Caffeine content of common beverages

U.S. Edition

Sign InRegister

In association with:

• The caffeine question: Should you decaffeinate your diet?

WOMEN'S HEALTH

Food & Nutrition

• E. coli: Dangers of eating raw or undercooked foods

• Healthy meals: Cooking for one or two

• Fast food: 6 ways to healthier meals

• Grilling tips: Creative and healthy options for the grill

• Snacks: How they fit into a healthy diet

• Vegetarian diet: A starter's guide to a plant-based diet

• E. coli and spinach: How to make safe choices

• Dietary fiber: An essential part of a healthy diet

• Healthy diet basics: Using a food pyramid

• Break away for breakfast: Don't opt out of this beneficial meal

• Dietary supplements: Using vitamin and mineral supplements wisely

• Poultry, meat and seafood: How to's of high-protein foods

• Vegetables: How to select, store and serve these healthy foods

• Whole grains: High in nutrition and fiber, yet low in fat

• Fruits: How to select, store and serve these healthy foods

• Dairy products: Selecting, storing and serving

• Organically grown foods: Evaluate your options

• Legumes: Using beans, peas and lentils instead of meat

• Dietary fats: Know which types to choose

• A course on cookbooks: How to select one that suits your needs

• Water: How much should you drink every day?

• Sodium: Are you getting too much?

• 8 ways to prevent food poisoning at home

• Fish FAQ: The merits and hazards of eating fish

• Ingredient substitutions: Make the switch for healthier recipes

• Adjusting the servings: Considerations for scaling a recipe

• The caffeine question: Should you decaffeinate your diet?

• Low-fat diets: Still beneficial despite study results?

• Dietary supplements: Do you need them?

• Food poisoning: Prevention includes safe cooking temperatures

• Food poisoning: Common causes and likely symptoms

• Shopping strategies for healthy foods

• A sample menu using the Mayo Clinic Healthy Weight Pyramid

• Alcohol and your health: Weighing the pros and cons

CHILDREN'S HEALTH

Food & Nutrition

• E. coli: Dangers of eating raw or undercooked foods

• Healthy meals: Cooking for one or two

• Fast food: 6 ways to healthier meals

• Grilling tips: Creative and healthy options for the grill

• Snacks: How they fit into a healthy diet

• Vegetarian diet: A starter's guide to a plant-based diet

• E. coli and spinach: How to make safe choices

• Dietary fiber: An essential part of a healthy diet

• Healthy diet basics: Using a food pyramid

• Break away for breakfast: Don't opt out of this beneficial meal

• Dietary supplements: Using vitamin and mineral supplements wisely

• Poultry, meat and seafood: How to's of high-protein foods

• Vegetables: How to select, store and serve these healthy foods

• Whole grains: High in nutrition and fiber, yet low in fat

• Fruits: How to select, store and serve these healthy foods

• Dairy products: Selecting, storing and serving

• Organically grown foods: Evaluate your options

• Legumes: Using beans, peas and lentils instead of meat

• Dietary fats: Know which types to choose

• A course on cookbooks: How to select one that suits your needs

• Water: How much should you drink every day?

• Sodium: Are you getting too much?

• 8 ways to prevent food poisoning at home

• Fish FAQ: The merits and hazards of eating fish

• Ingredient substitutions: Make the switch for healthier recipes

• Adjusting the servings: Considerations for scaling a recipe

• The caffeine question: Should you decaffeinate your diet?

• Low-fat diets: Still beneficial despite study results?

• Dietary supplements: Do you need them?

• Food poisoning: Prevention includes safe cooking temperatures

• Food poisoning: Common causes and likely symptoms

• Shopping strategies for healthy foods

• A sample menu using the Mayo Clinic Healthy Weight Pyramid

• Alcohol and your health: Weighing the pros and cons

INFORMATION CENTERS:

Note: All links within content go to MayoClinic.com

Features

Caffeine content of common beverages

From MayoClinic.com
Special to CNN.com
Introduction

Caffeine is a substance that exists naturally in certain plants, including tea leaves, kola nuts, and coffee and cocoa beans. It can also be produced synthetically and added to foods and beverages.

When caffeine is added to foods and beverages in the United States, it must appear in the list of ingredients on the label. But manufacturers aren't required to list the amount of caffeine. This is true in many other countries as well.

Caffeine is a stimulant. It can increase alertness and even enhance performance of certain tasks. For most people, moderate doses of caffeine — 200 to 300 milligrams (mg) a day — aren't harmful. However, excessive caffeine — more than 500 mg a day — can cause irritability, nervousness, anxiety, insomnia, headaches and diarrhea.

Coffee

Type of coffee	Caffeine (milligrams)
Plain, brewed, 8 ounces (oz.)	135
Instant, 8 oz.	95
Espresso, 1 fluid oz.	30-50
Flavored, 8 oz.	25-100
Decaffeinated, brewed, 8 oz.	5
Decaffeinated, instant, 8 oz.	3
Starbucks' Coffee Grande, 16 oz.	259

Sources: American Dietetic Association, 2005; Center for Science in the Public Interest, 1997; International Food Information Council, 1998

Tea

Type of tea	Caffeine (milligrams)
Black tea, 8 ounces (oz.)	40-70
Green tea, 8 oz.	25-40
Decaffeinated, black tea, 8 oz.	4
Nestea, sweetened or unsweetened, 12 oz.	26
Lipton Brisk Iced Tea, all varieties, 12 oz.	9

Sources: American Beverage Association, 2005; Bowes & Church's Food Values of Portions Commonly Used, 2005; Journal of Agricultural and Food Chemistry, 2003

Soft drinks

Brand of soft drink (12 ounces)	Caffeine (milligrams)
7-Up	0
A&W Creme Soda	29
Barq's Root Beer	22
Cherry Coca-Cola, Diet Cherry Coca-Cola	34
Coca-Cola Classic	34
Code Red Mountain Dew	55
Diet Barq's Root Beer	0
Diet Coke	45
Dr Pepper	41
Diet Pepsi-Cola	36
Diet Wild Cherry Pepsi	36
Fanta	0
Mello Yello, Diet Mello Yello	51
Mountain Dew, Diet Mountain Dew	55
Pepsi-Cola	37
Sprite, Diet Sprite	0
Sunkist Orange Soda, Diet Sunkist Orange Soda	41
Tab	47
Wild Cherry Pepsi	38

Sources: American Beverage Association, 2005; The Coca-Cola Co., 2005; Dr Pepper/Seven Up Inc., 2005

Sports/Energy drinks

Brand of sports/energy drinks	Caffeine (milligrams)
AMP Energy Drink, 8.4 ounces (oz.)	75
Full Throttle, 16 oz.	144
KMX Orange, 8.4 oz.	75
Red Bull, 8.5 oz. (250 milliliters)	80
SoBe Adrenaline Rush, 8.3 oz.	79
SoBe No Fear, 16 oz.	158

Sources: American Beverage Association, 2005; SoBe Beverages, 2005; Red Bull, 2005

Coffee: Does it offer health benefits?

The caffeine question: Should you decaffeinate your diet?

October 03, 2005

© 1998-2006 Mayo Foundation for Medical Education and Research (MFMER). All rights reserved. A single copy of these materials may be reprinted for noncommercial personal use only. "Mayo," "Mayo Clinic," "MayoClinic.com," "Embody Health," "Reliable tools for healthier lives," "Enhance your life," and the triple-shield Mayo Clinic logo are trademarks of Mayo Foundation for Medical Education and Research. Terms of Use.

External sites open in new window; not endorsed by CNN.com

Pay service with live and archived video. Learn more

Download audio news |

Add RSS headlines