Mountain Dew Zero Sugar vs Pure Leaf black iced tea: which has more caffeine?

Mountain Dew Zero Sugar has more caffeine than Pure Leaf black iced tea on both counts: 68mg per 12 oz can against 54mg per 18.5 oz bottle, and about 6mg per fluid ounce against 3. 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.

Mountain Dew Zero Sugar vs Pure Leaf black iced tea: the numbers

Sources: Mountain Dew Zero Sugar's figure is verified in our Mountain Dew Zero Sugar caffeine guide against PepsiCo product facts (source); Pure Leaf black iced tea's figure is verified in our Pure Leaf black iced tea guide against PepsiCo label data (source).

Which one should you pick?

Pick Pure Leaf black iced tea when you want the lighter dose or a slower ramp, and Mountain Dew Zero Sugar 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

• Mountain Dew Zero Sugar: the full caffeine guide
• Pure Leaf black iced tea: the full caffeine guide
• The verified caffeine database

FAQ

Does Mountain Dew Zero Sugar or Pure Leaf black iced tea have more caffeine? Mountain Dew Zero Sugar: 68mg per 12 oz can versus 54mg per 18.5 oz bottle for Pure Leaf black iced tea.

Which is stronger per ounce? Mountain Dew Zero Sugar, at about 5.7mg per fluid ounce versus 2.9mg for Pure Leaf black iced tea.