If you’re looking to avoid caffeine or get more of it, it can be helpful to know which sodas have high amounts of it. Many people want to know what soda has the most caffeine. The short answer is that Mountain Dew Zero Sugar has the most, but there are several different factors to consider, so keep reading as we look at several different brands regarding their caffeine content.
Classic Soda or Energy Drink?
There was once a brand of soda named Jolt Cola that was renowned for having more sugar and caffeine than any other brand, and many people consider it the original energy drink. Indeed, Jolt Cola became an energy drink after 2010, which is why it isn’t on this list. There are many other soda-type energy drinks that are also not included for this reason. All of these sodas are classic sodas and are not advertised as energy drinks.
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What Soda Has the Most Caffeine?
We looked at several assorted brands of sodas and found that Mountain Dew Zero Sugar contains the most caffeine. It has 5.7 milligrams (mg) of caffeine per ounce, so a 12-ounce can contain about 68.4 mg, and a 20-ounce bottle contains 114 mg. This is about the same amount of caffeine that you will find in a standard cup of coffee, which typically contains 95–140 mg of caffeine.
In second place is Big Fizz Cola, which isn’t as popular as some of the other brands, but you can find it in many grocery stores. Big Fizz Cola has 5.2 mg of caffeine per ounce, so a 12-ounce can contains 62.4 mg and a 20-ounce bottle has 104 mg. Another brand of Mountain Dew, Major Melon, comes in third place, with 4.6 mg of caffeine per ounce.
Soda Brands With the Most Caffeine
| Drink | Caffeine in mg per ounce | Caffeine in 12-ounce can | Caffeine in a 20-ounce bottle |
| Mountain Dew Zero Sugar | 5.7 | 68.4 | 114 |
| Big Fizz Cola | 5.2 | 62.4 | 104 |
| Pepsi One | 4.9 | 58.8 | 98 |
| Mountain Dew Major Melon | 4.6 | 55.2 | 92 |
| Mountain Dew Regular | 4.5 | 54 | 90 |
| Diet Coke | 3.8 | 45.6 | 76 |
| Pepsi Regular | 3.2 | 38.4 | 64 |
| Coca Cola | 2.8 | 33.6 | 56 |
How Much Caffeine Is Safe?
Experts recommend keeping your caffeine intake below 400 mg per day to avoid health problems. Too much caffeine can increase blood pressure and strain the heart. Luckily, soda does not contain as much caffeine as many other beverages, and even drinking several bottles of Mountain Dew Zero Sugar should not cause any issues as long as you aren’t getting more caffeine from other sources. However, many sodas contain a large amount of sugar, which can be harmful if you drink too much, as it can lead to weight gain, dental issues, and even more serious health problems, like diabetes and chronic inflammation.
How Does the Caffeine in Soda Compare to the Caffeine in Other Beverages?
Coffee contains much more caffeine than most sodas. The average 8-ounce morning cup of coffee usually contains between 95 and 140 mg of caffeine. That’s between 11.9 and 17.5 mg per ounce, and many coffees have even more caffeine than that. For example, espresso can contain 64 mg of caffeine per ounce, which is many times more than what you will find in any soda. Even tea is stronger than most sodas because it usually contains about 5.8 mg of caffeine per ounce, which is slightly higher than Mountain Dew Zero Sugar.
| Drink | Caffeine in mg per ounce |
| Mountain Dew Zero Sugar | 5.7 |
| Tea | 5.8 |
| Coffee | 11.9 |
| Espresso | 64 |
Summary
Mountain Dew Zero Sugar is currently the soda with the most caffeine, beating out other versions of Mountain Dew and Big Fizz Cola. While these brands have a significantly higher amount of caffeine than other kinds of soda, it’s still quite low compared to other drinks, so there isn’t much danger of a caffeine overdose.
Featured Image Credit: Joseph Rai, Shutterstock
