Coffee is a brewed beverage made from roasted coffee beans. Its origin can be traced back to a genus of plants called Coffea. 

That being said, coffee is so much more than a plant or a bean. It’s also a delicious and energizing beverage! 

Bitter and dark, coffee is a morning beverage made with hot water and coffee beans. Even though it is a naturally bitter drink, everyone takes their coffee differently. Some enjoy their morning joe with cream and sugar, and some take it black. 

But how do the seeds from coffee plants become ground coffee beans, ready for brewing? It all starts with a coffee tree. 

Coffee trees are plants covered in green, waxy leaves. Coffee cherries (seeds) grow along the branches and take about a year to mature before they are ready for harvesting. Once harvested, the coffee bean is harvested from the coffee cherry, roasted, and ground. 

Once this process is completed, the ground coffee beans are ready for brewing! 

Did you know there are about 25 to 100 different species of coffee plants? That’s why there are so many different brews to choose from. But where was coffee first discovered, and how did the beverage become such a global cultural phenomenon?

I’m glad you asked. Keep reading to learn about the history of coffee and its effects.

Oral tradition traces coffee origins back to modern-day Ethiopia. That being said, there is limited evidence of the consumption of coffee before the 15th century. 

Our earliest record of the cultivation and consumption of coffee dates back to the 15th century when coffee plants were transported from Ethiopia to Arabia. 

That being said, an old legend attributes the discovery of coffee to an Arabian goatherder from 850 CE. According to the legend, the goatherder noticed his goats acting strange, so he sampled the berries from the plants they were feeding on.

After sampling the berries, the goatherder experienced a surge of exhilaration and discovered the first coffee bean! 

Regardless of how coffee originated, it quickly became the third most popular drink in the world, right behind water and tea.

It’s no surprise that coffee first gained popularity due to its caffeine content and energizing effects. However, coffee continued to increase in popularity over time for various reasons.

For example, coffee became extremely popular in religious circles because devotees were allowed to drink it, as opposed to alcohol and other off-limits beverages. Sufi monasteries in Yemen even went so far as to employ coffee as an aid to concentration during prayers.

In addition, because of its stimulating effects, coffee quickly became a social drink. Coffeehouses became the most popular meeting places. Today, many people get work done or meet at coffee shops for a productive and stimulating atmosphere. 

Whether you like it for its taste or for its stimulating effects, coffee is here to stay! That being said, what are the effects of drinking coffee daily? Let’s discuss this below.

Even though coffee is an extremely popular drink, it can still have some negative side effects, especially when consumed on a day-to-day basis. Because of these side effects, pop culture is making the switch from coffee to energy drink alternatives. 

Let’s go over the side effects of drinking coffee daily, so you can decide if it’s worth it to consider looking into some coffee alternatives.

When it comes to drinking coffee every day, side effects include:

• Increased blood pressure
• Insomnia
• Nervousness
• Restlessness
• Upset stomach
• Nausea 
• Vomiting
• Increased heart rate
• Increased breathing rate
• Dependency 

It is generally recommended to avoid consuming more than 4 cups of coffee per day. If you are consuming more than 4 cups of coffee per day, you may be increasing your risk for heart disease and other health issues.

That being said, the side effects of being a daily coffee drinker entirely depend on caffeine tolerance. Caffeine tolerance is determined by gender, age, height, weight, and other factors. 

Still, the general side effects of over-caffeinating can last for several hours after consumption.

According to Healthline, caffeine's effect on our bodies peaks within 30-60 minutes of consumption, which is when you're most likely to feel jittery. 

In addition, you can't expedite the process either by drinking water or exercising. The only way to lower your body's caffeine levels is to let your body metabolize the caffeine naturally.

Caffeine has a half-life of around 5 hours in your body, meaning after 5 hours the level of caffeine will be half of what it was when you drank it. So if you have 200mg of caffeine, five hours later there'll be 100mg left in your system. 

As you can see, coffee can leave us with some unwanted negative side effects, especially when consumed on a day-to-day basis. On the other hand, energy drinks have side effects, too.

Let's take a look at energy drinks and their side effects, so you can make an informed decision on the morning beverage that's best for you.

When it comes to energizing your morning, slamming a huge can of Monster Redline seems like a great idea when you're tired and need a boost.

That is until you get the jitters.

When it comes to energy drinks and coffee, one of the most adverse side effects of the stimulating beverages is the jitters.

A standard can of Monster has 160mg of caffeine, which is almost double that of a coffee. That much caffeine can definitely cause the jitters, especially considering some people have more than one can per day. 

In addition, Monster is loaded with 13 full teaspoons of sugar, which equals 54g per serving. Could you imagine shoveling 13 teaspoons of sugar into your mouth? 

Monster is surely going to give you a sugar crash. If avoiding jitters is your priority, Monster is not the drink for you. 

