Monster Energy drink is produced by Monster Beverage Corporation.
Monster is probably one of the most well-known energy drink brands in the world, getting good reviews from drinkers and sometimes pretty bad flak from the press.
Monster contains 190 calories, 54 g of sugars, and 160 mg of caffeine, which does mean that it’s a little on the high side when compared to other energy drinks.
But it does the job and provides you with a healthy boost, and the massive range of flavours is sure to please a diverse range of customers with different tastes.
Let’s find out more about the caffeine and other notable ingredients in a can of Monster Energy!
Where is the Monster Energy drink made?
Monster Energy is made in Corona, California, USA by the Monster Beverage Corporation.
Monster Beverage Corporation is well known for sponsoring all kinds of extreme sports events, and even popular musicians such as Iggy Azalea and 21 Savage Pilots.
The brand image certainly suits it – a hardcore drink for people who live hardcore lives and do potentially dangerous sports – living life on the edge!
What does BFC stand for on Monster Energy drinks?
Forgive my bad language, but if you’re holding a can of Monster that says “BFC”, it basically stands for “Biggest F****** Can”, and this is usually on the 32 fl. oz, double the size of the usual 16 fl. oz cans.
The sizes that the Monster energy drink (and some of the more popular flavours in their energy drink line) comes in:
- 16 fl. oz
- 24 fl. oz, and now,
- 32 fl. oz
Each version is 50% larger than the size of the previous one, and scales up in price as well!
Monster Energy Drink Nutrition Facts & Ingredients
Let’s take a closer at the nutrients found in Monster Energy!
| Nutritional Value | Amount (16 fl. oz) |
| calories | 190 |
| caffeine | 160 mg |
| total carbohydrates | 54 g |
| sugar | 54 g |
| sodium | 370 mg |
| Vitamin B2 | 200% of the daily recommended intake |
| Vitamin B3 | 200% of the daily recommended intake |
| Vitamin B6 | 200% of the daily recommended intake |
| Vitamin B12 | 200% of the daily recommended intake |
It also contains trace amounts of:
- Carbonated Water
- Sugar
- Citric Acid
- ‘Natural Flavors’
- Sodium Citrate
- Color Added
- Sorbic Acid (preservative)
- Benzoic Acid (preservative)
- Niacinamide
- Sucralose
- Salt
- Pyridoxine Hydrochloride
- Riboflavin
- Cyanocobalamin
The special ‘Monster energy blend’ includes these ingredients as well:
- Glucose
- Taurine
- Panax Ginseng Extract
- L-Carnitine
- L-Tartrate
- Caffeine
- Glucuronolactone
- Inositol
- Guarana extract
- Maltodextrin
Monster Energy Drink Flavors
- Regular Monster (also comes in low-carb, Assault, and Absolutely Zero)
- Rehab (non-carbonated and less sugar, includes white dragon tea, lemonade, peach tea, pink lemonade, orangeade, and raspberry tea)
- Ultra (low-calorie drinks, including zero, blue, red, sunrise, citron, black, and violet)
- Juice (supposed to taste more like juice, has these flavours: Khaos, Pipeline Punch, Ripper, and Mango Loco)
- Punch (a mixture of several fruits, comes in Baller’s Blend and Mad Dog)
- Java (Coffee-based drinks, come in: Mean Bean, Loca Mocha, Kona Blend, Irish Blend, Vanilla Lite, Salted Caramel, Espresso Monster: Cream, Espresso Monster: Vanilla, and Caffe Monster in Vanilla, Mocha, and Caramel)
- Muscle (the base energy drink with added protein, comes in Chocolate and Vanilla)
- Hydro (is supposed to be an alternative to both energy drinks and water: Tropical Thunder, Purple Passion, Blue Ice, Zero Sugar, Mean Green, and Manic Melon)
- Maxx (uses nitrous oxide, flavours include: Super Dry, Eclipse, and Solaris)
Is Monster high in caffeine?
I’d say no, Monster has a relatively low caffeine content compared to other energy drinks.
A standard can of Monster contains 160 mg of caffeine which is equal to almost 2 cups of coffee. That also puts you close to half of the recommended limit of daily caffeine consumption which is 400 mg per day.
Exceeding the caffeine limit can potentially lead to the following symptoms:
- anxiety/panic attacks
- dehydration
- diarrhea
- headaches
- jitters
Monster Energy Drink Sugar Content
A 16 fl. oz can of Monster Energy drink contains 54 g of sugar, which is a pretty dangerous amount,
The limit for sugar intake is as follows:
- 25 g of sugar per day for women
- 38 g of sugar per day for men
This amount includes both naturally occurring sugar in foods, as well as added sugars in things such as energy drinks.
