Tea

How much caffeine is in Iced tea (bottled)?

45mg of caffeine · per 355 ml (12 fl oz) serving

per 100 ml: 12.7 mg
≈ cups of coffee: 0.5×
Share of the 400 mg daily guidance: 11%
Time to half (23 mg): 5.7 h
Time to fall under 100 mg: already under

Source: public manufacturer data and USDA FoodData Central. Values are estimates, not exact or medical measurements.

One 355 ml (12 fl oz) bottle contains 45 mg of caffeine.

Caffeine is a central nervous system stimulant. The bottle’s 45 mg corresponds to a concentration of 12.7 mg per 100 ml as recorded in the TrackCaffeine dataset (/dataset/), and that single bottle represents about 0.5× a standard 240 ml cup of drip coffee (96 mg per 240 ml, as listed in our references; see side-by-side comparison). This concentration and equivalence clarify what to expect: 45 mg is a modest stimulant dose for most adults but is enough to change alertness in sensitive people and to add up across a day (TrackCaffeine dataset, /dataset/).

The sensation after drinking 45 mg typically begins within 15–45 minutes and can include increased alertness and mild cardiovascular effects; those onset times are consistent with pharmacokinetic overviews found in public nutrition databases (USDA FoodData Central, https://fdc.nal.usda.gov/). The bottle’s caffeine is measurably active for many hours because caffeine elimination is gradual; see the elimination model below and the calculator at /tools/caffeine-calculator/ for personalized timing.

Iced tea (bottled) starts at 45 mg. About 22 mg is still circulating six hours later and 10 mg after twelve — the long tail is why an afternoon drink can still be measurable at bedtime. Free to reuse with a link to this page.

Starting from one serving, here is roughly how much caffeine is left as the hours pass (population-average half-life of 5.7 hours).
Time	Caffeine left	% left	Vs sleep threshold
At serving	45 mg	100%	below
After 1 h	40 mg	89%	below
After 3 h	31 mg	69%	below
After 6 h	22 mg	49%	below
After 9 h	15 mg	33%	below
After 12 h	10 mg	22%	below

How long Iced tea (bottled) stays in your system

TrackCaffeine models caffeine elimination as first-order elimination with a population-average half-life of 5.7 hours (TrackCaffeine model, /tools/caffeine-calculator/). First-order elimination means remaining = dose × 0.5^(hours / half-life), where the dose is 45 mg (TrackCaffeine dataset, /dataset/).

Applying that formula to this 45 mg dose produces the following arithmetic and results: at 3 hours: 45 × 0.5^(3/5.7) = 45 × 0.6956 ≈ 31 mg (TrackCaffeine dataset, /dataset/); at 6 hours: 45 × 0.5^(6/5.7) = 45 × 0.4823 ≈ 22 mg (TrackCaffeine dataset, /dataset/); at 9 hours: 45 × 0.5^(9/5.7) = 45 × 0.3346 ≈ 15 mg (TrackCaffeine dataset, /dataset/); and at 12 hours: 45 × 0.5^(12/5.7) = 45 × 0.2325 ≈ 10 mg (TrackCaffeine dataset, /dataset/). These numbers match the decay approximations listed for this drink (TrackCaffeine dataset, /dataset/).

For example, if the bottle is finished at 15:00, the model predicts about 31 mg still in the system at 18:00, about 22 mg at 21:00, and roughly 10 mg by 03:00 the next morning (TrackCaffeine model, /tools/caffeine-calculator/; TrackCaffeine dataset, /dataset/), which can still influence late-evening sleep for some individuals.

How late can you drink Iced tea (bottled)?

For Iced tea (bottled) at 45 mg, the last moment it can be drunk and still fall under 100 mg by a 23:00 bedtime. Free to reuse with a link to this page.

This single 45 mg bottle accounts for 11% of a 400 mg daily guidance for healthy adults (45 mg ≈ 11% of 400 mg; the 400 mg/day guidance is from the U.S. Food and Drug Administration, https://www.fda.gov/consumers/consumer-updates/spilling-beans-how-much-caffeine-too-much). TrackCaffeine records that share as 11% for this serving size (TrackCaffeine dataset, /dataset/).

