MonsterEnergy & Sports Drinks#19 of 23 in categoryRating 1.7/5

Monster Zero Sugar High Caffeinated Drink

Red flags

No major red flags on the label.

Green flags

Nothing stands out in its favour.

Ingredients, decoded

16 listed
  • Carbonated Water
  • Acid (Citric Acid)
  • Flavourings
  • Taurine (0.4%)
  • Acidity Regulator (Sodium Citrates)
  • Panax Ginseng Root Extract (0.08%)
  • Sweeteners (Sucralose, Acesulfame K)
  • L-Carnitine L-Tartrate (0.04%)
  • Preservatives (Sorbic Acid, Benzoic Acid)
  • Caffeine (0.03%)
  • Vitamins (B3, B6, B2, B12)
  • Colour (Anthocyanins)
  • Sodium Chloride
  • D-Glucuronolactone
  • Guarana Seed Extract (0.002%)
  • Inositol
ConcernWorth watchingIn label order. Tap a highlighted one to learn more.

Nutrition per 100 ml
ENutritionDIngredients4Risk
Energy3 kcal
Carbohydrates1 g
Total sugars0 g
Vitamin B38.5 mg
Vitamin B60.8 mg
Vitamin B20.7 mg
Vitamin B122.5 µg
Highlighted values exceed FSSAI and UK FSA front of pack thresholds.

Our take

CleanPlate review

Zero-sugar high-caffeine drink, with salt not sodium on the panel

Monster Zero Sugar High Caffeinated Drink is a 500 ml can of carbonated water with sucralose and acesulfame, taurine, caffeine, B vitamins and a salt-based acidity regulator. The panel is printed per 100 ml.

CleanPlate scores it ED4. 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 D for ingredients reflects mostly refined or industrial ingredients, with additives that cost points: sucralose, acesulfame potassium, flavouring and guar gum. The 4 for risk comes mainly from the combined load of sodium, sugar and fat. 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

    “Zero Sugar”

    Holds

    The panel prints about 0 g sugar per 100 ml.

  • On the pack

    “HIGH CAFFEINE”

    Holds

    The back of the can says high caffeine, and the list carries caffeine at 0.03 per cent.

How ED4 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
Not declared
Fibre
Not declared
Vitamins and minerals
4 declared
Energy
3 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
D

Heavily processed or flagged substances

Base
Carbonated Water
Sweeteners
Sweeteners
Additives
3
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

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

A closer look

Does the label add up?

Carbonated water, citric acid, taurine, caffeine, sucralose, acesulfame potassium, flavours, preservatives, anthocyanin colour, sodium chloride and B vitamins.

Per 100 ml: 3 kcal, 0 g sugar. The panel declares salt only, so no sodium figure is scored; the score is provisional (missing sodium line).

Ingredients to watch

  • CaffeineConcern

    About 150 mg per 500 ml can (30 mg per 100 ml).

  • SweetenersWorth watching

    Sucralose and acesulfame potassium are listed.

  • Missing sodium lineWorth watching

    The panel prints salt only; no sodium line is scored.

  • SugarFine

    No sugar on the panel.

Common misconceptions

Myth: "Zero sugar means no effect"

Caffeine and sweeteners still act whether or not there is sugar.

Myth: "High caffeine is fine for everyone"

The back of the can says not recommended for children, pregnant or lactating women, or people sensitive to caffeine.

How often, and how

  • Healthy adultsRarely
  • ChildrenRarely
  • Diabetes or prediabetesLimit strictly

Smarter ways to eat it

Mid-day only

A 500 ml can of this uses most of a day's caffeine guidance for a healthy adult.

Water or plain soda

No caffeine, no sweetener, same fizz.

Common questions

Is Monster Zero Sugar High Caffeinated Drink healthy?

Monster Zero Sugar High Caffeinated Drink scores ED4 (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.

What does the ED4 score mean?

The first letter (E) grades nutritional value: very low nutrient density. The second letter (D) grades ingredient and label integrity: heavily processed or flagged substances. 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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