Coffee vs. Soda – Which of the Two Drinks Is Better for Your Health?

There's always been a debate over which drink is better, coffee or soda, and this article provides a comparison between the two drinks to help you determine which is best for you.
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Samanta Fryer
Samanta Fryer
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Samanta Fryer is our senior editor and content writer, at CoffeeVibe. Apart from writing and reading, she’s fond of the coffee brewing process and enjoys tasting new coffe read more
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Ryan Hendricks
Ryan Hendricks
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Ryan Hendricks is our tester, who puts products through their paces. He used to be a barista and is now a full-time coffee enthusiast. He’s always testing out new gadgets, read more
Last updated: August 18, 2023
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There’s no denial about the fact that coffee and soda are the top favorite beverages of many. And, this explains why the debate over coffee vs soda has been ongoing for years. For many, coffee serves as an energy morning booster that helps them get ready for what the day has to offer, and for some people, soda is a great alternative to avoid caffeine. Nevertheless, one thing many people don’t seem to be aware of is that coffee isn’t the only drink that contains caffeine. No, it isn’t.

This energizing compound is also present in energy drinks, tea, and soda. Be that as it may, there’s no need to develop a hatred for caffeine because you stand to enjoy a host of amazing benefits when you consume caffeine moderately. But, the problem often arises when you consume it excessively.

However, this article seeks to clarify your doubts on caffeine and offer you more clarity on what you should know about taking coffee and/or soda.

Coffee vs. Soda: Which is a Better Choice?

Coffee and soda have an intertwined history, and many people go for them regularly because they’re caffeinated and, of course, delicious. These two beverages are very popular among Americans, but coffee always wins when it comes to going for the better option.

Unlike soda, coffee offers lots of benefits. Soda can help you put on more weight, and it can damage your cardiovascular system because of the high calories contained in some of them.

Is Coffee Better?

Coffee vs. Soda – Which of the Two Drinks Is Better for Your Health?
A regular cup of coffee has a high amount of caffeine and contains not much sugar and calories.

Getting your quick caffeine fix has never been difficult!. If you choose coffee, you choose well because there are many benefits you stand to enjoy when you drink coffee. And, here are some of them:

  • Increased energy levels — Coffee contains caffeine which helps to increase your energy level.
  • Improved brain function — Your mood, concentration, vigilance, and memory are highly likely to be improved by caffeine. Nootropic coffees especially have been recognized for the significant brain boost they offer.
  • Anti-disease — The risk of diseases such as strokes, Parkinson’s disease, dementia, Alzheimer’s disease, and type 2 diabetes can be reduced by caffeine.
  • Athletic purpose — Caffeine is very common with athletes because it helps greatly in breaking down fatty tissue in their bodies and improves their physical performance by boosting their adrenaline levels to facilitate an overall better performance.
  • Reduced risk of depression — According to The Harvard Gazette Trusted Source Coffee drinking tied to lower risk of suicide | Harvard Gazette Drinking several cups of coffee daily appears to reduce the risk of suicide in men and women by about 50 percent, according to a new study by researchers at the Harvard School of Public Health. news.harvard.edu , decreased suicide risk is often enjoyed by people who drink cups of coffee daily.
  • Vitamins — Small portions of potassium, manganese, B5, B3, and B2 are present in coffee; there are antioxidants in coffee too.

Upsides and Downsides

Even though coffee fetches numerous health benefits, it also has its downsides. This, however, validates why health experts often emphasize that people should apply moderation in their intake of coffee.

Without further ado, here are the pros and cons of taking coffee that you should be aware of:

Pros Cons
Improves focus, cognition, and mental alertness Bad coffee can be toxic
Lowers risk of death Drinking beyond recommended daily gauge can cause death
Reduces the risk of diseases like cancer, stroke, Parkinson’s disease, and type 2 diabetes Not fit for pregnant women and kids
Brightens your mood Can lead to a sleep loss
Keeps you in a healthy mind
Anti-diabetic

Is Soda Better?

Coffee vs. Soda – Which of the Two Drinks Is Better for Your Health?
Soda usually contains carbonated water, a sweetener, and a natural and/or artificial flavoring.

When it comes to soda, there’s no need for back and forth because the high sugar content can be very harmful to human health. According to Medical News Today Trusted Source Is soda bad for you? Effects on the body and alternatives | Medical News Today Soda is bad for a person’s health. Learn more about how it can affect the body and alternative options here. www.medicalnewstoday.com , you’re prone to developing cardiovascular conditions, diabetes, and being exposed to obesity when you take soda excessively.

