Dr Pepper vs Coke: Caffeine (41 vs 34 mg), Sugar and Calories

Per 12 fl oz can, Dr Pepper lists about 41 mg of caffeine and Coca-Cola Original's FAQ states 34 mg, while both show 39 g of total sugars and 39 g of added sugars. Calories (150 vs 140) and sodium (55 mg vs 45 mg) are close, but some Coca-Cola 12 oz figures come from Open Food Facts and a caffeine-free panel rather than a brand panel for the caffeinated can. The facts below are laid out side by side so you can decide what matters to you.

Key takeaways

• Caffeine: about 41 mg in Dr Pepper (stated as approximate) vs 34 mg in Coca-Cola Original (brand FAQ), per 12 fl oz can.
• Sugar: 39 g total and 39 g added sugars on both brands' data, each 78% of the 50 g Daily Value.
• Calories and sodium: 150 vs 140 kcal and 55 mg vs 45 mg, with caveats on the Coca-Cola 12 oz figures.
• Ingredients: nearly identical. Dr Pepper adds sodium benzoate and lists 'natural and artificial flavors'; Coca-Cola lists 'natural flavors'.

Per 12 fl oz can	Dr Pepper (Original)	Coca-Cola Original
Caffeine	Approx. 41 mg (Keurig Dr Pepper Product Facts)	34 mg (Coca-Cola US FAQ)
Calories	150 (brand panel)	140 (Open Food Facts; matches Coca-Cola Caffeine Free 12 oz panel)
Total sugars	39 g	39 g
Added sugars	39 g (78% DV)	39 g (78% DV)
Total carbohydrate	40 g (14% DV)	39 g (14% DV on Caffeine Free panel)
Sodium	55 mg (2% DV)	45 mg (Open Food Facts; Caffeine Free 12 oz panel also 45 mg)
Preservative listed	Sodium benzoate	None listed
Flavor wording	Natural and artificial flavors	Natural flavors
Caffeine in ingredient list	Yes (CAFFEINE)	Yes (CAFFEINE)

Dr Pepper vs Coca-Cola Original: Which Has More Caffeine Per 12 oz Can?

Dr Pepper has more caffeine per 12 fl oz can on the figures available: about 41 mg against 34 mg for Coca-Cola Original, a difference of about 7 mg, or roughly 21% more. Keurig Dr Pepper's Product Facts page lists 'Contains approx. 41mg caffeine', and the word 'approx.' matters because the brand does not publish an exact figure. Coca-Cola's US product page states, in its FAQ, that 'A 12-ounce can of Coke has 34mg of caffeine.'

For scale, the FDA has cited 400 milligrams a day as an amount not generally associated with negative effects for most adults. Dividing that figure by each can gives about 9.8 cans of Dr Pepper or 11.8 cans of Coca-Cola. This is arithmetic only, not guidance on how much to drink. The FDA also notes there is wide variation in how sensitive people are to caffeine and how quickly they eliminate it.

For a different pairing with its own caffeine comparison, see Coke vs Pepsi: Caffeine, Sugar and Ingredients Compared.

Dr Pepper vs Coca-Cola Original: How Much Sugar Is in Each 12 oz Can?

Each 12 fl oz can lists 39 g of total sugars and 39 g of added sugars, on both brands' data. Both panels show added sugars at 78% of the Daily Value. The FDA sets the added sugars Daily Value at 50 grams per day based on a 2,000 calorie diet, so one can of either drink accounts for 78% of that figure.

The FDA's added sugars page quotes the Dietary Guidelines for Americans: limit calories from added sugars to less than 10 percent of total calories per day, which is 200 calories or 50 grams on a 2,000 calorie diet. Because the sugar figures match on the label, the sugar panel does not separate these two drinks per can.

Both drinks are sweetened with high fructose corn syrup. The FDA has said the fructose to glucose proportion in HFCS 42 and HFCS 55 is similar to that of sucrose, and that it is not aware of evidence of a safety difference between foods with HFCS and foods with similar amounts of other sweeteners with approximately equal glucose and fructose. The specific HFCS type used by either brand was not disclosed.

Keurig Dr Pepper also publishes 'Made with Real Sugar' and 'Made with Imperial Cane Sugar' versions. Those are not the flagship product and are not part of this comparison. For another sugar comparison, see Sprite vs 7UP: Sugar (38 g each), Sodium, Ingredients Compared.

Bottle sizes change the numbers. Open Food Facts lists a 20 fl oz Dr Pepper bottle at 66 g sugars (65 g added) per 591 ml, which is third-party data, not brand-stated. Coca-Cola's brand page shows 65 g total sugars and 65 g added sugars for its 20 fl oz bottle.

Dr Pepper vs Coca-Cola Original: How Many Calories Are in Each 12 oz Can?

