For many blurry-eyed early risers, the day doesn’t truly begin without a jolt of caffeine from a cup of coffee, an energy drink, or a can of soda. For Diet Coke enthusiasts, the famous soda in the silver can delivers quite the punch of caffeine at 46 milligrams per 12 ounces, one of the highest levels among regularly available soft drinks. Diet Coke has more caffeine than its regular Coke counterpart (34 milligrams per 12 ounces), and, according to Coca-Cola itself, taste is a big reason why.
Beyond the bubbles and mildly sweet taste, faithful drinkers of Diet Coke are likely familiar with the drink’s slightly bitter or acidic notes. Those come from the addition of caffeine, which has a naturally bitter taste that is activated on the tongue’s taste receptors when drinking Diet Coke. The addition of caffeine is not as noticeable in regular drinks such as Coke because there’s sugar and other ingredients to enhance the flavor. Since Diet Coke has no sugar and uses artificial sweeteners, the taste profiles of Coca-Cola and Diet Coke are markedly different.
Coca-Cola acknowledges the presence of caffeine in its signature products but simply mentions that caffeine is an ingredient that helps give Coke its unique taste. The company also notes that the levels of caffeine in both Coke and Diet Coke are significantly less than a 12-ounce cup of coffee.
Is the extra caffeine worth it?
Now that you know how much caffeine is in Diet Coke, the biggest question becomes does caffeine have a positive effect on the taste? The answer seems to be yes.
We ranked Diet Coke third in a list of popular Coca-Cola flavors and we genuinely loved its flavor and cola aroma. We found it to be sweet but not overpowering and loved its classic aftertaste. Served ice cold, this is a choice we’d happily make every time. While caffeine may not be the first thing that comes to mind when sampling Coke or Diet Coke, we definitely know when it’s not there, like we did when tasting Caffeine-Free Diet Coke.
Regardless of its higher caffeine content or caffeine’s effect on its taste, Diet Coke’s popularity doesn’t seem to be slowing. It remains one of the highest-selling sodas in the nation, can have its flavor profile instantly upgraded with something as simple as a lemon wedge, and is still a go-to choice for those (ourselves included) who want a cold, refreshing soft drink.
