Whether you're recovering from the first Monday of daylight saving time with a coffee IV or celebrating the invalidation of the New York City soda ban with a Big Gulp of Mountain Dew, March is National Caffeine Awareness Month.According the Food and Drug Administration, 80 percent of adults in the U.S. consume caffeine every day. While most consumers turn to the usual suspects - espresso, tea, soda, etc. - for their morning jolt, the marketplace is inundated with wacky caffeinated creations like water, chewing gum and even beef jerky (appropriately named Perky Jerky).
The FDA currently does not require companies to label the levels of caffeine in their products, so here are a few fast facts about the caffeine content found in some common drinks.
The average cup of instant coffee (read: not "Trenta" sized) contains 60-150 mg of caffeine. Whereas the same size cup of tea is about 40-80 mg. A 12-oz. regular Coca-Cola has 32 mg of caffeine, compared to the 55 mg in a 12-oz. serving of Mountain Dew. Meanwhile, in the Shaky McGee category, your average energy drink packs in a whopping 80 mg, while a 5-Hour Energy Shot clocks in at about 215 mg.
