Barista Life Blog · 2 min read

Canada Dry Ginger Ale vs yerba mate: which has more caffeine?

yerba mate has more caffeine than Canada Dry Ginger Ale on both counts: 85mg per 8 oz cup against 0mg per 12 oz can, and about 11mg per fluid ounce against 0. The serving sizes differ, so the table below shows both ways of counting.

These are different categories of drink, which changes how the caffeine arrives. Energy drinks and sodas list an exact number because caffeine is a measured additive; brewed drinks vary with the beans and the brew, so their figures are compiled averages. The numbers here are the standard published values for each.

Canada Dry Ginger Ale vs yerba mate: the numbers

Canada Dry Ginger Ale yerba mate
Caffeine per serving 0mg per 12 oz can 85mg per 8 oz cup
Caffeine per fl oz 0.0mg 10.6mg
Servings to reach 400mg (FDA context) n/a (caffeine-free) 4.7

Sources: Canada Dry Ginger Ale's figure is verified in our Canada Dry Ginger Ale caffeine guide against Keurig Dr Pepper / Caffeine Informer (source); yerba mate's figure is verified in our yerba mate guide against Caffeine Informer / compiled (source).

The concentration gap is the striking part: yerba mate packs roughly 1062 times the caffeine per ounce. Sipping speed matters at that density; a 8 oz cup finished in minutes hits differently than the same milligrams spread over a slow cup.

Which one should you pick?

Pick Canada Dry Ginger Ale when you want the lighter dose or a slower ramp, and yerba mate when you actually need the bigger hit and know your tolerance. If you are stacking either with other caffeinated drinks through the day, run the math against the 400mg reference rather than guessing.

For context, the FDA cites 400mg of caffeine a day as an amount generally not associated with negative effects in healthy adults. Tolerance and health vary, so treat these numbers as information, not advice.

Related reading

FAQ

Does Canada Dry Ginger Ale or yerba mate have more caffeine? yerba mate: 85mg per 8 oz cup versus 0mg per 12 oz can for Canada Dry Ginger Ale.

Which is stronger per ounce? yerba mate, at about 10.6mg per fluid ounce versus 0.0mg for Canada Dry Ginger Ale.

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