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For an identical 12 fl oz (355 mL) serving in the United States, Pepsi is slightly higher than Coca-Cola Original in every headline nutrition measure covered here: 38 mg versus 34 mg of caffeine, 41 g versus 39 g of total sugars, and 150 versus 140 calories. The gaps are small—4 mg caffeine, 2 g sugar, and 10 calories—but they are consistent in the cited manufacturer information.
The comparison changes when the serving size, country, or product formula changes. A 500 mL Coca-Cola product sold in Canada, for example, is labeled at 200 calories, 55 g of sugar, and 48 mg of caffeine. Coca-Cola Zero Sugar is also a different formulation, not a lower-calorie version that can be treated as the same recipe. Use the country and serving size printed on the can or bottle before drawing conclusions.
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At a glance: the US 12 fl oz comparison
The fairest like-for-like comparison uses one 12 fl oz (355 mL) serving of each brand’s regular cola. Coca-Cola’s US FAQ and product information list 34 mg of caffeine, 39 g of sugar, and 140 calories. Pepsi’s US product information and manufacturer caffeine label list 38 mg of caffeine, 41 g of sugar, and 150 calories for the same serving basis.
| Measure | Coca-Cola Original | Pepsi | Difference |
|---|---|---|---|
| Caffeine | 34 mg | 38 mg | Pepsi has 4 mg more |
| Total sugars | 39 g | 41 g | Pepsi has 2 g more |
| Calories | 140 kcal | 150 kcal | Pepsi has 10 kcal more |
| Serving basis | 12 fl oz can or serving | 12 fl oz serving | Keep the volume identical |
That means Pepsi is the higher number in this specific US regular-cola comparison, but not by a large margin. A different can size, fountain pour, country, or product variant can produce a different result.
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Which has more caffeine: Coke or Pepsi?
Pepsi has more caffeine per cited US 12 fl oz serving. Pepsi’s manufacturer label states 38 mg per 12 fl oz, while Coca-Cola’s US FAQ states that a 12-ounce can has 34 mg. The numerical difference is 4 mg per equal serving.
What the 4 mg difference means
Both drinks are caffeinated, and neither figure should be transferred automatically to every bottle or can sold worldwide. Caffeine is listed for a specified volume, so a larger package contains more total caffeine simply because it contains more servings. A label that gives caffeine per container rather than per serving must be read carefully before comparing it with a 12 fl oz figure.
The 4 mg gap is a comparison between the cited manufacturer values, not a claim that every Pepsi product or every Coca-Cola product has that relationship. Diet, zero-sugar, cherry, vanilla, energy, regional, and fountain formulas may use different recipes or serving declarations. Use the exact product label when caffeine intake matters.
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- Confirm that both products are the same type of beverage, such as regular cola rather than a zero-sugar or flavored variant.
- Match the serving volume. The reference comparison is 12 fl oz (355 mL) for each drink.
- Check whether the stated caffeine amount is per serving or per entire container.
- Multiply by the number of servings only if you need the total for the package, and keep that calculation separate from the per-serving comparison.
Is Pepsi higher in sugar than Coca-Cola?
Yes, in the cited US 12 fl oz comparison. Pepsi lists 41 g of total sugars, while Coca-Cola Original lists 39 g. Pepsi therefore has 2 g more sugar per equal serving.
Why the difference is easy to misread
Serving size is the main source of confusion. Comparing a 12 fl oz can with a 20 fl oz bottle does not show a recipe difference; it compares different amounts of beverage. A bottle can also contain more than one labeled serving, so the total sugar for the whole container may be higher than the number displayed prominently in the nutrition panel.
Labels also use country-specific ingredient terminology. The US ingredient lists in this comparison identify high fructose corn syrup. The Canadian Coca-Cola example uses “sugar/glucose-fructose” wording, reflecting that market’s labeling conventions and formulation. Those terms should not be swapped between countries when interpreting a package.
What “total sugars” tells you
The 39 g and 41 g figures are total sugars for the stated serving. They are not a measurement of how much of each sweetener appears in the recipe, and they do not reveal the exact percentage contribution of any individual ingredient. Ingredient lists are ordered by the applicable labeling rules, but the order is not a precise percentage disclosure.
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If you are tracking sugar, record the serving amount you actually drink. Finishing a container that holds multiple servings means consuming the sugar from all of those servings, not just the single-serving line used in the comparison table.
How many calories are in a can of Coke versus Pepsi?
For the cited US 12 fl oz serving, Coca-Cola Original has 140 calories and Pepsi has 150 calories. Pepsi is 10 calories higher per equal serving.
The calorie difference follows the small difference in listed sugars, but the calorie number is its own label value and should be read directly. It is not safe to assume that every product with a similar sugar number has the same calorie declaration, particularly when comparing different countries or sweetener systems.
Per-serving versus per-container calories
A 12 fl oz can is a straightforward one-container reference for this comparison. Larger bottles may list calories per serving while containing several servings. To determine the calories in the entire bottle, identify the number of servings per container and apply the printed per-serving value to that count. Do not compare the total calories of a large bottle with the per-serving calories of a can.
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Calorie values can also change when the package size changes even if the recipe is otherwise similar. The Canadian Coca-Cola example is labeled at 200 calories per 500 mL, a materially different package and market reference from the US 12 fl oz figure.
Ingredients: what the two US formulas share and where they differ
The cited US Coca-Cola Original ingredient list is: carbonated water, high fructose corn syrup, caramel color, phosphoric acid, natural flavors, and caffeine.
The cited US Pepsi ingredient list is: carbonated water, high fructose corn syrup, caramel color, sugar, phosphoric acid, caffeine, citric acid, and natural flavor.
