness and dehydration…” if you drink too much. It’s wise to make sure you don’t drink these while dehydrated or on an empty stomach, it would put you at much lower risk for these symptoms.

Next time you’re given the option between a cup of iced coffee or an energy drink, there’s no debating: energy drinks are no doubt the way to go.