Okay, so most of us will admit it, we’re a little addicted to caffeine. What’s your poison? Is it a steamy cup of coffee, an ice-cold Coca-Cola or a revitalizing Red Bull? Well, there’s a yin (good) and a yang (bad) to everything we consume. Let’s find out if your caffeine fix has more yin than yang.

Before we make any assumptions, let’s take an objective look at the numbers.

 

Coffee, Coca-Cola & Red Bull

The following information is based on a single serving:

 

 

According to the stats an average cup of coffee has the least sugar (8g) and calories (8 Cal), but the most caffeine (95 mg). Coca-Cola has the most sugar (39g) and calories (139 Cal) per 330 ml can, while Red Bull is the “middleman.”

Unfortunately, we must mention that despite its energy boosting capabilities, Caffeine could also cause some nasty side-effects. According to the Mayo Clinic caffeine can cause temporary insomnia, nervousness, restlessness, irritability, stomach issues, rapid-heartbeat and muscle tremors. In addition, a 2006 study in the Journal of the American Medical Association found that caffeine can increase the risk of heart attacks.

Sounds like you’ve been pouring some great tasting “rat poison” down your throat all these years, doesn’t it? Relax, it’s not that bad…In fact, if you drink moderate amounts of caffeine (3 cups of coffee daily) your health could actually benefit.

There is some yin (good) in drinking moderate amounts of coffee, Coca-Cola and Red Bull. Coffee has tons of health benefits, while Coca-Cola is only good for digestive problems, nausea and increased energy. Red Bull might give you loads of energy for an hour or two, but it most certainly won’t give you wings, only palpitations or heart attacks.

Did you know?

According to East Coast Radio, a man died of a heart attack in August 2016 after drinking 20 Red Bull and Vodkas over a period of 18 hours. His heart almost exploded. Damn talk about overindulgence!

The verdict

You’ve seen the stats and you’ve heard the stories. There is a clear winner. It’s the fuel to your human engine, it’s made from magic beans and it tastes like heaven. The answer is coffee! If you drink a cup or two a day with a limited amount of sugar, your energy levels will be higher without the negative side effects.

Here again are the benefits of the winning caffeine fix:

 

Coffee Yin (Benefits)

 

Raise your cups to coffee! Cheers to good health and happy minds.