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How Much Caffeine Is In Dr. Pepper?
Do you know how much caffeine is in your all-time favourite soft drink? Let's find out!
Published January 30, 2022
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Vasileia Fanarioti
Coffee experts@The Coffee Lab
We all know that caffeine is a stimulant. We drink it to wake up, or to stay awake when we're working late. But how much caffeine is in our favorite drinks? And what are the side effects of too much caffeine?
Here's a look at the caffeine content of Dr. Pepper and some other popular drinks, and what you should watch out for if you're trying to cut back on your caffeine intake.
Amount of Caffeine in Dr. Pepper
Dr. Pepper is a carbonated soft drink that was found in Waco, Texas by pharmacist Charles Alderton in the 1880s. Dr. Pepper was marketed in the US administered in 1904 and is now used in Europe, Asia, North and South America and Australia as well as in protection and security as an imported commodity.
Depending on the manufacturer, there are large fluctuations in the caffeine content of soft drinks. Here is an overview of the caffeine amount in the different Dr. Pepper cans:
- Dr Pepper - 42.6 mg / can
- Diet Dr Pepper - 44.1 mg / can
- Dr Pepper Cherry - 39 mg / can
- Diet Dr Pepper Cherry - 39 mg / can
What is the maximum caffeine content in soft drinks?
The legal maximum amount for caffeinated soft drinks is regulated by the Fruit Juice, Soft Drinks and Tea Ordinance and is 320 milligrams per liter.
If the caffeine content is more than 150 milligrams per liter, drinks must bear the notice according to the Food Information Regulation: "Increased caffeine content. Not recommended for children and pregnant or breastfeeding women”. The caffeine content in milligrams per 100 milliliters must be given in brackets. The caffeine content rules do not apply to caffeinated coffee- or tea-based soft drinks where “coffee” or “tea” appears in the designation. This is the case, for example, with iced tea.
Cola drinks usually contain about 100 milligrams of caffeine per liter. The caffeine content therefore does not have to be specially labeled. Energy drinks, which usually contain the maximum 320 milligrams per liter, carry a warning. For comparison: filter coffee contains about 450 milligrams of caffeine per liter. However, energy drinks are probably drunk in larger quantities than coffee.
So-called energy shots, on the other hand, are concentrated energy drinks and often contain more than 320 milligrams of caffeine per liter. They are offered by the manufacturers as dietary supplements and are therefore not subject to the fruit juice, soft drink and tea ordinance. They may only be sold with a consumption recommendation, usually one portion a day.
Typical ingredients of soft drinks
The basis of non-alcoholic soft drinks is water in the form of drinking water, natural mineral water, spring water or table water. When it comes to their taste, there are almost no limits to the imagination: fruit juices, herbal extracts or sugary concentrates and extracts made from fruit are usually used.
They owe their sweetness to a wide variety of sugars, often classic table sugar, but sometimes also agave syrup or fruit sugar, i.e. fructose. Sugar-reduced or sugar-free variants contain sweeteners as an alternative.
Other typical additives in soft drinks are acidifiers such as citric acid. Dyes are used less often and are usually only found in showers. More often, fruit or plant extracts enhance the natural color of the beverage.
According to the Fruit Juice Ordinance, caffeinated soft drinks may contain a maximum of 320 milligrams of caffeine per liter and must be labeled with a statement that clearly and unambiguously indicates the caffeine content. Cola drinks are the classic among caffeinated soft drinks. However, their caffeine content is usually well below the legal maximum. How high it is - whether it is 10 or 140 milligrams per liter - remains open.
Because only from a concentration of 150 milligrams of caffeine per liter is a quantity on the label mandatory. Energy drinks, on the other hand, usually make full use of the legally stipulated maximum caffeine value. That's what it says on their packaging.
In addition to caffeine, they contain at least one or more of the following substances: taurine, inositol and glucuronolactone. Statutory maximum values that must not be exceeded also apply to these three substances.
- Taurine is a breakdown product of the amino acid cysteine. It occurs naturally in meat and cheese, for example, and is also produced in the body as a component of bile acids. It is still unclear whether taurine enhances the effects of caffeine. Performance-enhancing effects have not been proven. Energy drinks may contain a maximum of 4,000 milligrams of taurine per liter.
- Inositol is widespread in plants and in muscle tissue. It can also be made in the body itself. Deficiency states are not known in humans. The maximum amount of insosite in energy drinks is 200 milligrams per liter.
- Glucuronolactone is a compound that the body makes itself and uses to eliminate foreign substances (drugs, phenols). Whether the intake of this substance through food triggers detoxification reactions has not been scientifically proven. The maximum amount of glucuronolactone in energy drinks is 2,400 milligrams per liter.
Energy drinks often contain guarana extracts instead of caffeine. This is the nut of a tropical plant that has a very high caffeine content.
Caffeine Content Comparison
The caffeine content of coffee varies depending on the variety, but an average can of course be given. We also give the caffeine content of cola, tea, cola, Red Bull, Club Mate and Monster Energy.
The following list gives you an overview of how much caffeine is contained in your favorite drink. In order to make it easier to compare the individual drinks, we always state the amount of caffeine per 100g. It is not possible to provide generally valid information for coffee & tea, as the caffeine content can vary greatly depending on the type and preparation. We have therefore assumed average values. However, individual types of coffee/tea can be far above or below these specifications.
Filter coffee: 96 mg / 250 ml
Espresso: 63 mg / single shot of 30 ml
Instant coffee: 46.5 / serving of 170 ml
Black tea: 27,1 mg / 125ml Cup
Green tea: 20,12 mg / 125ml Cup
Red Bull: 80 mg / 250ml Caj
Red Bull Zero: 80 mg / 250ml Can
Monster Energy: 160 mg / 500ml Bottle
Monster Energy Ultra: 145 mg / 500ml Bottle
Coca Cola: 33 mg / 330ml Can
Coca Cola Zero: 33 mg / 330ml Can
Pepsi: 35 mg / 330ml Can
Pepsi Max: 64 mg / 330ml Can
Cocoa : 7 mg / 250 ml Glass
Final Thoughts
It is no surprise that Dr. Pepper has caffeine in it, but what you may not have known was just how much! I hope this article has cleared that up for you. I made sure to include a comparison of other caffeinated drinks so you understand just how much caffeine you consume when you drink your favorite beverages.
If you're looking to cut back on your daily intake without cutting out the taste completely, try our new Caffeine Free Dr. Pepper product line available now at most grocery stores nationwide!
About the author
Vasileia Fanarioti
My name is Vasileia and I’m here because i decided to combine my two favourite things: writing and coffee. I love travelling around the world and visiting coffee shops but my biggest goal is to visit a coffee farm, to see where it all starts! You can follow my coffee adventures via my blog: thewanderingbean.net
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