Coffee and energy drinks vie to attract your attention in daily buzzes, each one boasting its own fan following who swear by it as the answer to fueling their day’s needs. Coffee has its own set of advocates who swear by it while energy drinks have theirs too – each having their own loyal group of supporters who swear by them.

Coffee shops and energy drinks offer quick solutions when seeking an instantaneous boost, but which option is healthier?

Coffee is more nutritious than energy drinks because it contains less sugar and natural antioxidants that may protect against heart disease, diabetes, cancer and other serious medical conditions. Energy drinks contain far too much sugar and other potentially unhealthy ingredients for our bodies’ wellbeing.

Coffee and energy drinks both contain caffeine, an effective stimulant that has long been recognized for increasing alertness, metabolism and relieving fatigue. But too much caffeine may also have side effects such as stomach upset, nervousness and an elevated heart rate if consumed in excess of 400 milligrams (about five cups of coffee) daily.

As well as their high sugar content, many energy drinks also contain ingredients such as taurine and guarana that may not be scientifically proven to enhance performance, but may have harmful side effects or increase tooth decay risk. Furthermore, sugar increases tooth decay risk as well as other health concerns.

While debate continues about which beverage is healthier – coffee vs energy drink – both beverages have their place in a healthy diet. If you prefer coffee as your beverage of choice, low-sugar options such as honey, stevia or artificial sweeteners may provide sweetened options with reduced calories without chemical compounds that disrupt gut microbiomes can be found readily available for you to purchase.

If you find that you’re always tired and depend on caffeine or energy drinks to power through each day, it may be beneficial to visit a medical professional for an evaluation to ascertain any underlying conditions that require treatment. Meanwhile, having some coffee or energy drink in moderation could provide just the boost your day needs.