Foods high in caffeine (per serving)
12 whole foods ranked by caffeine per common serving, from USDA FoodData Central. Beverages, coffee leads with 95 mg per 1 cup (8 fl oz), followed by Beverages, Energy Drink with carbonated water and high fructose corn syrup (91 mg) and Beverages, Energy Drink (79 mg).
Caffeine is a stimulant found in coffee, tea, cocoa and energy drinks. There is no Daily Value; the FDA cites 400 mg a day as an amount not generally associated with negative effects in healthy adults. Values are milligrams per serving.
Top 10 at a glance
Top 10 foods highest in caffeine
- Beverages, coffee (brewed, prepared with tap water)1 cup (8 fl oz) (237 g) · 2 kcal95 mg
- Beverages, Energy Drink with carbonated water and high fructose corn syrup8 fl oz (240 g) · 149 kcal91 mg
- Beverages, Energy Drink (Monster, fortified with vitamins C, B2, B3, B6, B12)8 fl oz (240 g) · 113 kcal79 mg
- Beverages, Energy drink (FULL THROTTLE)8 fl oz (240 g) · 110 kcal79 mg
- Beverages, Energy drink (ROCKSTAR)8 fl oz (240 g) · 139 kcal79 mg
- Beverages, Energy Drink (sugar free)8 fl oz (240 g) · 10 kcal77 mg
- Beverages, Energy drink (AMP)8 fl oz (240 g) · 110 kcal74 mg
- Beverages, Energy drink (RED BULL, sugar free, with added caffeine, niacin, pantothenic acid, vitamins B6 and B12)8 fl oz (240 g) · 12 kcal72 mg
- Beverages, tea (black, brewed, prepared with distilled water)8 fl oz (240 g) · 2 kcal48 mg
- Beverages, tea (Oolong, brewed)8 fl oz (240 g) · 2 kcal38 mg
All 12 foods ranked
Sort any column. Serving sizes are USDA household measures (a cup, a medium fruit, 3 oz of cooked meat or fish, 1 oz of nuts or cheese). The FDA has not set a Daily Value for caffeine.
| # | Food | Group | Serving | Caffeine (mg) | Per 100 g | kcal |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Beverages, coffee (brewed, prepared with tap water) | Other foods | 1 cup (8 fl oz) (237 g) | 95 | 40 | 2 |
| 2 | Beverages, Energy Drink with carbonated water and high fructose corn syrup | Other foods | 8 fl oz (240 g) | 91 | 38 | 149 |
| 3 | Beverages, Energy Drink (Monster, fortified with vitamins C, B2, B3, B6, B12) | Other foods | 8 fl oz (240 g) | 79 | 33 | 113 |
| 4 | Beverages, Energy drink (FULL THROTTLE) | Other foods | 8 fl oz (240 g) | 79 | 33 | 110 |
| 5 | Beverages, Energy drink (ROCKSTAR) | Other foods | 8 fl oz (240 g) | 79 | 33 | 139 |
| 6 | Beverages, Energy Drink (sugar free) | Other foods | 8 fl oz (240 g) | 77 | 32 | 10 |
| 7 | Beverages, Energy drink (AMP) | Other foods | 8 fl oz (240 g) | 74 | 31 | 110 |
| 8 | Beverages, Energy drink (RED BULL, sugar free, with added caffeine, niacin, pantothenic acid, vitamins B6 and B12) | Other foods | 8 fl oz (240 g) | 72 | 30 | 12 |
| 9 | Beverages, tea (black, brewed, prepared with distilled water) | Other foods | 8 fl oz (240 g) | 48 | 20 | 2 |
| 10 | Beverages, tea (Oolong, brewed) | Other foods | 8 fl oz (240 g) | 38 | 16 | 2 |
| 11 | Beverages, tea (green, brewed, regular) | Other foods | 1 cup (245 g) | 29 | 12 | 2 |
| 12 | Chocolate, dark (60-69% cacao solids) | Other foods | 1 oz (28 g) | 24 | 86 | 164 |
Caffeine in specific foods
How this list is built. Values are from USDA FoodData Central (SR Legacy, with Foundation Foods analytical updates where available). The pool is 1,677 whole foods: fruits, vegetables, legumes, nuts and seeds, grains, fish, meat, poultry, dairy and eggs. Spices, herbs, baby foods, powders, flours, dried and freeze-dried items, juices, processed meats, organ meats other than liver and uncommon foods are excluded; meats, fish, grains and legumes are ranked cooked. Each food family appears once and no single animal or plant fills more than six places. Ranking is by amount per serving; the per-100 g column is shown for reference. A food that USDA has not analysed for caffeine is left out rather than counted as zero. Full methodology.
Frequently asked questions
Which food is highest in caffeine?
Among whole foods in the USDA database, Beverages, coffee (brewed, prepared with tap water) has the most caffeine per serving: 95 mg per 1 cup (8 fl oz). Per 100 g it contains 40 mg.
Is there a Daily Value for caffeine?
No. The FDA has not set a Daily Value for caffeine, so this list shows mg per serving without a percentage. Caffeine is a stimulant found in coffee, tea, cocoa and energy drinks. There is no Daily Value; the FDA cites 400 mg a day as an amount not generally associated with negative effects in healthy adults. Values are milligrams per serving.
Related rankings
- Foods high in potassium
- Foods high in magnesium
- Foods high in iron
- Foods high in protein
- Foods high in fiber
- Foods high in calcium
Nutrient values are from USDA FoodData Central (SR Legacy, April 2018; Foundation Foods, April 2026) and shown per serving as described on each page. %DV uses the FDA Daily Values for adults and children aged 4 and over. This is nutrition data for general information, not medical or dietary advice; talk to a clinician or registered dietitian about your own needs. How the numbers are calculated.