Zevia Energy Review: 120 mg Caffeine, Stevia, Zero Calories

Zevia Energy Review: 120 mg Caffeine, Stevia, Zero Calories

Zevia Energy is a 12 oz, zero-calorie energy drink with 120 mg of caffeine extracted from tea leaves, sweetened with stevia extract and nothing else artificial. The full ingredient list is five items long. At roughly $2.19 per can on Amazon (checked October 2026, prices fluctuate), it sits mid-pack on price and well below the 200 mg cans on caffeine. This is a label review, not a taste test.

Key takeaways:

• 120 mg caffeine per 12 oz can (10 mg per oz), sourced from tea leaves per Zevia's FAQ.
• Five ingredients total: carbonated water, natural flavors, citric acid, stevia extract, caffeine.
• Eight flavors across two lines (Classic and Fruity Fuel), plus variety packs.
• Zero calories by label, which means it does not break a calorie-based fast.
• No sucralose, no aspartame, no erythritol, per Zevia's own claims.

Zevia Energy Facts at a Glance

What Is in Zevia Energy?

The ingredient list, verbatim from the Kola Energy page: Carbonated Water, Natural Flavors, Citric Acid, Stevia Extract, Caffeine. That is it. Five items.

What you will not find: no taurine, no B-vitamin blend, no guarana, no sucralose, no acesulfame potassium, no erythritol. Zevia's Classic variety pack listing explicitly states "Does not contain Erythritol" and flags itself as free of artificial sweeteners, Non-GMO Project Verified, gluten-free, vegan, and kosher.

The caffeine comes from tea leaves, not coffee beans or synthetic caffeine. Zevia's own FAQ clarifies this: the caffeine in their sodas is from coffee beans, but the caffeine in their teas and energy drinks is extracted from tea leaves. Functionally, the caffeine molecule is the same either way, but the sourcing matters to buyers reading ingredient panels.

A method note: this review works from Zevia's published labels and product pages. We did not taste-test the product, and flavor impressions below are attributed to Zevia's own descriptions or widely reported reviewer feedback.

How Much Caffeine Is in Zevia Energy?

Each 12 oz can delivers 120 mg of caffeine, which works out to 10 mg per ounce. That is a moderate dose by the standards of the category.

For comparison: Celsius packs 200 mg per 12 oz can, as does Alani Nu at 200 mg per 12 oz. Gorgie lands at 150 mg per 12 oz. Zevia is the lightest of the four.

The FDA cites 400 mg per day as a level "not generally associated with dangerous, negative effects" for most healthy adults. Three Zevia Energy cans put you at 360 mg, still under that line. For a deeper look at where 120 mg falls against the rest of the market, see our ranking of energy drinks ranked by caffeine.

Zevia Energy Flavors

Zevia's energy line currently has eight flavors split into two families.

Classic (4 flavors):

• Kola
• Grapefruit
• Mango Ginger
• Raspberry Lime

Fruity Fuel (4 flavors):

• Watermelon
• Peach Passionfruit
• Strawberry Kiwi
• Pineapple Paradise

Zevia sells single-flavor 12-packs and two variety packs (one for each family) through its site, which routes to Amazon for checkout. The Fruity Fuel variety pack runs $27.99 for 12 cans ($2.33 per can); the Classic variety pack is priced at $26.29 ($2.19 per can) on the same Amazon listings.

Stevia in Zevia: What It Means for Taste and Labels

Zevia's entire energy line uses stevia extract as the sole sweetener. No sucralose vs stevia, side by side debate here: Zevia picked a side.

On the regulatory front, the FDA's sweetener page states that it "has not questioned the notifiers' GRAS conclusions" for high-purity steviol glycosides like Rebaudioside A under intended conditions of use. Whole-leaf stevia and crude stevia extracts, on the other hand, are not considered GRAS and cannot be imported into the U.S. as sweeteners. The stevia extract in Zevia's cans is the high-purity version.

The common complaint: stevia can leave a bitter, lingering aftertaste. Research published by ScienceABC explains that rebaudioside A activates two of our 25 bitter taste receptors (hTAS2R4 and hTAS2R14) alongside the sweet receptor it triggers. Whether this bothers you is personal. Reviewer feedback on Zevia Energy consistently flags the aftertaste as either unnoticeable or a dealbreaker, with little middle ground. We are reporting that pattern, not rendering a verdict.

Does Zevia Energy Break a Fast?

The answer depends on which fast you mean.

Calorie or fat-loss fast: Zevia Energy lists zero calories on the label. It does not add energy intake, so it does not break a calorie-based fast. For the full breakdown of what breaks a fast, goal by goal, see our guide.

Insulin-focused fast: Stevia's effect on insulin is a nuanced question. We cover the evidence in detail on our does stevia break a fast page. The short version: most studies suggest stevia does not provoke a meaningful insulin spike at normal sweetening doses, but the data is not unanimous.

Autophagy, gut-rest, or water-only fast: Any flavored drink breaks a strict water-only protocol by definition. Zevia Energy contains natural flavors and citric acid, which means it is out for purists.