How many such bottles fit in the 400 mg guidance depends on strict adherence to that limit: 400 mg / 45 mg ≈ 8.9 servings, so roughly nine bottles would reach the FDA's 400 mg/day threshold (TrackCaffeine dataset, /dataset/; U.S. FDA, https://www.fda.gov/consumers/consumer-updates/spilling-beans-how-much-caffeine-too-much). Pregnant people are advised to limit caffeine to about 200 mg/day according to the European Food Safety Authority (EFSA, 2015, https://www.efsa.europa.eu/en/efsajournal/pub/4102), making one 45 mg bottle about 22.5% of that 200 mg pregnancy guidance (TrackCaffeine dataset, /dataset/; EFSA, 2015, https://www.efsa.europa.eu/en/efsajournal/pub/4102).

For sleep planning, small daytime doses add residual caffeine into the evening: using the half-life model above, a bottle consumed at 18:00 leaves about 22 mg at midnight and about 10 mg by 06:00 (TrackCaffeine model, /tools/caffeine-calculator/; TrackCaffeine dataset, /dataset/). If aiming for a 23:00 bedtime, our calculator for the latest acceptable cup (/tools/last-cup-before-bed/) can estimate a personalized cutoff based on sensitivity and the 5.7-hour half-life assumption (TrackCaffeine model, /tools/caffeine-calculator/).

Adolescents, people with caffeine sensitivity, those on certain medications, and pregnant people should be more cautious: the EFSA pregnancy guidance is 200 mg/day (EFSA, 2015, https://www.efsa.europa.eu/en/efsajournal/pub/4102), and adolescents commonly advised lower intakes in clinical guidance (Mayo Clinic caffeine chart, https://www.mayoclinic.org/healthy-lifestyle/nutrition-and-healthy-eating/in-depth/caffeine/art-20045678). TrackCaffeine provides weight-based limits at /tools/safe-daily-limit/ for further planning (TrackCaffeine dataset, /dataset/).

How it compares

Iced tea (bottled) at 45 mg set against its own category and against the drinks most people use as a mental reference. The dashed lines are the 100 mg sleep threshold and the 400 mg daily guidance. Free to reuse with a link to this page.

Every drink in the Tea category in our dataset, with serving size and concentration.
Drink	Serving	Caffeine	Per 100 ml
Iced tea (bottled)	355 ml	45 mg	12.7
Yerba mate	240 ml	85 mg	35.4
Matcha (1 tsp)	240 ml	70 mg	—
English Breakfast tea	240 ml	50 mg	20.8
Chai latte	240 ml	50 mg	—
Black tea	240 ml	47 mg	19.6
Earl Grey tea	240 ml	47 mg	19.6
Oolong tea	240 ml	37 mg	15.4

Compared to brewed teas in our dataset, a 355 ml bottled iced tea at 45 mg sits near common black-tea strengths: Black tea (240 ml) is 47 mg, English Breakfast (240 ml) is 50 mg, and Earl Grey (240 ml) is 47 mg (TrackCaffeine dataset, Black tea, 47 mg and English Breakfast tea, 50 mg and Earl Grey tea, 47 mg), which shows the bottle’s concentration is comparable to a typical cup of black tea.

Against coffee, the bottle is substantially lower: a standard 240 ml cup of drip coffee contains 96 mg (TrackCaffeine dataset, /tools/caffeine-comparison/), so the bottle’s 45 mg is roughly half a cup of drip coffee on a per-serving basis. Other drinks put this number in context: Green tea (240 ml) is 28 mg and Coca-Cola Coke Zero (355 ml) is 34 mg (TrackCaffeine dataset, Green tea, 28 mg and side-by-side comparison), so bottled iced tea is higher than many sodas but lower than coffee and specialty high-caffeine beverages like yerba mate (240 ml, 85 mg) (TrackCaffeine dataset, Yerba mate, 85 mg).

What changes the number for Iced tea (bottled)

Not every bottled iced tea contains exactly 45 mg; label values, brewing strength, leaf type and added extracts change the number. The 45 mg figure comes from a specific 355 ml sample in the TrackCaffeine dataset (TrackCaffeine dataset, /dataset/), but different brands or batches will vary because manufacturers use different tea extracts and steeping concentrations (USDA FoodData Central, https://fdc.nal.usda.gov/).

Within the tea category, caffeine comes mainly from Camellia sinensis leaves, and the caffeine content scales with the leaf-to-water ratio and extraction method; more leaves or a longer steep raise mg per volume (TrackCaffeine dataset, /dataset/). A bottled iced tea made from a stronger concentrate or a blend with higher-caffeine leaves (for example, yerba mate) will exceed 45 mg per 355 ml, while versions labeled "decaffeinated" typically register near 0–5 mg per serving depending on residuals (TrackCaffeine dataset, /dataset/).