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Shared listed components
Both lists include carbonated water, caramel color, phosphoric acid, caffeine, and a natural flavor or natural flavors entry. They also both list high fructose corn syrup. These common entries describe broad ingredient categories; they do not disclose the proprietary flavor blend behind “natural flavor(s).”
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Pepsi’s cited list includes sugar as an additional listed sweetener component and includes citric acid. Coca-Cola’s cited US list does not include citric acid and does not show a separate sugar entry after high fructose corn syrup. That is a difference in the published ingredient lists, not proof of the exact percentage of any sweetener or acid.
The order of ingredients is the order shown on each brand’s label. It should not be treated as a precise recipe breakdown. A first-listed ingredient is not accompanied here by a percentage, and the lists do not allow a reader to calculate the amount of each flavoring, acid, or sweetener.
Why ingredient-list differences do not predict a simple taste result
Ingredient lists identify declared components, but they do not describe the full sensory profile. Carbonation level, acidity, sweetness balance, flavor compounds, storage, temperature, package type, and serving conditions can all affect perception. The presence of citric acid on Pepsi’s cited list is a factual formulation difference; it is not, by itself, a complete explanation of why one person prefers one cola’s taste.
Country and package size can change the numbers
The US figures should not be generalized worldwide. Coca-Cola Canada lists 200 calories, 55 g of sugar, and 48 mg of caffeine per 500 mL. Its ingredient wording includes sugar/glucose-fructose rather than the exact US wording quoted above.
This Canadian example differs in both market and package volume, so it is not a direct replacement for the 12 fl oz US comparison. It demonstrates why a can or bottle’s country of sale, serving declaration, and recipe all matter. A larger volume naturally contains more beverage, while regional formulas and labeling rules can change the values shown for that volume.
A reliable cross-country comparison method
- Read the country or market information on the package and use the nutrition panel intended for that market.
- Write down the serving volume for each product. Do not mix milliliters, fluid ounces, and whole-container values without converting them to a common basis.
- Confirm whether the package contains one serving or multiple servings.
- Compare caffeine, total sugars, and calories only after the serving basis matches.
- Read the complete ingredient list separately, because a nutrition match does not mean the formulas are identical.
Even after normalization, avoid claiming that a regional recipe is the same as the US recipe. The Canadian label shows that both nutrition values and ingredient wording can vary by market.
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Regular cola versus zero-sugar cola
Coca-Cola Zero Sugar is a separate product and should not be mixed into a regular Coca-Cola Original versus Pepsi comparison. Its US product page lists 0 calories and 0 g of sugar per 12 fl oz and uses high-intensity sweeteners.
A zero-sugar product is not simply the regular drink with sugar removed from the label. Its sweetener system and ingredient list are different, so it belongs in a separate comparison. The same rule applies to Pepsi’s zero-sugar or diet products: check the exact product name and nutrition panel rather than carrying regular-cola numbers across the range.
When a zero-sugar comparison is useful
If your decision is driven by sugar or calories, compare the two zero-sugar products directly on the same serving basis. If your decision is driven by caffeine or ingredients, keep those questions separate: removing sugar does not automatically remove caffeine, and a different sweetener system changes the ingredient list.
How to choose the right comparison for your situation
If caffeine is your priority
Use the caffeine line on the exact package you plan to drink. In the cited US regular-cola comparison, Pepsi is higher by 4 mg per 12 fl oz. For a larger container, calculate the total from the number of servings and the per-serving caffeine value printed on that package.
If sugar is your priority
Use total sugars and match the serving size. In the cited US 12 fl oz comparison, Coca-Cola Original lists 39 g and Pepsi lists 41 g. If you want to avoid those regular-cola sugar levels, compare zero-sugar products as their own category rather than treating them as the same formulas.
If calories are your priority
Read calories per serving and then check servings per container. The reference values are 140 calories for Coca-Cola Original and 150 for Pepsi per 12 fl oz in the United States. A larger bottle can contain several times that amount even when the per-serving number looks familiar.
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Read the full ingredient list for the country and product in hand. The cited US lists overlap substantially but are not identical: Pepsi includes citric acid and a separate sugar entry, while Coca-Cola’s cited list does not. Because recipes and labeling can change by market and variant, the package label is the controlling reference for a purchase or dietary decision.
Common comparison mistakes
- Mixing serving sizes: comparing a 12 fl oz Coke with a 20 fl oz Pepsi exaggerates the apparent formula difference.
- Comparing per-serving and per-container values: a bottle’s front label may not represent the whole container.
- Using US numbers in another country: the Canadian 500 mL Coca-Cola example has different listed values and ingredient wording.
- Combining regular and zero-sugar products: zero-sugar cola uses a different sweetener system and should be analyzed separately.
- Reading ingredient order as percentages: the order does not disclose the exact amount of each ingredient.
- Assuming a flavor explanation from one ingredient: citric acid appears on Pepsi’s cited list, but an ingredient list alone does not describe every factor that affects taste.
- Ignoring product and package identity: flavored, diet, fountain, regional, and limited products may not share the regular-cola values.
Bottom line for the US regular-cola comparison
On the same 12 fl oz (355 mL) basis, Pepsi has 38 mg of caffeine, 41 g of sugar, and 150 calories; Coca-Cola Original has 34 mg of caffeine, 39 g of sugar, and 140 calories. The practical differences are modest, but Pepsi is higher on all three cited measures.
The ingredient lists overlap in their carbonated-water, caramel-color, phosphoric-acid, caffeine, and natural-flavor entries. Pepsi’s cited US list also includes sugar and citric acid, while Coca-Cola’s cited list does not show those separate entries. For any purchase outside this exact US comparison, verify the package’s country, serving size, product variant, and current nutrition panel.
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Product prices and availability are accurate as of the date/time indicated and are subject to change. Any price and availability information displayed on Amazon at the time of purchase will apply.
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