Which is Worse: Soda or Energy Drinks?

November 15, 2025 •

4 min read

According to the CDC, over 60% of adults in the United States consume at least one sugar-sweetened beverage daily. When deciding what is worse, soda or energy drinks, the answer isn't straightforward; it depends on factors like ingredients, concentration, and consumption habits. Both beverages pose significant health risks, but the combination of high sugar and powerful stimulants in energy drinks often gives them a worse reputation.

Quick Summary

This analysis breaks down the core differences between sodas and energy drinks, examining sugar and caffeine content, stimulant additives, and overall health impacts. It weighs the unique risks posed by each type of beverage to determine which poses a greater threat to your long-term health and well-being.

Key Points

Energy Drinks Contain More Stimulants: Energy drinks generally have significantly higher caffeine levels than soda, in addition to other stimulants like taurine and guarana.
Both Are High in Sugar: Both sodas and energy drinks are packed with excessive amounts of added sugar, contributing to obesity, diabetes, and dental issues.
Energy Drinks Pose Greater Heart Risks: The higher caffeine concentration and stimulant load in energy drinks can lead to increased heart rate, elevated blood pressure, and potential cardiac complications.
Soda Affects Bone Density: Some sodas contain phosphoric acid, which has been linked to a reduction in bone mineral density over time.
Immediate vs. Long-Term Threats: While soda's primary threats are chronic conditions from long-term consumption, energy drinks present both immediate and long-term health hazards due to their high stimulant content.
Additives Are a Major Concern in Energy Drinks: The unquantified cocktail of added ingredients in energy drinks, beyond just sugar and caffeine, can have unpredictable effects on the body.
Neither Offers Significant Nutritional Value: Both beverage types provide mostly empty calories and offer little to no nutritional benefit to the body.

Comparing the Nutritional Profiles

At first glance, both soda and energy drinks seem like two sides of the same sugary coin. However, a deeper look at their nutritional makeup reveals distinct differences in what makes them potentially harmful. The primary ingredients in soda are carbonated water, high-fructose corn syrup or sugar, and flavorings. While their main health threat comes from the sheer volume of empty calories and sugar, energy drinks double down by adding high doses of caffeine and other stimulants.

The Sugar and Calorie Problem

Both soda and energy drinks are notorious for their high sugar and calorie content. For instance, a 12-ounce can of regular cola can contain around 39 grams of sugar, while a 16-ounce energy drink can pack in over 50 grams, with some products hiding the total amount by listing nutritional information per serving and claiming the can contains two servings. This excessive sugar intake contributes to a host of health issues, including weight gain, obesity, and an increased risk of type 2 diabetes. The rapid spike and crash in blood sugar levels can also lead to fatigue and mood swings.

Caffeine: The Hidden Danger in Energy Drinks

While some sodas contain caffeine, the levels are significantly lower than in energy drinks. A 12-ounce caffeinated soda typically contains 30–60 mg of caffeine. In contrast, a single energy drink can contain anywhere from 80 mg to over 300 mg of caffeine, depending on the brand and can size. The FDA recommends a daily caffeine intake of no more than 400 mg for healthy adults, and it is easy to exceed this limit by consuming just one or two energy drinks. Excessive caffeine can lead to numerous adverse effects, including anxiety, insomnia, increased heart rate, and elevated blood pressure.

The Role of Added Stimulants

Energy drinks often contain a cocktail of additional stimulants and ingredients that are not found in soda. These can include:

Taurine: An amino acid that plays a role in metabolism and heart function, but its effects in energy drink doses are not fully understood.
Guarana: A plant extract that contains concentrated caffeine.
Ginseng: An herbal supplement marketed to boost energy, though dosage amounts in energy drinks are often unclear.
B Vitamins: Used in the body to convert food into energy, but extra doses from energy drinks do not provide an extra energy boost.

A Comparative Look: Soda vs. Energy Drinks


Feature	Regular Soda	Energy Drinks
Sugar Content	High, typically 39-46g per 12oz	High, often exceeding 50g in 16oz
Caffeine Level	Moderate to low (e.g., 30-60mg per 12oz)	High, often 80-300+mg per can
Primary Additives	Phosphoric acid, artificial colors	Taurine, ginseng, guarana, B vitamins
Dental Health	High acidity and sugar lead to tooth decay and enamel erosion	High acidity and sugar cause significant enamel damage, potentially worse than soda
Cardiovascular Impact	Increases risk of diabetes and heart disease due to high sugar	High caffeine and stimulants can cause elevated heart rate, blood pressure, and arrhythmias
Other Health Risks	Weight gain, kidney disease, fatty liver, metabolic issues	Anxiety, insomnia, dependence, risk-seeking behavior

Long-Term Health Consequences

Both beverages can be damaging over time, but their specific long-term health risks differ. For sodas, the consistent, high sugar intake can lead to chronic conditions like type 2 diabetes, heart disease, and kidney disease. The phosphoric acid in colas has also been linked to reduced bone mineral density in women.

With energy drinks, the risks are compounded. The high doses of caffeine and other stimulants place additional stress on the cardiovascular system, potentially leading to more severe and immediate issues. A 2017 study found that those who drank energy drinks experienced irregular heart rhythms and elevated blood pressure, suggesting the combination of ingredients is uniquely harmful. The potential for dependency or addiction to the stimulant-sugar combination is also a greater concern with energy drinks than with soda.

Conclusion: So Which is Worse?

While both soda and energy drinks are unhealthy, energy drinks are arguably worse due to their unique combination of high sugar content and a potent mix of stimulants. Sodas primarily harm through excessive sugar and calories, leading to long-term metabolic issues. Energy drinks, however, add the immediate and potentially dangerous cardiovascular risks associated with large doses of caffeine and other less-understood additives. For those with underlying heart conditions or a sensitivity to caffeine, the dangers of energy drinks are particularly pronounced. Ultimately, the healthiest choice is to avoid both and opt for alternatives like water, unsweetened tea, or naturally flavored seltzer. For more detailed information on cardiovascular health risks, you can read more at The American Heart Association.

Frequently Asked Questions

Energy drinks can be worse for your teeth. While both are highly acidic and sugary, energy drinks can cause significantly more enamel damage due to their combination of sugar, acid, and other additives.

Yes, consuming large amounts of energy drinks can cause heart problems. The high caffeine and stimulant content can lead to increased heart rate, elevated blood pressure, and potentially dangerous heart arrhythmias.

Energy drinks typically contain much more caffeine than soda. For example, a 16 oz can of Monster can have up to 160 mg of caffeine, while a 12 oz can of cola has around 34 mg.

While removing sugar reduces one risk factor, sugar-free versions of both beverages are not necessarily healthy. Diet sodas can still damage teeth due to high acidity and may impact gut health, while sugar-free energy drinks still contain high levels of caffeine and other stimulants.

Healthier alternatives include water, sparkling water infused with fruit, unsweetened tea, and black coffee. These options provide hydration or a caffeine boost without the added sugars and synthetic additives.

Energy drink manufacturers add other stimulants like taurine and guarana, which is a concentrated source of caffeine, to enhance the "energy boosting" effect beyond what caffeine alone provides. However, the health effects of these additives at typical energy drink concentrations are not well established.

Yes, excessive soda consumption, particularly from beverages with high amounts of added sugar, can lead to fatty liver disease over time. The liver converts excess sugar into fat, which can accumulate in the organ.