Coca-Cola
How much caffeine is in Cherry Coke?
Sources checked claim by claim by an AI review. Approved for publishing by Oleksii Y. on 2026-10-09.
One 12 fl oz can of Cherry Coke has 34 mg of caffeine, according to The Coca-Cola Company (coca-cola.com, US).
How Cherry Coke compares
- Strength: 9.6 mg per 100 ml.
- One 12 fl oz can has as much caffeine as about a quarter to a third of a cup of brewed coffee, which has 94.8 mg per 8 fl oz cup.
- Of the 30 other sodas in our soda chart, 13 have more caffeine per serving and 15 have less.
How much will be left at bedtime?
1 × 12 fl oz can of Cherry Coke
Left at 11:00 PM (8 h later), average metabolism
≈ 11 mg
Range 5–17 mg (fast to slow metabolism)
34 mg is already at or under the 50 mg this tool aims to have left at bedtime.
What sleep studies found near this dose
- Gardiner et al. 2025 (randomized trial): In 23 healthy young men, 100 mg taken 12, 8 or 4 hours before bed had no significant effect on measured or self-rated sleep.
- Gardiner et al. 2023 (meta-analysis): To avoid losing sleep time, the authors suggest a coffee (107 mg per 250 ml) at least 8.8 hours before bed.
Estimate from a simple model: half-life of 3, 5 or 8 hours, 50 mg bedtime target. How we calculate
How long does Cherry Coke stay in your system?
Our model halves caffeine every 5 hours for average metabolism, and every 3 or 8 hours for fast or slow metabolism. From one 12 fl oz can of Cherry Coke (34 mg), about 17 mg is still in your body 5 hours later and about 9 mg after 10 hours. If you clear caffeine slowly (an 8-hour half-life), about 14 mg is left after 10 hours.
Estimated caffeine left at 11:00 PM from one 12 fl oz can (34 mg), using a half-life of 5 hours for average metabolism and 3 to 8 hours for the range. How we calculate
| Had at | Left at bedtime (average) | Range |
|---|---|---|
| 8:00 AM (15 h before bed) | ≈ 4 mg | 1–9 mg |
| 12:00 PM (11 h before bed) | ≈ 7 mg | 3–13 mg |
| 3:00 PM (8 h before bed) | ≈ 11 mg | 5–17 mg |
| 6:00 PM (5 h before bed) | ≈ 17 mg | 11–22 mg |
How many fit in a day?
Reference amounts are for caffeine from all sources combined. Counted at the upper end of the stated amount, one serving at a time:
- Up to 400 mg a day for most healthy adults (FDA, EFSA): about 11 servings.
- Up to 200 mg at one time for healthy adults (EFSA): about 5 servings in one go.
- Up to 200 mg a day in pregnancy (EFSA, NHS): about 5 servings.
These are reference amounts for groups of people, not a personal limit. Some people feel jittery or sleep worse on much less. See the cutoff calculator for timing.
Good to know
Coca-Cola's flavors page lists Coca-Cola Vanilla, Cherry Zero Sugar and Vanilla Zero Sugar at the same 34 mg per 12 fl oz as Cherry Coke.
Cherry Coke vs other Coca-Cola drinks
- Coca-Cola Original Taste: Cherry Coke has the same amount of caffeine as Coca-Cola Original Taste per 12 fl oz can: 34 mg vs 34 mg.
- Diet Coke: Cherry Coke has less caffeine than Diet Coke per 12 fl oz can: 34 mg vs 46 mg.
- Coca-Cola Zero Sugar: Cherry Coke has the same amount of caffeine as Coca-Cola Zero Sugar per 12 fl oz can: 34 mg vs 34 mg.
- Caffeine-Free Coca-Cola: Cherry Coke has more caffeine than Caffeine-Free Coca-Cola per 12 fl oz can: 34 mg vs 0 mg.
Common questions
How much caffeine is in Cherry Coke?
The Coca-Cola Company (coca-cola.com, US) gives 34 mg of caffeine per 12 fl oz can.
How many Cherry Coke servings can I have in a day?
The FDA and EFSA cite up to 400 mg of caffeine a day, from all sources combined, for most healthy adults. At 34 mg per 12 fl oz can, that is about 11 servings if Cherry Coke is your only source. In pregnancy the reference is 200 mg a day.
How late can I drink Cherry Coke?
One serving has about 34 mg, which is at or under the 50 mg our calculator aims to have left at bedtime, so it sets no cutoff for a single serving. Several servings add up.
Does Cherry Coke have more caffeine than Coca-Cola Original Taste?
Cherry Coke has the same amount of caffeine as Coca-Cola Original Taste per 12 fl oz can: 34 mg vs 34 mg.
How long does Cherry Coke stay in your system?
Of the 34 mg in one 12 fl oz can, roughly 17 mg remains after 5 hours and 9 mg after 10 hours with our average 5-hour half-life. From fast to slow metabolism, 10 hours later it is between 3 and 14 mg.
Where the number comes from
- Coca-Cola flavors. The Coca-Cola Company (coca-cola.com, US). FAQ "Does Coca-Cola Cherry have caffeine?": "A 12-ounce Coca-Cola Cherry can contains 34mg of caffeine"; flavors table, column "Caffeine (12 fl oz)": Cherry, Vanilla, Cherry Zero Sugar and Vanilla Zero Sugar each 34 mg. Accessed 2026-10-09. Source ↗
Recipes and labels change. If a number here no longer matches the label, the label wins.
General information, not medical advice
If you feel unwell after caffeine — for example chest pain, a fast or irregular heartbeat that does not settle, fainting, confusion or trouble breathing — get urgent medical help. If you are pregnant or breastfeeding, under 18, take medication, or have a heart, liver or anxiety condition, high blood pressure or a sleep disorder, ask a doctor or pharmacist what amount is right for you.
Sources
- U.S. Food and Drug Administration (2024). Spilling the Beans: How Much Caffeine is Too Much? FDA Consumer Updates. fda.gov ↗
- European Food Safety Authority. Caffeine | EFSA. EFSA topic page (summary of the 2015 Scientific Opinion on the safety of caffeine). efsa.europa.eu ↗
- NHS. Foods to avoid in pregnancy. NHS. nhs.uk ↗
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