Monster far exceeds any person’s daily recommended intake of sugar, and should be consumed moderately.
Artificial sugars in Monster have to be acknowledged as well, as it also contains sucralose.
Sucralose
Sucralose is an artificial sweetener that is supposed to replace natural sugars in food and drinks.
Although sucralose is considered safe to be eaten and included in food by government authorities, there have been concerns about the side effects that occur after consuming this sweetener.
Sucralose is made from sugar in a chemical process where 3 hydrogen-oxygen groups are replaced with chlorine atoms.
Doesn’t sound all that tasty when put this way, right?
Sucralose has been found to reduce good gut bacteria (the ones that help improve your digestion – this study found that up to 12 weeks after the experiment, the gut bacteria had still not returned). It can also help you lose weight to some extent if you replace sugar in your diet with sucralose.
As with many modern chemicals, there often isn’t enough data for scientists and researchers to clearly state that these are side effects that are associated with the chemicals – only data collected over time will tell what effects the chemicals really have on the human body.
I advise consuming these added sugars in moderation and making sure that your diet is supplemented with healthy, organic food.
Monster Energy Drink Alcohol Content
Monster does not contain any alcohol.
The association of Monster with alcohol comes from the fact that energy drinks are often mixed with alcohol, which isn’t strictly speaking very bad for you.
This can then lead to misfortunes occurring, such as drunk driving or making bad choices – Monster isn’t completely to blame here, but you should always consume alcohol responsibly.
Are Monster drinks bad for you?
It really depends on your definition of ‘bad’.
If you’re asking if Monster is healthy for you, it definitely is not in my opinion.
The high amount of sugar and caffeine is not exactly beneficial to you, and no amount of vitamins can actually make up for that fact.
But if you’re asking if Monster is bad for your health, then no, it isn’t really.
For the person who drinks 2 cans a day 7 days a week, I think that’s definitely bad for them, but if consumed in moderation, in the correct serving portion, and infrequently-then Monster will not harm you.
If you’re very health conscious, you can try out some of Monster’s healthier options, such as their Ultra line, or Monster Juice. Neither of these is guaranteed to be healthy, but they are better compared to the regular Monster version and its jaw-dropping amount of sugar.
Can one can of Monster kill you?
No, absolutely not. Drinking a single can of Monster will not kill you.
Over the years, there has been some bad press around Monster because of some tangential evidence.
There is absolutely no way that drinking a single can of Monster will kill you. This is of course based on the premise that you do not have any major health issues, and you are consuming responsibly.
However, the fact that this drink is sold openly by the market means that it does not pose a great threat to the health of the public, or else government officials would shut it down and prohibit its sale.
What are the side effects of Monster Energy Drinks?
These are the potential side effects of Monster Energy:
- weight gain
- insomnia
- nervousness
- restlessness
- shaking
- irritability
- fatigue and sugar crashes
- stomach irritation
- headaches
- chest pains
- vomiting
- increased heart rate
More dangerous effects that could happen to your body after drinking energy drinks are:
- caffeine addiction
- dehydration and weakness
- poor dental health
- kidney stones
- respiratory problems
- miscarriage
- high blood pressure
- kidney failure
- allergic reactions
- caffeine overdose
- niacin overdose
- risk-seeking behaviour
- diabetes
Watch the video below to learn more about the side effects of energy drinks.
Can Monster give you cancer?
According to research done to date, energy drinks do not increase your chances of getting cancer.
However, the added sugar in Monster (and many others) is a cause for concern. Providing the body with a lot more sugar than you need also gives cancer cells the sugar that they desperately need to grow and thrive. So, this can actually be an unwanted side effect in some cases.
Although Monster isn’t bad for you, it certainly isn’t very healthy either, to be honest.
Can Monster Energy cause erectile dysfunction?
No, there is no evidence that the Monster Energy drink causes erectile dysfunction.
There has been some connection between caffeine and ED, but the cause and effect are not certain, so researchers cannot conclusively state that caffeine is the issue.
However, caffeine and sugar have both been suspected to affect fertility, thus lowering the chances of pregnancy.
The high amounts of caffeine and sugar in Monster mean that you should be cautious while drinking it, and don’t believe that just because something says it contains vitamins, it’s automatically beneficial for your health.
