Cafeïnegehalte van Coca‑Cola: hoeveel zit er in elk blikje?

A 12 oz (355 ml) can of Coca‑Cola contains 34 mg of caffeine.

• A 12 oz (355 ml) Diet Coke contains 46 mg of caffeine; Coke Zero (355 ml) contains 34 mg.
• A 330 ml Coca‑Cola can contains 32 mg (≈9.7 mg/100 ml); values vary slightly by can size and formulation.
• For context, a 240 ml drip coffee has 96 mg; cold brew (240 ml) ≈ 200 mg.
• FDA guidance for healthy adults is up to 400 mg/day; pregnant women are advised to limit to about 200 mg/day (authorities: FDA, EFSA, Mayo Clinic).

Caffeine in standard Coca‑Cola

Coca‑Cola's common canned sizes are listed in food databases: a 330 ml can contains 32 mg, while the 12 oz (355 ml) can contains 34 mg (dataset values). That equals ~9–9.7 mg per 100 ml, far lower than coffee or energy drinks. USDA FoodData Central and Coca‑Cola labeling reflect these low single‑serving amounts.

Caffeine in Diet Coke

Diet Coke is formulated with more caffeine per serving: a 355 ml can contains 46 mg (13 mg/100 ml). The higher number comes from the brand formula — diet colas commonly have slightly more caffeine to compensate for flavor differences. For people counting milligrams, one Diet Coke equals roughly half a small brewed coffee.

Caffeine in Coke Zero

Coke Zero (355 ml) is listed at 34 mg, the same as regular 12 oz Coca‑Cola in the dataset. Coke Zero and regular Coca‑Cola are close in mg/100 ml; Diet Coke remains the outlier with a higher concentration.

12 oz (355 ml) can comparison — sodas and common beverages

Below is a quick reference comparing common sodas and coffees on the same page so you can see where Coca‑Cola sits.

How caffeine declines in your body (half‑life math)

Population‑average caffeine half‑life is about 5.7 hours — caffeine roughly halves every 5.7 hours. That means ~69% remains after 3 hours, ~48% after 6 hours, ~33% after 9 hours and ~23% after 12 hours. The table below shows concrete mg remaining from three real servings.

What affects caffeine in a can of Coke?

Primary drivers are serving size and the product formula. Diet Coke is intentionally higher per 100 ml; Coca‑Cola Classic and Coke Zero use similar caffeine concentrations. Regional bottling can cause tiny differences, and labelling rounding rules mean a few milligrams can vary between batches. For accurate tracking, log serving size and variant — apps such as CoffeeLog can automate totals and day totals.

Health, safety and timing

For healthy adults the FDA and other authorities commonly cite up to 400 mg/day as an upper limit; EFSA and Mayo Clinic publish similar guidance. Pregnant people are advised to limit caffeine to about 200 mg/day. The American Academy of Pediatrics discourages regular caffeine for adolescents. If you feel palpitations, severe anxiety, vomiting, or confusion after large doses, seek medical care.

Mayo Clinic guidance notes caffeine can disrupt sleep; many people avoid caffeine within about 6 hours of bedtime because substantial amounts can remain active in the system.

Track it and reduce surprises

One can of Coca‑Cola is a modest 34 mg (355 ml), but multiple sodas, coffee, energy drinks or pills add up quickly. Use a tracker like CoffeeLog or a food database (USDA FoodData Central) to sum daily intake and compare to the 200–400 mg guidance if you have health considerations. This page is informational only; consult a clinician for personal medical advice.

How many cans of Coke equal the FDA 400 mg daily limit?

Twelve 355 ml cans of Coca‑Cola (34 mg each) equal 12 × 34 = 408 mg, which exceeds the FDA's 400 mg/day guidance; eleven cans (11 × 34 = 374 mg) remain under the FDA limit (U.S. Food and Drug Administration). The dataset lists a 355 ml Coca‑Cola can at 34 mg, so all arithmetic here uses the dataset value.

Daily limit is the recommended maximum intake over 24 hours.

If you prefer Diet Coke, the dataset lists 46 mg per 355 ml can, so eight Diet Cokes give 8 × 46 = 368 mg (under 400 mg) while nine give 9 × 46 = 414 mg (over 400 mg). For planning by weight or special situations, see TrackCaffeine's safe daily limit by body weight and our daily caffeine intake guide.

How many cans of Coke equal a 200 mg caffeine pill or a 240 ml cold brew?

A standard caffeine pill is listed at 200 mg in the dataset, and a 240 ml cold brew is listed at 200 mg, so both equal about six 355 ml Coca-Cola cans because 6 × 34 = 204 mg (dataset values used). The dataset explicitly lists the caffeine pill at 200 mg and cold brew at 200 mg.

Equivalent dose is a simple milligram-to-milligram comparison between products.

Because six Coca-Cola cans give 204 mg, six cans slightly exceed one 200 mg pill or a single 240 ml cold brew; five cans would be 5 × 34 = 170 mg, comfortably under 200 mg. If you swap in Diet Coke (46 mg per 355 ml in the dataset), five Diet Cokes equal 230 mg (5 × 46 = 230 mg), already above a single 200 mg pill.