Red Bull actually has far less caffeine than a can of Monster, coming in at 80mg of caffeine. This is also a bit less than a cup of coffee.

Most people won't feel jittery after a single can of Red Bull, but if you have a low caffeine tolerance, even a Red Bull may make you feel jittery. 

Red Bull also has less sugar, coming in at 27g per serving, but it's still quite a lot, so I don't recommend drinking a Red Bull every day.

Additional side effects of consuming energy drinks on a daily basis include:

• Increased blood pressure
• Increased heart rate
• Dizziness
• Sweating
• Increased anxiety
• Heart palpitations
• Dehydration
• Restlessness

There you have it! Now that you know a little more about energy drinks and their side effects, you are in a better position to make an informed decision on how you choose to energize your mornings.

Keep reading to learn more about the differences between coffee and energy drinks.

As previously mentioned, both coffee and energy drinks can cause negative side effects, especially when consumed on a daily basis.

Both coffee and energy drinks can cause energy spikes and sugar crashes. Both are stimulating beverages designed to help you get sh*t done.

So, when it comes to taking on your day, which stimulating beverage should you choose? Is there a drink out there that can help you kickstart your morning without making you crash later on in the day?

I'm glad you asked. In order to avoid the negative side effects of coffee and energy drinks, let's go over some all-natural alternatives.

There are plenty of all-natural, stimulating beverages out there that can help you stay energized throughout the whole day without negatively impacting your health.

Not to mention, some coffee alternatives like EarlyBird can help you stay energized while actually improving your overall health! 

When it comes to morning beverages that are all-natural, some of the best all-natural and energizing beverages include:

• EarlyBird
• Pomegranate Juice
• Beet Juice
• Tea Juice
• Green Tea
• Matcha Tea
• Golden Milk
• Lemon Water
• Chai Tea
• Apple Cider Vinegar

My personal favorite morning beverage for energy is EarlyBird, an all-natural energy drink for go-getters. It contains all the same benefits as coffee, minus the energy crash and blood pressure spikes.

Keep reading to find out why EarlyBird is the number one coffee alternative for energy available on the market.

EarlyBird is an all-natural morning cocktail made especially for people like you who want to kickstart their mornings. Not only does EarlyBird help you start your day, but it's filled with hydrating electrolytes. 

EarlyBird contains a unique blend of antioxidants, L-Theanine, and L-Tyrosine. Not only does this all-natural blend help wake you up in the morning, but it keeps you feeling awake and alert all day without crashing. 

In addition, EarlyBird contains zero grams of sugar, zero carbs, and zero calories. It’s almost too good to be true!

Drinking EarlyBird is my personal favorite coffee alternative for boosting my energy and getting sh*t done!

But what is the difference between EarlyBird, coffee, and some of the other all-natural coffee alternatives such as tea? 

I'm glad you asked. Let's discuss this below.

Coffee and tea are two of the most popular drinks around the world. Though largely dependent on brewing time, technique, serving size, and more, coffee often has double the caffeine as the same amount of tea. 

The average cup of coffee has nearly 100mg of caffeine, whereas a cup of black tea (the most popular type of tea worldwide) has around 47mg. 

Most people can safely have 400mg of caffeine per day maximum, and when your consumption levels are below that threshold, many studies have associated plenty of health benefits with the world's favorite stimulant. 

But is there a difference between coffee, tea, and energy drinks' impact on energy? 

Tea

Tea has less caffeine than coffee but it also has a lot of L-theanine, an antioxidant that stimulates your brain (Early Bird also makes use of L-theanine). 

According to Healthline, L-theanine provides anti-stress effects by increasing your brain's alpha waves, leading to a calm, relaxed feeling. 

Counteracting the stimulating effects of caffeine, you'll have an alert mind without feeling drowsy later on. This is why some think tea provides a smoother energy boost than coffee. 

Coffee

Coffee gives you an energy boost by boosting dopamine levels and blocking adenosine as we mentioned previously. 

Dopamine is responsible for your heart rate increase and the jittery feeling from drinking too much coffee - it also affects your reward system, which is why coffee can become addictive. 

Unlike tea, your body absorbs 99% of coffee's caffeine within 45 minutes of consumption, but blood concentrations are at their highest within 15 minutes of consumption, which is why many prefer a cup of Joe when they need a quick pick me up. 

EarlyBird

Early Bird combines the benefits of coffee and tea into one awesome way to wake up early feeling great. With the least caffeine of the three, EarlyBird minimizes negative side effects while maximizing health benefits.

For instance, EarlyBird can help you maintain high energy throughout the entire day without making you crash. In addition, EarlyBird is sugar-free, non-carbonated, all-natural, and chock full of electrolytes. 

Not to mention, EarlyBird can lower your blood pressure, improve your overall mood, and is 100% all-natural. What can't EarlyBird do? It's the only morning beverage I'd trust to get my day started and get sh*t done!