Coca-Cola
How much caffeine is in Coca-Cola Original Taste?
Data checked against the source on 2026-10-03 by Oleksii Y.
One 12 fl oz can of Coca-Cola Original Taste has 34 mg of caffeine, according to The Coca-Cola Company (coca-cola.com, US).
How Coca-Cola Original Taste 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 22 other sodas in our soda chart, 10 have more caffeine per serving and 11 have less.
How much will be left at bedtime?
1 × 12 fl oz can of Coca-Cola Original Taste
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 Coca-Cola Original Taste 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 Coca-Cola Original Taste (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
In Great Britain, Coca-Cola states 34 mg of caffeine for a 330 ml can.
Coca-Cola Original Taste vs other Coca-Cola drinks
- Diet Coke: Coca-Cola Original Taste has less caffeine than Diet Coke per 12 fl oz can: 34 mg vs 46 mg.
- Coca-Cola Zero Sugar: Coca-Cola Original Taste 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: Coca-Cola Original Taste 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 Coca-Cola Original Taste?
The Coca-Cola Company (coca-cola.com, US) gives 34 mg of caffeine per 12 fl oz can.
How many Coca-Cola Original Taste 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 Coca-Cola Original Taste is your only source. In pregnancy the reference is 200 mg a day.
How late can I drink Coca-Cola Original Taste?
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.
How long does Coca-Cola Original Taste 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 Original Taste. The Coca-Cola Company (coca-cola.com, US). Product text: "A 12-ounce can of Coke has 34mg of caffeine." Accessed 2026-10-02. Source ↗
- What is caffeine? The Coca-Cola Company (coca-cola.com, GB). FAQ answer: "Coke's caffeine content is 34mg for a 330ml can" Accessed 2026-10-02. 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, take medication or have a heart, liver or anxiety condition, 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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