If I drink a can of Coke 4 hours before bed, how much caffeine is left at bedtime?

Using TrackCaffeine's population-average decay model (half-life 5.7 h), a 355 ml Coca-Cola can (34 mg, dataset value) consumed 4 hours before bedtime will leave about 34 × 0.5^(4/5.7) ≈ 34 × 0.615 ≈ 21 mg at bedtime (TrackCaffeine decay model: half-life 5.7 h). That single-sentence arithmetic gives the practical answer: roughly 21 mg remains after 4 hours.

First-order elimination is when the removal rate is proportional to the current amount, so the same half-life applies regardless of dose size.

For quick reference using the same model: after 3 hours ≈ 34 × 0.69 ≈ 23 mg remains, after 6 hours ≈ 34 × 0.48 ≈ 16 mg remains, and after 12 hours ≈ 34 × 0.23 ≈ 8 mg remains (percentages from the TrackCaffeine decay model). Clinical sleep research shows that 400 mg taken 6 hours before bed still reduced sleep by over an hour in controlled lab tests, so even modest residues can matter for sensitive sleepers (Drake et al., Journal of Clinical Sleep Medicine, 2013).

How quickly does caffeine add up if I sip multiple cans through the afternoon?

Caffeine accumulates as the remainder from earlier cans plus any new cans you drink; for three 355 ml Coca-Cola cans (34 mg each) consumed at noon, 2:00 pm and 4:00 pm, the amount still in your system at 6:00 pm is about 64 mg using the TrackCaffeine decay model (half-life 5.7 h, dataset values). Calculation: dose at 12:00 → 6 h elapsed → 34 × 0.5^(6/5.7) ≈ 34 × 0.482 ≈ 16.4 mg; dose at 14:00 → 4 h elapsed → 34 × 0.5^(4/5.7) ≈ 20.9 mg; dose at 16:00 → 2 h elapsed → 34 × 0.5^(2/5.7) ≈ 26.7 mg; total ≈ 16.4 + 20.9 + 26.7 = 63.97 mg.

Accumulation is the sum of remaining milligrams from earlier doses plus newly consumed milligrams.

That ~64 mg at 6:00 pm is still well under the FDA 400 mg/day guidance, but the same arithmetic shows how multiple small servings beat a single large one in sustaining daytime caffeine; you can reproduce this scenario with our caffeine half-life calculator to test different spacing or to check the last cup before sleep with the latest cup before bed tool.

Can I mix a Coke with coffee and stay within the safe limit?

Yes in many common cases: a 355 ml Coca-Cola (34 mg, dataset) plus a 240 ml drip coffee (96 mg, dataset) equals 34 + 96 = 130 mg total, which is below the FDA 400 mg/day guidance (FDA). However, a 355 ml Coca-Cola plus a 240 ml cold brew (200 mg, dataset) equals 234 mg total, which takes a larger fraction of a pregnant person's advised 200 mg/day limit (see EFSA and NHS guidance) and should be counted carefully.

Combination dose is the arithmetic sum of milligrams from every beverage or product you consume.

Practical tip: if you want a low-caffeine day, swap a Coke for a caffeine-free option — see our caffeine-free soda options — or replace drip coffee with decaf (240 ml decaf ≈ 3 mg, dataset) for dramatic reductions in total mg.

What's the easiest way to track Coke's caffeine across the day?

The easiest approach is to log each serving and time it, then use a calculator that applies a 5.7-hour half-life; a caffeine tracker sums present mg and projects remaining mg for bedtime so you can stay under targets like the FDA 400 mg/day or pregnancy limits (dataset values used for per-drink mg). Many people pair automatic logging with a decay calculator to avoid manual math — CoffeeLog or site tools can automate entries and totals.

A caffeine tracker is an app or tool that logs milligrams and time stamps consumption, then applies an elimination model to report current active mg.

On TrackCaffeine you can try the caffeine half-life calculator, check the latest cup before bedtime, or review dose guidance in our caffeine dosage guide to choose limits that match your goals; logging each 34 mg Coca-Cola can as the dataset specifies produces accurate day totals without guesswork.

Bottom line

A standard 355 ml can of Coca-Cola contains 34 mg of caffeine (dataset value). Diet Coke (355 ml) contains 46 mg and Coke Zero (355 ml) contains 34 mg (dataset values); a 330 ml Coca-Cola can contains 32 mg (dataset value). These soda amounts are small compared with common coffees (for example, a 240 ml drip coffee is 96 mg and a 240 ml cold brew is 200 mg, dataset values).

Using TrackCaffeine's population-average decay model (half-life 5.7 hours), a single 34 mg can leaves about 34 × 0.5^(3/5.7) ≈ 23 mg after 3 hours, ≈ 16 mg after 6 hours, ≈ 11 mg after 9 hours and ≈ 8 mg after 12 hours in the average person. The U.S. FDA frames the general healthy-adult upper limit at 400 mg/day (FDA), so eleven 355 ml Coca-Cola cans (11 × 34 = 374 mg) stay under that threshold while twelve (12 × 34 = 408 mg) exceed it. For pregnancy and specific medical situations consult authoritative guidance such as EFSA or your clinician; pregnancy guidance commonly uses about 200 mg/day as a threshold.