Mountain Dew Grip Soft Drink
Red flags
- −Red flag: Contains Tartrazine
- −Red flag: High added sugar (12.3g per 100ml)
- −Red flag: Contains Sodium Benzoate
Green flags
- +Green flag: Low sodium
Ingredients, decoded
8 listed- Carbonated Water
- Sugar
- Acidity Regulators (330, 331)
- Flavour (Natural Flavouring Substances)
- Preservative (211)
- Caffeine (13 mg/100 g)
- Stabilizer (445 (iii))
- Colour (102)
Our take
CleanPlate reviewSoft drink with tartrazine, caffeine and 12 g sugar
Mountain Dew Grip is a 750 ml carbonated drink made from carbonated water and sugar, with acidity regulators, natural flavouring, a preservative, caffeine (13 mg per 100 ml), a stabiliser and the colour tartrazine (102). The panel is printed per 100 ml, with a 200 ml serve.
CleanPlate scores it [R]EC4. The E for nutrition is low: almost no credited protein, fibre or micronutrients per 100 ml. The C for ingredients reflects mostly refined or industrial ingredients (led by sugar), with additives that cost points: tartrazine and glycerol esters of wood rosin. A red flag (Southampton Six x1) cuts the score by 20%. The 4 for risk comes mainly from free sugar (12.3 g per 100 ml).
Claims vs reality
What the pack says, checked against the ingredient list and nutrition panel.
- On the packHolds
“Contains caffeine”
Caffeine (13 mg per 100 ml) is listed and the back says it contains caffeine.
How EC4 breaks down
Each grade is scored on its own. Here are the label numbers behind each one, per 100 ml.
Very low nutrient density
- Protein
- 0 g
- Fibre
- Not declared
- Vitamins and minerals
- None declared
- Energy
- 49 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.
Mixed processing and additives
- Base
- Carbonated Water
- Sweeteners
- Sugar
- Additives
- 4
- Flagged
- Sodium Benzoate, Tartrazine
Scored on how processed the ingredients are, which additives are used and why, and whether the label keeps its promises.
High risk
- Added sugar
- 12.3 g
- Sodium
- 8 mg
- Saturated fat
- 0 g
- Trans 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.
A closer look
Does the label add up?
Carbonated water, sugar, acidity regulators (330, 331), natural flavouring substances, preservative (211), caffeine (13 mg per 100 ml), stabiliser (445(iii)) and colour (102).
Per 100 ml: 49 kcal, 0 g fat of which 0 g saturated, 12.3 g sugar of which 12.3 g added, 0 g protein, 8 mg sodium. The panel is per 100 ml: 49 kcal, 12.3 g sugar (all added), 8 mg sodium. The listing's FSSAI number differs from the pack; the pack is used. The stabiliser 445(iii) (glycerol esters of wood rosin) is not in the additives catalogue and is counted as a stabiliser (2 points) by hand. The pack photos show no veg mark.
Ingredients to watch
- Added sugarConcern
12.3 g per 100 ml, above the 8 g drink line; about 92 g in the bottle.
- TartrazineConcern
Colour 102 is a Southampton Six dye, so the red flag applies.
- CaffeineWorth watching
13 mg per 100 ml; caffeinated drinks cannot score better than 4 on risk.
- StabiliserWorth watching
Glycerol esters of wood rosin cost 2 points.
Common misconceptions
Myth: "A soft drink is just flavoured water"
It is 12.3 g of sugar per 100 ml plus caffeine and a dye.
Myth: "Natural flavouring means a clean list"
It still has tartrazine, a preservative and a wood-rosin stabiliser.
How often, and how
- Healthy adultsOccasionally
- ChildrenRarely
- Diabetes or prediabetesLimit
Smarter ways to eat it
Pour a small glass
A 200 ml serve is 98 kcal and about 25 g of sugar.
Skip it before bed
A 200 ml serve has about 26 mg of caffeine.
Common questions
Is Mountain Dew Grip Soft Drink healthy?
Mountain Dew Grip Soft Drink scores EC4 (Poor) on CleanPlate, which makes it best kept as a rare treat rather than a regular buy. The main concerns are: Contains Tartrazine; High added sugar (12.3g per 100ml); Contains Sodium Benzoate. On the plus side: Low sodium.
What does the EC4 score mean?
The first letter (E) grades nutritional value: very low nutrient density. The second letter (C) grades ingredient and label integrity: mixed processing and additives. The number (4) grades risk nutrients (sugar, sodium, saturated fat): high risk.
Which ingredients in Mountain Dew Grip Soft Drink should I watch?
Preservative (211) (Sodium Benzoate), Colour (102) (Tartrazine).
Last reviewed October 18, 2026. Scored with the CleanPlate method from the published label.