In its second annual survey, HealthSaver, a health care discount service, has discovered big changes in their rankings of which cities are the most caffeinated. While coffee was a major part of the survey, they did not judge by coffee alone. Included were colas and other sodas containing caffeine like Mountain Dew, energy drinks, tea, chocolate cake, candy, ice cream and cookies. This sounds a lot like my dream lunch.

Even though New York reached number four this year on the list of most caffeinated cities, it did not arrive through its coffee consumption. New York, according to the study, actually made number two on the 2007 list for least coffee consumption. Since I don’t see it on either the most or least lists for 2008, I imagine that New York-based coffee drinkers are doing their part for 2009.

In 2008 New Yorkers believed caffeine to be a good thing but they are apparently choosing more tea over coffee to get it. New Yorkers are a diverse group and where they place in a study really depends on who you are speaking with and what is the current trend for today.

This non-coffee revelation is surprising, to me at least. We are, after all, the city that never sleeps and I always assumed the reason was too much coffee. That shows what happens when we assume. Don’t worry New York; I’m not mad at you. To each her own and for me, it’s all about the coffee.

The breakdown of the 2008 results is as follows:

Most Coffee Consumption
Regular coffee & specialty coffee drinks

1. Seattle
2. Miami
3. San Francisco
4. Los Angeles
5. Tampa

Least Coffee Consumption
Regular coffee & specialty coffee drinks

1. St. Louis
2. Riverside/San Bernardino
3. Houston
4. Phoenix
5. Detroit

Most Caffeinated Cities

1. Tampa
2. Seattle
3. Chicago
4. New York
5. Los Angeles


Least Caffeinated Cities

1. Riverside/San Bernardino
2. Atlanta
3. San Diego
4. Minneapolis/St. Paul
5. Dallas

Check out the full HealthSaver study and other info here:

http://www.affiniongroupmedia.com/themes/site_themes/affinionassets/releases/health_saver/08caffeine/index.htm