Dr Pepper's brand panel lists 150 calories per 12 fl oz serving. Coca-Cola Original's 12 fl oz calorie count of 140 comes from Open Food Facts for the caffeinated can, and it matches the 140 calories on Coca-Cola's own Caffeine Free 12 oz panel. Coca-Cola's brand nutrition panel for the caffeinated Original is shown for a 20 fl oz bottle, not a 12 oz can, so the 12 oz calorie figure for the caffeinated drink is not a brand-stated panel.

At the 20 fl oz size, Coca-Cola's brand panel lists 240 calories. Open Food Facts lists a 20 fl oz Dr Pepper bottle at 240 kcal per 591 ml, but that is third-party data and not brand-stated. When comparing calories, check the serving size line first, then confirm whether the figure is from the brand or a database.

Dr Pepper vs Coca-Cola Original: How Much Sodium Is in Each 12 oz Can?

Dr Pepper's brand panel lists 55 mg of sodium per 12 fl oz serving, which is 2% of the Daily Value. Coca-Cola's Caffeine Free 12 oz panel lists 45 mg (2%), and Open Food Facts lists 45 mg for the caffeinated 12 oz can. The sodium figure for the caffeinated 12 oz Coca-Cola Original was not disclosed on the brand page, which shows 75 mg (3%) for the 20 fl oz bottle.

On these figures, the can-to-can difference is 10 mg of sodium. Sodium is only one nutrient on the panel, and the Nutrition Facts panel on the can you are holding is the most reliable source for the exact number on that package.

Dr Pepper vs Coca-Cola Original: Do the Ingredient Lists Differ?

The two ingredient lists are nearly identical. Dr Pepper lists: carbonated water, high fructose corn syrup, caramel color, phosphoric acid, natural and artificial flavors, sodium benzoate (preservative), and caffeine. Coca-Cola Original lists: carbonated water, high fructose corn syrup, caramel color, phosphoric acid, natural flavors, and caffeine. Open Food Facts shows the same list for Dr Pepper, while its Coca-Cola record has garbled ingredient text, so the brand list is the reference used here.

The visible differences are two. Dr Pepper names sodium benzoate as a preservative, and it lists 'natural and artificial flavors' where Coca-Cola lists 'natural flavors'. Federal rules for sodium benzoate (21 CFR 184.1733) state that it is used at levels not to exceed good manufacturing practice, and that current usage results in a maximum level of 0.1 percent in food. The amount of sodium benzoate per can was not disclosed.

What the flavors are was not disclosed by either brand, and the amounts of phosphoric acid and caramel color per can were not disclosed either.

Is Dr Pepper Safer Than Coca-Cola Original for Caffeine-Sensitive Adults?

The label facts do not establish that either drink is safer for caffeine-sensitive adults. Dr Pepper contains about 7 mg more caffeine per 12 fl oz can, which may matter more to someone counting milligrams than to someone who tolerates caffeine well. The sugar, sweetener and calorie figures are close enough that the label data does not separate the two on those points.

The FDA advises that people who are pregnant, trying to become pregnant, or breastfeeding talk to their health care provider about whether to limit caffeine. Caffeine sensitivity varies from person to person, and a label cannot show how an individual will respond.

How Do You Read the Dr Pepper and Coca-Cola Original Labels Side by Side?

Use this checklist when comparing any two cans:

• Check the serving size first. A 12 fl oz can and a 20 fl oz bottle produce different numbers.
• Read Total Sugars and Added Sugars separately. Here both are 39 g per 12 fl oz can.
• Note whether a caffeine figure is exact or marked 'approx.', and whether it comes from a brand FAQ or a panel.
• Compare sodium in milligrams and in % Daily Value together.
• Read the ingredient list in order, and note wording such as 'natural and artificial flavors' vs 'natural flavors'.
• Look for preservatives such as sodium benzoate, which is listed by name on Dr Pepper's ingredient statement.
• Confirm the exact variant. Caffeine Free, 'Made with Real Sugar' and other versions have their own panels.

Brand nutrition data for Dr Pepper is published on the Keurig Dr Pepper Product Facts site, and Coca-Cola's is published on coca-cola.com. The 12-pack UPCs used for this comparison are 0078000082166 (Dr Pepper) and 0049000028904 (Coca-Cola Original).

Which Other Sodas Can You Compare With Dr Pepper and Coca-Cola Original?

Zero-sugar and caffeine-free versions have their own labels and should be compared on their own panels rather than by assumption. If you are comparing diet or zero-sugar options, see Fresca vs Diet Coke: Does Fresca Have Aspartame? Labels Compared for a label-level example of how sweetener questions are answered on a can.

Aurascan is a food-label scanner app for iPhone with a free tier. It explains every ingredient one by one with cited evidence instead of a single black-box score, and its verdicts are per ingredient (Clean, Mixed or Flagged), never a numeric score. Aurascan has no sponsors. Scan the Dr Pepper or Coca-Cola Original can yourself to see each ingredient explained, and compare the panels for the exact can you buy.