CNN Health Trusted Source Why soda is so addictive - and some good alternative beverages | CNN Slashing soft drinks from your diet is a quick way to improve your health and lose weight – that much you probably already know. edition.cnn.com also noted that soda can be very addictive and recommends that people attached to sugary sodas switch to another beverage with lower calories.

Upsides and Downsides

Unfortunately, soda doesn’t have many upsides compared to its coffee counterpart.

Pros Cons
It’s too sweet Causes weight gain
Contributes to hydration Increases risk of type 2 diabetes
Lowers sperm count
May lead to a heart attack
May affect your chances of getting pregnant
May affect your kidney functionality
You risk brain damage

Coffee vs. Soda: Which Option Promotes or Wreak Havoc on Health?

Although soda has a few benefits, which are major to help in hydration, food and health experts recommend that you take no more than just a can daily. Anything more than that can leave you vulnerable to certain diseases. On the other hand, soda triumphs with its great caffeine, which provides an array of health benefits.

Even when it comes to coffee vs diet soda, coffee remains a healthier option because diet soda has later effects that can be more catastrophic. Still, it’s also essential that you’re conscious of the kind of coffee you take, and you may want to consider going for the Illy Coffee Whole Bean Decaf Espresso because of its strong and rich flavor.

User reviews also recommend Mighty Leaf Vanilla Bean because of its natural benefits and the deeply satisfying impression it leaves.

Caffeine Level

Speaking of caffeine content, coffee is reputed to have about three to four times more caffeine than coke because there’s a minimum of 140 mg of caffeine contained in a 12-oz cup of coffee. So, note that coffee will always take the lead when one speaks of coffee versus soda caffeine or caffeine in coffee versus soda.

Sugar & Calories Level

Coffee vs. Soda – Which of the Two Drinks Is Better for Your Health?
A standard 12 fluid-ounce can of soda contains 13.2 teaspoons or about 10% of daily recommended added sugar and 150 calories.

In this category, soda leads massively. The amount of sugar in soda is very alarming, and several health risks have been associated with sugar consumption.

Soda also contains high calories, and diet sodas aren’t a total saint either because of the artificial sweeteners used to prepare them. If you seek a low-calorie beverage, you should go for coffee.

Acidic Level

When it comes to the acidity of coffee vs soda, know that both soda and coffee are acidic. However, soda has a higher pH level compared to coffee. On that note, you should be informed that the acidic level in soft drinks can be quite unhealthy.

Health Effects

In terms of coffee vs soda health benefits, coffee takes the lead. As earlier mentioned, intake of sugary sodas leaves you vulnerable to an array of diseases.

But on the other hand, you stand to enjoy plenty of health benefits when you consume coffee moderately. However, take note that experts recommend that you get a good decaf coffee if you often have sleepless nights after drinking coffee.

Coffee vs. Soda: Quick Overview

The differences between coffee and soda are massive. While the consumption of soda is often worrisome because of the plenty of risks attached to the intake of sugary drinks, coffee, on the other hand, replenishes the body with plenty of benefits. So, coffee vs soda, which is worse? Or, which is better? Let’s take a glance at these two beverages.

Coffee Soda
More caffeine Less caffeine
More health benefits More health risks
Low acidity High acidity
Low sugar and calories High sugar and calories

Final Thoughts

A number of people tend to quickly reach for their refrigerator to get a super chilled soda to cool off after a stressful activity to regain lost energy. But, you may want to become more aware of the risk of your action because an excessive intake of soda can be very harmful to your health.

Howbeit, you should have it registered in your mind that the purpose of this discourse on coffee vs soda in the morning or whenever you plan to is to enlighten you more on the consequences of your option and equip you with information that can improve your health.

Take care and enjoy drinks in moderation!

References

1.
Coffee drinking tied to lower risk of suicide | Harvard Gazette
Drinking several cups of coffee daily appears to reduce the risk of suicide in men and women by about 50 percent, according to a new study by researchers at the Harvard School of Public Health.
2.
Is soda bad for you? Effects on the body and alternatives | Medical News Today
Soda is bad for a person’s health. Learn more about how it can affect the body and alternative options here.
3.
Why soda is so addictive - and some good alternative beverages | CNN
Slashing soft drinks from your diet is a quick way to improve your health and lose weight – that much you probably already know.

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