MonsterEnergy & Sports Drinks#22 of 23 in categoryRating 1.3/5

Monster Ultra Strawberry Dreams Drink

Red flags

No major red flags on the label.

Green flags

  • Green flag: Low sodium

Ingredients, decoded

13 listed
  • Carbonated Water
  • Acidity Regulators (Citric Acid, Sodium Citrate)
  • Sweeteners (Erythritol, Sucralose, Acesulfame Potassium)
  • Taurine
  • Flavours
  • Panax Ginseng Root Extract
  • Preservatives (Potassium Sorbate, Sodium Benzoate)
  • Caffeine
  • Vitamins (Niacin (B3), Vitamin B5, Vitamin B6, Vitamin B12)
  • D-Glucuronolactone
  • Guarana Seed Extract
  • Inositol
  • Colours (Allura Red Ac, Sunset Yellow Fcf, Brilliant Blue Fcf)
ConcernWorth watchingIn label order. Tap a highlighted one to learn more.

LPack claim not backed upNutrition per 100 ml
ENutritionEIngredients4Risk
Energy2 kcal
Protein0 g
Carbohydrates1.3 g
Total sugars0 g
Dietary fibre0 g
Total fat0 g
Saturated fat0 g
Sodium67 mg
Vitamin B38 mg
Vitamin B52 mg
Vitamin B60.85 mg
Vitamin B122 µg
Highlighted values exceed FSSAI and UK FSA front of pack thresholds.

Our take

CleanPlate review

Strawberry-named drink with no strawberry and three dyes

Monster Ultra Strawberry Dreams Drink is a 500 ml can of zero-sugar energy drink with sweeteners, caffeine and three synthetic colours. The name says strawberry, but the list has no strawberry at all.

CleanPlate scores it [R][L]EE4. The E for nutrition is low: almost no credited protein, fibre or micronutrients per 100 ml. Added vitamins earn no credit in this product type. The E for ingredients reflects mostly refined or industrial ingredients, with additives that cost points: sucralose, erythritol, acesulfame potassium and flavouring. A red flag (Southampton Six x2) cuts the score by 30%. The [L] marks a hollow label promise: the strawberry named on the pack is not in the ingredient list. The 4 for risk comes mainly from sodium (67 mg per 100 ml). The caffeine statement sets a floor of 4 on this axis.

Claims vs reality

What the pack says, checked against the ingredient list and nutrition panel.

  • Product name

    “Strawberry Dreams”

    Misleading

    No strawberry or strawberry flavour is named in the list; the flavour is an unspecified flavouring.

  • Product name

    “Zero Sugar”

    Holds

    The panel prints about 0 g sugar per 100 ml.

How EE4 breaks down

Each grade is scored on its own. Here are the label numbers behind each one, per 100 ml.

How we score →
01 Nutritional valueA to E
E

Very low nutrient density

Protein
0 g
Fibre
0 g
Vitamins and minerals
4 declared
Energy
2 kcal

Scored on protein, fibre and twelve vitamins and minerals, against the Codex and FSSAI "source" and "high" levels, per 100 g and per 100 kcal.

02 Ingredient & label integrityA to E
E

Severe ingredient concerns

Base
Carbonated Water
Sweeteners
Sweeteners
Additives
5
Flagged
None

Scored on how processed the ingredients are, which additives are used and why, and whether the label keeps its promises.

03 Risk nutrients1 to 5
4

High risk

Total sugar
0 g
Sodium
67 mg
Saturated fat
0 g

Scored on free sugar, sodium, saturated fat and trans fat, each weighed by how strong the evidence of harm is.

[R] Contains an ingredient on our red-flag list (such as a partially hydrogenated oil or a flagged synthetic dye), which cuts the ingredient grade.

[L] The name or pack claims promise more than the ingredient list delivers. See Claims vs reality.

A closer look

Does the label add up?

Carbonated water, erythritol, taurine, caffeine, sweeteners, flavours, guar gum, three synthetic colours and B vitamins.

Per 100 ml: 2 kcal, 0 g fat of which 0 g saturated, 0 g sugar, 0 g fibre, 0 g protein, 67 mg sodium. The pack's panel and the listing disagree on carbohydrate and sodium (the pack prints 67 mg sodium per 100 ml); the pack is used. The energy is printed as 2 kcal, below the Atwater 5, so the Atwater figure is used.

Ingredients to watch

  • Synthetic coloursConcern

    Sunset Yellow, Allura Red and Brilliant Blue are listed, which counts as a multiple-dye red flag.

  • CaffeineConcern

    Printed as high caffeine on the back, about 105 mg per can.

  • Strawberry nameWorth watching

    The name says strawberry but no strawberry is in the list.

  • SweetenersWorth watching

    Sucralose and acesulfame potassium are both listed.

Common misconceptions

Myth: "It's a strawberry drink"

The list has a flavouring and no strawberry, so the strawberry name is a flavour promise.

Myth: "Zero sugar means harmless"

The three dyes and the caffeine still count against it.

How often, and how

  • Healthy adultsRarely
  • ChildrenRarely
  • Diabetes or prediabetesLimit strictly

Smarter ways to eat it

Read the list

The strawberry claim is the flavour, not the fruit; reading the list is the only way to tell.

Choose plain sparkling water

It has no dyes, sweeteners or caffeine.

Common questions

Is Monster Ultra Strawberry Dreams Drink healthy?

Monster Ultra Strawberry Dreams Drink scores EE4 (Very Poor) on CleanPlate, which makes it one of the weakest products we've rated and worth swapping out. We found no major red flags on its label. On the plus side: Low sodium.

What does the EE4 score mean?

The first letter (E) grades nutritional value: very low nutrient density. The second letter (E) grades ingredient and label integrity: severe ingredient concerns. The number (4) grades risk nutrients (sugar, sodium, saturated fat): high risk.

Last reviewed October 17, 2026. Scored with the CleanPlate method from the published label.

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