Mountain Dew vs Coca-Cola: caffeine compared
Mountain Dew has 50 mg of caffeine per 11.2 oz can. Coca-Cola has 32 mg per 11.2 oz can.
Per serving Mountain Dew is ahead: 50 mg against 32 mg, about 55% more. Per 100 ml Mountain Dew is ahead: 15 mg against 9.7 mg, about 55% more.
| Mountain Dew | Coca-Cola | |
|---|---|---|
| Serving | 11.2 oz can (330 ml) | 11.2 oz can (330 ml) |
| Caffeine per serving | 50 mg | 32 mg |
| Caffeine per 100 ml | 15 mg | 9.7 mg |
| Caffeine per fl oz | 4.4 mg | 2.9 mg |
| In the same 12 oz (355 ml) | 53 mg | 34 mg |
| Share of the 400 mg daily limit | 12% | 8% |
| Peak level, 45 minutes in | 46 mg | 29 mg |
| Time to fall below 40 mg | 2 hours | already below |
| Latest for an 11 pm bedtime | 8:58 pm | any time |
| Servings to reach 400 mg | 8 | 12.5 |
What the numbers mean
Mountain Dew is the most caffeinated of the mainstream soft drinks, with about half as much again as Coca-Cola.
It is still a soft drink. A can is about half a mug of filter coffee. The larger bottles are where it adds up: a 20 oz bottle is close to a full coffee, and it is often drunk in the evening, when a coffee would not be.
The full page for each
Common questions
Which has more caffeine, Mountain Dew or Coca-Cola?
Mountain Dew. One 11.2 oz can holds 50 mg, against 32 mg in one 11.2 oz can of Coca-Cola: about 55% more.
Which is the better choice late in the day?
Coca-Cola. One serving stays under 40 mg, so it can be had at any hour. For an 11 pm bedtime Mountain Dew needs to be finished by 8:58 pm.
How many servings of Coca-Cola equal one Mountain Dew?
About 1.6. One 11.2 oz can of Mountain Dew holds 50 mg and one 11.2 oz can of Coca-Cola holds 32 mg.
How many can I have in a day?
Going by the 400 mg daily limit for healthy adults: about 8 servings of Mountain Dew or 12 of Coca-Cola, if that is the only caffeine you have. Anything else with caffeine in it counts toward the same limit.
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Where these numbers come from
Every figure is calculated with the model the Cira app uses: caffeine peaks 45 minutes after you take it and halves every 5.7 hours, a typical value for healthy adults. The 40 mg sleep line is a working threshold of the model, and the 400 mg daily limit is the figure used by the European Food Safety Authority and the US FDA. These are averages. Smoking, pregnancy, the contraceptive pill and some medicines change how fast you clear caffeine. How the numbers are worked out.
