How Much Caffeine Is In Mountain Dew (Vs Coffee)?

How Much Caffeine Is In Mountain Dew (Vs Coffee)?

Sean Gregory
4 minute read

Mountain Dew was created in the 1940s and is one of the older carbonated beverages in the United States and extremely popular in the Southeast region.

By the end if the 1960's Mountain Dew was purchased by Pepsi which still manufactures and distributes the drink today and has also created several variations of the original over the years.

The original Mountain Dew is known for its sweet citrus flavor. While other citrus soda's like Sprite and 7-Up are caffeine free, Mountain Dew does contain caffeine. Just how much may surprise you.

 

What is the caffeine content of Mountain Dew?

 Serving Size Caffeine (MG) Sugar (G)
12 oz Can 54 46
 

Mountain Dew contains 54 mg of caffeine in a standard 12-ounce can or 4.5 mg per ounce, making it one of the most caffeinated options in the carbonated beverage industry. This is likely what draws many soda drinkers to this flavor as the high sugar and caffeine content can give a short-term boost of energy.

Since this beverage is not brewed from coffee or tea leaves the caffeine content will be added during production and will be synthetic caffeine. 

 

 

Is Mountain Dew A Good Source Of Caffeine?

According to the FDA the suggested safe limit for daily caffeine consumption in otherwise healthy adults is 400 mg's per day. While some may be able to consume more without any adverse side effects it may not be healthy for others to do so. 

Since Mountain Dew has 54 mg of caffeine per can the average person can consume several of these and still stay under their daily limit. Keep in mind caffeine is found in many other drinks and foods so you will need to count all sources within a single day.

For energy boost purposes Mountain Dew's caffeine content will likely only lead to a small and short term energy boost. For a greater boost, you will need to consider coffee or energy drinks.

 

Mountain Dew's Caffeine Compared To Coffee

While Mountain Dew is one of the highest caffeinated sodas on the market a 12-ounce cup of black coffee will average between 120 and 150 mg of caffeine. This makes Mountain Dew a much less caffeinated option and not a great source of caffeine for those looking for an actual kick.

When you factor in the massive amount of sugar in a can of Mountain Dew this gives the edge to black coffee as a healthier source of caffeine energy.

 

HOW LONG DOES CAFFEINE STAY IN YOUR SYSTEM?

Caffeine has a half-life of 6 hours, meaning that half of the amount you consumed will be out of your body within 6 hours. The other half will take another 4-6 hours to leave, so that means you'll need to wait 12 hours for complete clearance from your system. But this is just an average; some people may clear it more quickly than others due to individual factors such as age and genetics.

 

COMPARISON TO OTHER DRINKS

Average Caffeine Content MG of Caffeine
Black Insomnia Coffee 1105
Bang Energy 300
80
Mountain Dew 54
Sprite 0

 

Mountain Dew's Sugar Content: High

According to Heart.org, the average adult should consume no more than 30-40 mg of sugar per day. Since a single 12-ounce can of Mountain Dew has 46 mg, drinking more than one a day is not considered a healthy option and can lead to weight gain and other sugar-related health issues.

Sugar levels this high can also lead to tooth decay for those who drink Mountain Dew on a regular basis.

One can of Mountain Dew also has 170 calories which makes it a less-than-ideal option for those looking to cut calories. If sugar is a concern you may want to check out their zero sugar option.

 

Ingredients In Mountain Dew

Carbonated Water, High Fructose Corn Syrup, Concentrated Orange Juice, Citric Acid, Natural Flavor, Sodium Benzoate (Preserves Freshness), Caffeine, Sodium Citrate, Gum Arabic, Erythritol Acid (Preserves Freshness), Calcium Disodium EDTA (To Protect Flavor), Yellow 5. Contains Corn and Its Derivatives.
  

Other Mountain Dew Varieties

Mountain Dew has changed their varieties over the years but their most common varieties are Voltage, Live Wire, Code Red, Major Melon, and Major Melon Zero Sugar.

 

Where Can You Buy Mountain Dew Online?

  • You can use your Prime membership and buy Mountain Dew and other soda flavors on Amazon.
  • Looking for something else? Check out all the coffee options from Meadow Ridge Coffee.

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