Common sources of within-category variation include:

Serving size: the dataset entry is 355 ml; larger bottles linearly increase mg (TrackCaffeine dataset, /dataset/).
Tea type and blend: black-tea–based iced teas tend to be closer to black tea values, while green or white-leaf blends trend lower (see comparative pages such as Black tea, 47 mg and Green tea, 28 mg) (TrackCaffeine dataset, /dataset/).
Added extracts or guarana: an added extract will contribute its own mg and may not be obvious on label averages (TrackCaffeine dataset, /dataset/).

Because of these factors, a single public value is an estimate: use the bottle’s own nutrition label when available, and consult our brand guide at Caffeine Content in Popular Iced Tea Brands for brand-specific measurements (TrackCaffeine dataset, /dataset/).

Where this figure comes from

The 45 mg value is the mean value for a 355 ml sample reported in the open TrackCaffeine dataset (TrackCaffeine dataset, /dataset/), compiled from manufacturer labels and laboratory-measured entries in public food composition sources such as USDA FoodData Central (https://fdc.nal.usda.gov/). Published values differ because manufacturers use different recipes, and independent lab assays measure actual extract concentrations; both kinds of sources are included in our dataset to reflect that real variation (TrackCaffeine dataset, /dataset/; USDA FoodData Central, https://fdc.nal.usda.gov/).

We will update this page if manufacturers publish new label values or if new laboratory assays in FoodData Central show different averages; the dataset provenance and versioning are available at /dataset/ (TrackCaffeine dataset, /dataset/).

Frequently asked questions

Is 45 mg of caffeine a lot?

No: 45 mg per 355 ml is low-to-moderate compared with coffee; it is about 11% of the 400 mg/day FDA guidance (U.S. FDA, https://www.fda.gov/consumers/consumer-updates/spilling-beans-how-much-caffeine-too-much) and roughly half a 240 ml cup of drip coffee (96 mg) (TrackCaffeine dataset, /dataset/).

Will one bottle affect my sleep?

Possibly: using a 5.7-hour half-life (TrackCaffeine model, /tools/caffeine-calculator/), about 22 mg of the 45 mg remains 6 hours after drinking (TrackCaffeine dataset, /dataset/), and that residual can delay sleep for sensitive individuals (Drake et al. 2013).

How many bottles equal one cup of coffee?

Approximately two bottles equal one 240 ml cup of drip coffee because 45 mg per bottle × 2 ≈ 90 mg compared with 96 mg for drip coffee (TrackCaffeine dataset, /dataset/; TrackCaffeine comparison, /tools/caffeine-comparison/).

Is decaf iced tea available?

Yes: decaffeinated tea preparations typically register near 0–5 mg per 240 ml depending on residuals (TrackCaffeine dataset, /dataset/); always check the product label for the brand-specific value (see our brand guide at /guides/caffeine-in-iced-tea-brands/).

Does brewing method change bottled iced tea caffeine?

Yes: extraction strength, blend and steeping determine mg per volume; a stronger concentrate used in bottling raises mg proportionally (TrackCaffeine dataset, /dataset/), so brand formulation matters more than serving size alone.

Where did you get the 45 mg number?

The 45 mg value is the measured or reported mean for the specific 355 ml sample in the TrackCaffeine dataset (/dataset/); sources include manufacturer labels and public assay databases such as USDA FoodData Central (https://fdc.nal.usda.gov/).

Bottom line

One 355 ml bottled iced tea contains 45 mg of caffeine (12.7 mg per 100 ml) according to the TrackCaffeine dataset (/dataset/); that is about 0.5× a 240 ml cup of drip coffee (96 mg per 240 ml) and represents 11% of the 400 mg/day guidance from the U.S. FDA (https://www.fda.gov/consumers/consumer-updates/spilling-beans-how-much-caffeine-too-much). Using a 5.7-hour population half-life (TrackCaffeine model, /tools/caffeine-calculator/), roughly 31 mg remains after 3 hours, 22 mg after 6 hours, 15 mg after 9 hours and 10 mg after 12 hours (TrackCaffeine dataset, /dataset/).

CoffeeLog · iOS

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