Read more about energy drinks and erectile dysfunction in this article. You’ll be surprised by what you’ll find!
Can kids drink Monster?
Kids absolutely should not drink Monster, or anyone else below the age of 18 for that matter either.
Drinking it can cause adolescents and children to have adverse neurological effects. It is not great for their hearts either, because of the high amount of caffeine, which can potentially cause seizures or develop heart conditions.
Their dental health may also suffer, as Monster contains a lot of sugar, which can rot their teeth.
Monster Energy Drink Prices
It’s $37.95 for a 12-can pack of Monster energy drink on Amazon, which means that it’s around $3.20 for a can, excluding shipping.
$3.20 is not that expensive for an energy drink, especially if you consider the amount of caffeine and sugar contained within a 16 fl. oz can.
This price is for a 16 fl. oz can, and not any of the bigger sizes, which are of course more expensive. For comparison, a 32 fl. oz can cost around $4 at a gas station.
If you’re looking for something that also tastes great, but is a lot more affordable, check out REIZE- it’s a powdered energy drink that is easy to make, efficient, delicious, and ships directly to your door for around $1 per drink.
Where to Buy Monster Energy Drink?
You can easily get Monster energy drink nearly anywhere in the world. It can be found in physical stores such as Target, Walmart, Costco, and most gas stations all over the US.
You can also get it online in places such as Amazon, where you can bulk buy a pack of 24 cans.
You can also find Monster on eBay, where you don’t only get the drink, but can check out some cool merchandise as well!
I have written a separate article on Where to Buy Monster Energy, check it out!
Monster vs REIZE
Caffeine
Monster energy drink contains 160 mg of caffeine, while REIZE has 50 mg of caffeine.
Even though REIZE has much less caffeine than Monster, it makes up for it by having 1000 mg of taurine, a naturally occurring amino acid that has been known to produce good, clean energy, without any unpleasant side effects.
In comparison, Monster Energy uses a lot of caffeine and sugars, both natural and artificial, which isn’t that great in the long run.
Sugar
Monster energy drink contains 54g of sugar, while REIZE is completely sugar-free.
REIZE does contain artificial sweeteners, but these have been extensively tested – acesulfame potassium and aspartame, the same ingredients used to sweeten Coke Zero and many other common foods and drinks.
Price
It is $37.95 for a 12-can pack of Monster energy drink on Amazon, which means that it’s around $3.20 for a can, excluding shipping.
REIZE is a lot cheaper, at only around $1 per sachet, which makes an 8.4 fl. oz drink.
In addition to that, REIZE is fully customizable, and you can control how strong or weak each drink is.
If you’re looking for efficiency and ease to carry around, REIZE is a great choice because it comes in small, light, and easy-to-transport packets as opposed to the massive size of the Monster cans.
REIZE is also a lot less sweet, so that will be great for people on a diet or wary about consuming too much sugar or too many calories.
Alternatives to Monster Energy Drink
There are lots of great energy drinks on the market. If you’re looking for some ready-to-drink energy drinks that are similar to Monster, take a look at:
- Red Bull
- Rockstar
- Celsius
- XS
- Rip It
- Bing energy drink
- Bang (not to be confused with Bing!)
- Guru
- Xyience
Powdered energy drinks are also an option, and they tend to be more convenient and also more affordable than a lot of the market’s top energy drinks, but with the same great flavor and efficacy:
- Gfuel
- Zipfizz
- Advocare Spark
- REIZE (my personal favorite)
You could also take a look at Vivarin caffeine pills if you are looking for something that’s quick and easy to take. At 200 mg of caffeine, it’s around the same amount of caffeine that regular Monster Energy has, but without the great, energizing taste.
Of course, there are also loads of other caffeinated products out there that you could turn to for your energy needs. Something like Make It Mio immediately comes to mind, which is supposed to flavor your water and give you an energy boost at the same time, for those who are a bit more health-conscious.
REIZE (10 out of 10)
With 50 mg, REIZE contains a lot less caffeine than Monster Energy, but it does contain plenty of other great energy-boosting ingredients that are healthy for you, such as 1000 mg of taurine.
REIZE is more convenient and versatile than Monster Energy since you can add all types of liquids to it – soda, hot water, cold water, flavoured juice, it’s up to you.
REIZE ships right to your door for around $1 per drink, more affordable than most of the energy drinks on the market – including Monster Energy.
Give REIZE a try today and you might just find that you prefer it to Monster.