Brand guide

How to quit Pepsi

Quitting Pepsi works like quitting any soda habit: find the moments you reach for it, have a different drink ready, and decide what to do about caffeine.

By Patrick McCarthy, published Nov 2, 2026, reviewed Nov 2, 2026

Not medical advice. QuitSoda is habit support for adults. If caffeine, sugar, pregnancy, medicines, or a health condition affect your plan, ask your clinician.

What is in a can of Pepsi

Checked Nov 2, 2026. The USDA records come from label data the brand submitted, and recipes can change, so check the can you buy. Fountain drinks and bottle sizes differ too. For other brands, see sugar in a can of soda and caffeine in soda.

Find your Pepsi moments

For a few days, jot down each time you have a Pepsi: the time, where you are, and what just happened. Then give each moment its own plan. "No more Pepsi" is a goal. "With lunch I order unsweetened iced tea" is a plan you can follow on a busy day.

If you drink more than one a day, you do not have to drop them all at once. How to cut back on soda has a step-by-step taper.

Decide about caffeine

PepsiCo lists 38 mg of caffeine in a 12 oz can of Pepsi, 35 mg in Diet Pepsi, and 38 mg in Pepsi Zero Sugar. For comparison, the FDA puts a 12 oz cup of black tea at about 71 mg and green tea at about 37 mg.

The FDA lists 400 mg a day as an amount not generally associated with negative effects for most adults, and says that people who want to cut back should do it gradually. MedlinePlus lists headaches, drowsiness, irritability, nausea, and trouble concentrating as possible withdrawal symptoms. You can keep caffeine from unsweetened tea or coffee while you quit Pepsi, or cut both. See caffeinated alternatives to soda.

Switching to Diet Pepsi or Pepsi Zero Sugar

Diet Pepsi and Pepsi Zero Sugar list 0 g of sugar, so switching cuts the sugar on the label. They still have caffeine and sweeteners, and the habit can stay the same: a can at the same time of day. On the QuitSoda challenge they still count as soda. If a diet cola is your main habit, how to quit diet soda goes deeper.

Swaps that fill the same slot

• Plain sparkling water or seltzer, very cold, with a squeeze of fresh lemon or lime at home if you like.
• Unsweetened iced or hot tea, black or green.
• Unsweetened coffee, if the can was mostly about caffeine.
• Still water in a bottle you like, kept where the can used to sit.

Ordering out? The FDA notes that restaurants are not required to tell you how much caffeine is in their drinks, so ask if it matters to you. Water, plain sparkling water, or unsweetened iced tea are easy orders at most places. Best unsweetened sparkling water lists plain options by label.