Keto: Zero carbohydrates by label. No issue. For more on how sweeteners interact with ketosis, see keto-friendly energy drinks and their sweeteners.

For a deeper look at what "zero calorie" lets a label say, we have a separate explainer.

Zevia Energy vs Celsius vs Alani Nu vs Gorgie

A label-to-label comparison across four popular 12 oz energy cans:

All prices checked October 2026 and will fluctuate.

Best for at a glance:

• Zevia: Shortest ingredient list and lowest caffeine dose. Best for someone who wants stevia-only sweetening and 120 mg.
• Celsius: Highest caffeine per dollar. If you want 200 mg and do not mind sucralose, it is the cheapest can here.
• Alani Nu: Also 200 mg, with more flavor variety. Uses both sucralose and acesulfame potassium.
• Gorgie: The other stevia can, with 150 mg caffeine plus L-theanine. More expensive per can.

For a head-to-head on two of those competitors, see Alani vs Celsius. And for a broader look at energy drinks for women compared by label, we cover more options there.

Zevia Energy Review: The Verdict from the Label

Zevia Energy does what it says on the can. Five ingredients, 120 mg of caffeine from tea leaves, zero calories, stevia-only sweetening, and no proprietary blends to decode. It is the shortest ingredient list in the mainstream energy drink category.

The trade-off is caffeine. At 120 mg, you get about 60% of what Celsius or Alani Nu delivers. If you are the type who reaches for a second can by 2 p.m., the moderate dose may be the reason. The stevia aftertaste is real for some people, and at ~$2.19 per can, you are paying a small premium over Celsius for less caffeine and a cleaner label.

Best fit: someone who wants a zero-calorie, stevia-sweetened energy drink at a moderate caffeine dose, and who prioritizes a short, readable ingredient list over maximum stimulation.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is Zevia Energy healthy?

"Healthy" depends on what you are measuring. By the label, Zevia Energy has zero calories, zero sugar, and five ingredients. Its caffeine is well under the FDA's 400 mg daily reference at one can. It contains no sucralose, no artificial sweeteners, and no erythritol per Zevia's claims. Whether stevia extract qualifies as "healthy" in your framework is a separate question, but the FDA has not questioned high-purity steviol glycosides' GRAS status.

Does Zevia Energy have sucralose or erythritol?

No. The ingredient list is carbonated water, natural flavors, citric acid, stevia extract, and caffeine. Zevia's product page explicitly states the product does not contain erythritol and contains no artificial sweeteners.

Where does Zevia get its caffeine?

From tea leaves. Zevia's FAQ on its product pages clarifies that the caffeine in Zevia teas and energy drinks is extracted from tea leaves, while the caffeine in Zevia sodas comes from coffee beans.

Is Zevia Energy keto?

By the label, yes. Zero calories, zero sugar, zero carbohydrates. Stevia extract does not contribute carbs. For more on how different sweeteners interact with keto, see keto-friendly energy drinks and their sweeteners.

How many Zevia Energy drinks can you have a day?

Three cans equals 360 mg of caffeine, still under the FDA's 400 mg daily reference for most healthy adults. A fourth can puts you at 480 mg, above that line. Individual tolerance varies. If you are pregnant, nursing, or taking medication, talk to your clinician before adding caffeine.

Where can I buy Zevia Energy?

Zevia's own website routes purchases to Amazon. The cans are also widely available at Walmart, Target, and other grocery retailers. Zevia's site includes a store finder for local availability.

If 120 mg Is the Right Dose, Make It Last

The case for 120 mg is solid. You do not need 200 mg to focus. The problem is that a moderate caffeine dose in a 12 oz can peaks fast and fades fast, and by early afternoon you are deciding between a second can or a slump.

Roon starts from the same moderate-dose premise: 80 mg caffeine, paired with 60 mg L-theanine, 25 mg methylliberine (Dynamine), and 5 mg theacrine (TeaCrine) in a zero-sugar, zero-calorie sublingual pouch. The key difference is duration. Methylliberine slowed caffeine's oral clearance from 41.9 to 17.1 L/hr and extended its half-life from 7.2 to 15 hours, with no increase in peak concentration, in an n=12 randomized, double-blind crossover study. That study used 100 mg methylliberine plus 150 mg caffeine, roughly 4x Roon's methylliberine and 1.9x its caffeine, so those exact numbers do not transfer directly. The mechanism is directionally the same; Roon's felt window is 6 to 8 hours. Onset is 5 to 10 minutes, and you should stop at least 8 hours before bed because a longer tail means it sticks around.

One thing to know if you landed on this page because you care about sweeteners: Roon uses sucralose, not stevia. It is not a stevia product. It is a duration product. From $9.16 per tin on a 12-tin subscription ($0.61 per pouch), or $15.00 per tin one-time for a 4-tin order. A 30-day money-back guarantee applies to your first order only. If you want 80 mg that lasts like 200 mg without drinking 200 mg, see the full label.

Related from Roon

• Does Stevia Break a Fast?
• Sucralose vs Stevia
• What Breaks a Fast, Goal by Goal
• Which Energy Drink Has the Most Caffeine?

Written by Roon Team