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The 10 Most Caffeinated Diet Drinks

Did you know that diet sodas have more caffeine than regular soda?

Diet Coke has 46.5mg compared to regular Coke that has 34.5mg. That's a thirty per-cent increase!

Here are the 10 most caffeinated diet soft drinks - and they are nowhere near the levels of caffeine in Starbucks drinks.

Diet Pepsi Max

Per 12oz can : 69mg caffeine

A can of regular Pepsi-cola contains 38mg caffeine.

Diet Sundrop

Per 12oz can: 69mg caffeine

Sun Drop is a brand of citrus soda drink from Cadbury-Schweppes. The level of caffeine in the Diet version came as a complete surprise - but then - even the regular version has 63mg in a 12oz can. Note: regular can displayed.

Diet Mountain Dew

Per 12oz can: 55mg caffeine

Mountain Dew is one of the most popular citrus soft drinks. Both diet and regular have the same amount of caffeine. In countries outside the USA - Mountain Dew has either reduced amounts of caffeine (or no caffeine at all).

Pepsi ONE

Per 12oz can: 54mg caffeine

Pepsi ONE is a very similar formulation to Diet Coke with Splenda - although Pepsi ONE contains significantly more caffeine.

Diet Cheerwine

Per 12oz can: 48.1mg caffeine

Diet RC Cola

Per 12oz can: 47.3mg caffeine

Royal Crown (RC) colas have been around for a long time and are currently owned by Cadbury Schweppes. As in the case of Diet Coke - here the diet version has more caffeine than the regular RC Cola. 2

TaB

Per 12oz can: 46.5mg caffeine

TaB (from Coca-cola) is one of the oldest diet or sugar-free soft drinks around. It has more caffeine than Diet Coke

Diet Coke

Per 12oz can: 46.5mg caffeine

Diet Coke has significantly more caffeine in it than regular coke (34.5mg).

Diet Sunkist Orange Soda

Per 12oz can: 41.5mg caffeine

Contains slightly more than the regular version of Sunkist. Who would have thought that Orange Soda was caffeinated?

Diet Dr Pepper

Per 12oz can: 41mg caffeine

Contains the same amount as regular Dr Pepper.

How Much Caffeine in Instant Coffee?

According the USDA - 1 rounded teaspoon of instant coffee powder contains 57mg of caffeine. (source).

What about Diet Coke Plus?
The vitamin-filled Diet Coke Plus contains the same amount of caffeine as Diet Coke.

Diet Pepsi?
Didn't even make it to this list. Diet Pepsi has 36mg caffeine in a 12oz can.

Sources: The Energy Fiend caffeine database and caffeine in citrus, along with PepsiCo, Coca-cola, Sundrop.

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81 Comments

Ann

Diet Cheerwine? ...

ally knight

well i guess that its not as bad for you as we thought you know

Shanosha

There are some sodas on this list that I've never heard of in my life. But this is good info to know. I've been cutting back on soda for about a year now, ever since I noticed that cafee sometimes give me headaches and can make me feel a little dizzy. Now I only drink it occasionally when eating out.

Claire S.

Wow, when I took a trip to North Carolina this summer, I drank Diet Sundrop every day! Who knew?

Sunny

hmmm isn't it amazing how they can get so many grams of caffeine AND sugar into these cans? just amazing ....i feel sick >

Dr.J

Ann said:
Diet Cheerwine? ... [...]

HaHa!! Cheerwine rules!! It's a small company in North Carolina that persisted due to local loyalty and their refusal to sell out to the big soda company!(Coke and Pepsi)Reply

keth

i agree cheerwines amazing best pop around

Mike H.

I've always known that mountain dew was particularly high in caffeine (I think the regular is also 55mg) but I found out a couple years back that up here in Canada it contains none! I wonder if this is the same for the diet version. Anyone know?

climbamtn

canada has some strict labeling issues and requested mt dew be labled as an energy drink for the amount of sugar and caffeine, however amped is already the mt dew branded energy drink rather then change formula or labling they pulled all caffinated versions of mt dew from the canada. at this point in time there is no caffiene in any mt dew in canada.

Mark

What the heck is Diet Cheerwine? Hilarious.

Eeyoreem

Dr.J said:
[...]

Cheerwine is awesome. I went to college in NC and got hooked on it. I never tried diet until this year. Now I'm up in PA but my brother lives down there so whenever he comes to visit or anyone in the family goes down there they have to get me my fix. Its awesome.

Spectra

Diet Sunkist is awesome! My brother drinks the regular Sunkist and no one believes us when we tell them that it has a good jolt of caffeine. Everyone always says: "Orange soda doesn't have caffeine". Yes, except for Sunkist and Diet Sunkist.

Oh, btw...I love Diet SunDrop. That's some good stuff.

I've never tried that new Diet Pepsi Max, but I'd be curious to see what it tastes like.

Ann

So does Cheerwine taste like wine? Like cheer ... ?

rpm2004

Ann said:
So does Cheerwine taste like wine? Like cheer ... ? [...]

Cherry flavored

Janelle Jenkins

Crystal Light recently started selling a new version of their "On The Go" packets. It's for energy in the flavor of wild strawberry. This little packet makes 2 servings of 60mg of caffeine... And you're definately gonna use the whole packet. That's 120mg of caffeine... What a kick!!!!

Christine

Mike H. I think it's the law in Canada that only dark-coloured pop can be caffeinated? I'm not too clear on that one. Barq's is caffeinated, but that's the only non-cola that has any caffeine in it.

Maksimir

I am surprised Jolt Cola is not on the list, they must have missed it.

Josh

Maksimir: Jolt Ultra you mean?

12oz of that has approx 77 mg caffeine.

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