For many people, a boost of caffeine is essential for survival.
But there are many different ways to get your daily dose of caffeine. Some like to get it through their morning cup of coffee. Others prefer to do it through caffeine pills.
So what one should you choose and what are the differences anyway?
When it comes to those who prefer a cup of coffee, having to go through a morning without their daily brew can seem like an absolute nightmare. They feel tired, and low on energy and starting the day seems like an absolute drag. In fact, for some loyal coffee drinkers going a morning without coffee results in a real uncomfortable headache.
This is where for many people caffeine pills become a great alternative. While it is no actual cup of coffee in terms of the aromas, it can provide a quick solution to get your body the caffeine needed to have a great day.
If you are wondering what the different benefits are of coffee versus a caffeine pill and when you should take one over the other, look no further than here. We have rounded up all you need to know about both so that regardless of which method you choose, you never have to go through a day feeling drowsy and caffeine-deprived.
Nutritional Value of Coffee vs Caffeine Pills
The biggest difference between coffee and caffeine pills is perhaps the actual nutritional value of both. While both have more than just caffeine within, the nutritional components are vastly different. Here is a breakdown of what is in both.
What is in Coffee
Coffee is a funny drink. It all comes down to the type of beans used and how they were roasted. The coffee bean is a phenomenal find and has actually been a dominant force in many countries as their biggest exporter and income earner.
A coffee bean actually comes from a fruit. And like many other fruits, coffee is full of antioxidants and nutrients like melanoidins.
The actual nutritional value of your coffee comes down to how you make it through. If you have a straight cup of espresso, you are getting nothing but pure coffee bean extract. If you add a ton of other additions like sweetener and milk, you will then of course be increasing the calorie intake and the other nutrients like vitamin D from the milk.
What is in Caffeine Pills
In comparison, a caffeine pill is full of pretty much just caffine. The pill itself often has a little bit of a filler so that it is easily digestible and equally easy to swallow. But the caffine itself has been isolated.
The other ingredients in the caffine pills are usually starch and sugar as the result of the fillers. While not providing much nutritional value, it does allow your body to quickly absorb the caffine you just swallowed.
The Production of Coffee vs Caffine Pills
Another major difference is how the coffee and caffine pills are actually made. Here is a breakdown of both, so you can truly understand what is going into your body.
How Coffee is Produced
Coffee production is a complicated process with multiple steps. First, the coffee beans need to be grown on a coffee plant until they are ready to be picked. From there, the coffee plant seed needs to be separated from the actual fruit and left out to dry—resulting in the bean turning a green colored bean. Next, it is time for the roasting of the beans. This is where the roasters will decide how dark or light they want the coffee to be and achieve the desired result based on the time they actually roasted it. Finally, it is off to be placed in coffee bags and sold to you, in which you can then decide if you want to make your cup of coffee with an espresso machine, with a pour-over or with a French press.
How Caffine Pills are Produced
The caffine pills production process is much more straightforward. The main focus in the production process of these pills is measuring how much actual caffine is going into each pill. The actual caffine is usually taken from a coffee plant or tea and then precisely put into an easy to swallow capsule. The caffine is in liquid form and strained to get out any of the compounds it may have been mixed with. Once the caffine has been isolated, it is put into the capsule and is ready to be consumed.
Other Differences Between the Two
There are also other differences to consider. For instance. A cup of coffee has a much more modest amount of caffine compared to caffine pills. So always talk to a medical professional about the recommended dosage you should be taking if you want to take caffine pills. But know that caffine pills are the best way to guarantee you will get your caffeine fix for the day no matter where in the world you are.