yerba mate vs Pure Leaf black iced tea: which has more caffeine?

yerba mate has more caffeine than Pure Leaf black iced tea on both counts: 85mg per 8 oz cup against 54mg per 18.5 oz bottle, and about 11mg per fluid ounce against 3. The serving sizes differ, so the table below shows both ways of counting.

yerba mate vs Pure Leaf black iced tea: the numbers

Sources: yerba mate's figure is verified in our yerba mate caffeine guide against Caffeine Informer / compiled (source); Pure Leaf black iced tea's figure is verified in our Pure Leaf black iced tea guide against PepsiCo label data (source).

The concentration gap is the striking part: yerba mate packs roughly 4 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 Pure Leaf black iced tea 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

• yerba mate: the full caffeine guide
• Pure Leaf black iced tea: the full caffeine guide
• The verified caffeine database
• Every drink compared: the comparisons index

FAQ

Does yerba mate or Pure Leaf black iced tea have more caffeine? yerba mate: 85mg per 8 oz cup versus 54mg per 18.5 oz bottle for Pure Leaf black iced tea.

Which is stronger per ounce? yerba mate, at about 10.6mg per fluid ounce versus 2.9mg for Pure Leaf black iced tea.