Barista Life Blog · 1 min read

English breakfast tea vs Mtn Dew Kickstart (Orange Citrus): which has more caffeine?

Mtn Dew Kickstart (Orange Citrus) carries more total caffeine per serving (92mg per 16 oz can vs 47mg per 8 oz cup), but ounce for ounce English breakfast tea is actually the stronger drink at about 6mg per fluid ounce against 6. Which one "has more caffeine" depends on whether you measure the container or the concentration.

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.

English breakfast tea vs Mtn Dew Kickstart (Orange Citrus): the numbers

English breakfast tea Mtn Dew Kickstart (Orange Citrus)
Caffeine per serving 47mg per 8 oz cup 92mg per 16 oz can
Caffeine per fl oz 5.9mg 5.8mg
Servings to reach 400mg (FDA context) 8.5 4.3

Sources: English breakfast tea's figure is verified in our English breakfast tea caffeine guide against Twinings published figure (source); Mtn Dew Kickstart (Orange Citrus)'s figure is verified in our Mtn Dew Kickstart (Orange Citrus) guide against PepsiCo product facts (source).

Which one should you pick?

Pick English breakfast tea when you want the lighter dose or a slower ramp, and Mtn Dew Kickstart (Orange Citrus) 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.

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FAQ

Does English breakfast tea or Mtn Dew Kickstart (Orange Citrus) have more caffeine? Mtn Dew Kickstart (Orange Citrus): 92mg per 16 oz can versus 47mg per 8 oz cup for English breakfast tea.

Which is stronger per ounce? English breakfast tea, at about 5.9mg per fluid ounce versus 5.8mg for Mtn Dew Kickstart (Orange Citrus).

Comparing caffeine? The caffeine comparison tool puts hundreds of drinks side by side, and the caffeine curfew calculator can check your cutoff time for tonight.

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