Soda is a staple of American dining. The first soda water appeared on shelves in 1835 and has only increased in popularity since. At one time, soda shops were the centers of youth culture, and even today, it’s uncommon to see a group of people gathered without at least one soft drink on the table.
Occasionally, however, there is a push to reduce soda consumption — and for good reason. Soft drinks are high in sugar and, as you may have heard, they’re not good for you. But there is another reason to monitor your soda intake that has nothing to do with sugar or calories. It is related to caffeine.
Caffeine is prevalent, which might make it seem harmless. However, as the Mayo Clinic highlights, caffeine has a downside. It can lead to muscle tremors, increased heart rate, headaches, and insomnia, among other side effects. Typically, these symptoms become noticeable once an adult consumes 400 mg or more, according to the Mayo Clinic. This threshold is lower for pregnant individuals (200 mg/day) and those sensitive to caffeine.
How Coke Compares
Consuming 400 mg of caffeine in a day may seem like a lot, especially when you consider that Coke contains only between 2.5 and 3 milligrams of caffeine per ounce of soda. Diet Coke contains between 3.5 and 3.75 milligrams per ounce (via Center for Science in the Public Interest). They obtained their information directly from company websites. In comparison, coffee has 12 milligrams per ounce, while black tea has about 5 milligrams. Green tea contains about 4.5 milligrams.
These all seem like small numbers. However, these are milligrams per ounce. So a bottle of Coke – typically 20 oz – contains about 34 milligrams of caffeine. This means if you have a 16-ounce cup of coffee with breakfast (a grande from Starbucks) and a bottle of Coke with lunch, by dinner you’ve consumed 226 milligrams of caffeine, over half the daily safe limit.
Soft drinks like Coke have a lower caffeine level compared to other caffeine-based drinks, but they can accumulate quickly. A can between breakfast and lunch, a refill or two from the fountain when dining out, a can with dinner. Those milligrams add up fast and are definitely worth monitoring.
