This Popular Olipop Flavor Has More Caffeine Than Mountain Dew

In the last few years, we've seen a soda boom unlike any other. But it's not for traditional pop — it's for probiotic soda, the low-sugar, fiber-filled alternative to the real stuff. The most popular brands of these gut-healthy drinks include Poppi, Culture Pop, and Olipop, offering a wide range of flavors that rival the classics. Despite their healthier stats, some have more caffeine than regular soda. The highest we've seen is in Olipop's Citrus Rush (formerly Ridge Rush)— a dupe for Mountain Dew.

Olipop's Citrus Rush contains 60 milligrams of caffeine per can, while Mountain Dew has 54 milligrams per serving. This is significantly higher than other traditional brands, like Coca-Cola at 33 milligrams and Pepsi at 38 milligrams per 12-ounce can. While Olipop's caffeine comes from green tea extract, which, according to the brand, "offers a milder buzz thanks to the amino acid L-theanine," it is higher than most other colas. Still, it's thought to give you an energy boost without the jitteriness.

All in all, if you love Mountain Dew, we recommend Olipop's version. The flavor profiles are very similar, with lemon, lime, and orange juice concentrate, yet Olipop contains its signature blend of cassava root fiber, inulin, marshmallow root, and carbonated water, and is sweetened with stevia instead of high fructose corn syrup. And there's no artificial dye to give it a neon green glow.

Not every Olipop flavor has caffeine. In fact, most of them are caffeine-free, including the Orange Cream, Strawberry Vanilla, and Tropical Punch, which, in our opinion, is the only Olipop drink to perfect a classic flavor. Apart from Citrus Rush, other caffeinated flavors include Vintage Cola, a substitute for Coca-Cola, Doctor Goodwin, a Dr. Pepper dupe, and Cherry Cola, an alternative to Cherry Coke. Each has about 50 milligrams of caffeine per 12-ounce can, which is derived from the same green tea extract.

Although these Olipop drinks have more caffeine than regular soda, they're still within healthy limits. The Mayo Clinic notes the maximum amount of caffeine you can safely consume each day is 400 milligrams, meaning you can enjoy your morning coffee (with about 96 milligrams of caffeine per 8-ounce cup) and an afternoon Olipop, no problem. That is, unless you feel like you're bouncing off the walls, which might signal it's time to cut back.