# A Coffee Conundrum- let's find the easiest, most efficient and low cal way to perk up **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [April 4, 2005, 7:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-coffee-conundrum-lets-find-the-easiest-most-efficient-and-low-cal-way-to-perk-up/297717 "2005-04-04T19:14:12Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 8\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![andrewdt85](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/71e660/32.png) [@andrewdt85](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/andrewdt85)\ **Post date:** [April 4, 2005, 7:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-coffee-conundrum-lets-find-the-easiest-most-efficient-and-low-cal-way-to-perk-up/297717/1 "2005-04-04T19:14:12Z")
Someone posted a question earlier asking whether ingesting several spoonfuls of coffee mix directly each morning does the same job w/o having to drink the two or more cups of it, which can cause bowel problems (even if you’re using little skim milk and artificial sweetener or just taking it black and not rushing when drinking it). The answers basically offered several variations including ([link here](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=306781&highlight=caffeine))[list=a] [li]Doing what the OP mentioned, taking the spoonful of coffee mix, but then washing it down with a shot of water[/li][li]Adding coffee mix to something like soda (or just drinking powdered chocolate in soda instead?)[/li][li]Taking a shot of coffee mix w/ sugar (or sweetener) in it, maybe with water chaser[/li][li]Chocolate covered coffee beans[/li][/list] I had a discussion with someone last night who claims that because of the important oxidants that chocolate has, and b/c of all the negative health effects that coffee has, drinking a cup of hot chocolate- or, in my wierd case, taking a couple shots of hot chocolate mix each morning- is better for you. I don’t buy it. The calories don’t add up, do they? As for coffee’s negative effects, I’ve _heard_ of stunted growth, but that could be a wive’s tail, and these [sites](http://www.cnn.com/FOOD/news/9910/21/coffee.health/) offer little. I think the time has come for me to experiment to find out the following: [list=a] [li]Which perks me up faster in the morning, a shot of coffee mix or sucking/chewing on some more expensive beans?[/li][li]Also, I should try different varieties of coffee[/li][li]According to the conversation last night, this person thinks it takes about four hours (at least for her) to fully perk up from drinking coffee. So I should experiment w/ waking hours early, ingesting the coffee, and going back to sleep- I’m hoping to be able to hit the exact peak of my perkiness the moment I hop out of bed.[/li][/list] I guess I’d ask if anyone can recommend any brands of coffee off the bat. ---
**Author:** ![audiobottle](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/bc8723/32.png) [@audiobottle](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/audiobottle)\ **Post date:** [April 4, 2005, 7:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-coffee-conundrum-lets-find-the-easiest-most-efficient-and-low-cal-way-to-perk-up/297717/2 "2005-04-04T19:17:09Z")
Unless your hot chocolate is made from very dark chocolate, it’s not going to have much of health benefit. So in regards to hot chocolate being healthy, no. Healthier than coffee? I don’t know. ---
**Author:** ![PatriotX](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/c4cdca/32.png) [@PatriotX](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/PatriotX)\ **Post date:** [April 4, 2005, 7:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-coffee-conundrum-lets-find-the-easiest-most-efficient-and-low-cal-way-to-perk-up/297717/3 "2005-04-04T19:49:09Z")
> [@andrewdt85](#): > > …all the negative health effects that coffee has… I’d look for some documentatio for this. Last I read coffee ain’t too bad for you at all. [http://www.health.harvard.edu/hhp/article/content.do?name=W0904b](http://www.health.harvard.edu/hhp/article/content.do?name=W0904b) same article w/o subscription [http://www.theroasterie.com/documents/WholeStoryWeb.pdf](http://www.theroasterie.com/documents/WholeStoryWeb.pdf) > [@andrewdt85](#): > > I think the time has come for me to experiment to find out the following: > > [list=a] > [li]Which perks me up faster in the morning, a shot of coffee mix or sucking/chewing on some more expensive beans?[/li][li]Also, I should try different varieties of coffee[/li][li]According to the conversation last night, this person thinks it takes about four hours (at least for her) to fully perk up from drinking coffee. So I should experiment w/ waking hours early, ingesting the coffee, and going back to sleep- I’m hoping to be able to hit the exact peak of my perkiness the moment I hop out of bed.[/li][/list] Beans have more effect, but take longer than espresso which is fastest means of introduction. Four hours sounds inaccurate for most people. Perhaps on a full stomach or some such. However, I find that tea is more effective for staying awake. > [@andrewdt85](#): > > I guess I’d ask if anyone can recommend any brands of coffee off the bat. Not brands, but beans. Gotta go. Searchf for coffee and my user name. ---
**Author:** ![Dewey\_Finn](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dewey_finn/32/4222_2.png) [@Dewey\_Finn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dewey_Finn)\ **Post date:** [April 4, 2005, 9:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-coffee-conundrum-lets-find-the-easiest-most-efficient-and-low-cal-way-to-perk-up/297717/4 "2005-04-04T21:23:11Z")
Wouldn’t the most efficient way to perk up be to simply take No-Doz or another relatively pure source of caffeine? ---
**Author:** ![groman](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/73ab20/32.png) [@groman](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/groman)\ **Post date:** [April 4, 2005, 11:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-coffee-conundrum-lets-find-the-easiest-most-efficient-and-low-cal-way-to-perk-up/297717/5 "2005-04-04T23:04:40Z")
No-Doz is slower acting than drinking coffee. You’d be best off chugging 5-6 shots of espresso with one or two shots of cold water mixed in. Although that might be a bit too much caffeine for those without my tolerance. ---
**Author:** ![MagicEyes](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/5daacb/32.png) [@MagicEyes](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MagicEyes)\ **Post date:** [April 5, 2005, 2:22am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-coffee-conundrum-lets-find-the-easiest-most-efficient-and-low-cal-way-to-perk-up/297717/6 "2005-04-05T02:22:03Z")
I’m going to vote for the chocolate-covered coffee beans. They make me very perky! But that’s probably the most expensive way to get your caffeine. I get the biggest effect from mochas. They’re more powerful than boring old lattes. **groman** , if I had 5 shots of espresso, I’d be a jitterbug! How much coffee do you drink every day? I love coffee, but I never know how it’s going to affect me. Sometimes one cup of coffee makes me jittery and gives me a headache, but sometimes I can drink several cups and not even feel it. **audiobottle** , I have hot chocolate that’s very dark–it’s called “Chocolate en Poudre.” It’s the best hot chocolate ever! ---
**Author:** ![Zoe](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/z/a4c791/32.png) [@Zoe](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Zoe)\ **Post date:** [April 5, 2005, 2:52am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-coffee-conundrum-lets-find-the-easiest-most-efficient-and-low-cal-way-to-perk-up/297717/7 "2005-04-05T02:52:18Z")
My husband brings me a huge mug of coffee that has so many flavored creamers in it that it isn’t even hot anymore. (My favorite is a combo of hazelnut and chocolate.) Then I take 200 mg. of provigil. ---
**Author:** ![groman](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/73ab20/32.png) [@groman](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/groman)\ **Post date:** [April 5, 2005, 6:58am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-coffee-conundrum-lets-find-the-easiest-most-efficient-and-low-cal-way-to-perk-up/297717/8 "2005-04-05T06:58:48Z")
I typically drink 3-5 espresso based drinks a day with 3-5 shots of espresso each. I’m an addict. It takes me a week to quit. And I’m fine, but then college catches up with me and I have to study late and wake up early and the cycle starts again. 🙂 Any suggestions?