Barista Life Blog · 1 min read

Pure Leaf black iced tea vs Lipton Iced Tea (Lemon): which has more caffeine?

Pure Leaf black iced tea has more caffeine than Lipton Iced Tea (Lemon) on both counts: 54mg per 18.5 oz bottle against 21mg per 16.9 oz bottle, and about 3mg per fluid ounce against 1. The serving sizes differ, so the table below shows both ways of counting.

Pure Leaf black iced tea vs Lipton Iced Tea (Lemon): the numbers

Pure Leaf black iced tea Lipton Iced Tea (Lemon)
Caffeine per serving 54mg per 18.5 oz bottle 21mg per 16.9 oz bottle
Caffeine per fl oz 2.9mg 1.2mg
Servings to reach 400mg (FDA context) 7.4 19.0

Sources: Pure Leaf black iced tea's figure is verified in our Pure Leaf black iced tea caffeine guide against PepsiCo label data (source); Lipton Iced Tea (Lemon)'s figure is verified in our Lipton Iced Tea (Lemon) guide against PepsiCo product facts (source).

Which one should you pick?

Pick Lipton Iced Tea (Lemon) when you want the lighter dose or a slower ramp, and Pure Leaf black iced tea 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 Pure Leaf black iced tea or Lipton Iced Tea (Lemon) have more caffeine? Pure Leaf black iced tea: 54mg per 18.5 oz bottle versus 21mg per 16.9 oz bottle for Lipton Iced Tea (Lemon).

Which is stronger per ounce? Pure Leaf black iced tea, at about 2.9mg per fluid ounce versus 1.2mg for Lipton Iced Tea (Lemon).

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