Mountain Dew Kickstart is an amazing energy drink with great flavour and effects, but how do we know if it’s good for us or not?
In short, Mountain Dew Kickstart isn’t bad for you as long as you consume it in moderation.
A standard serving of Mountain Dew Kickstart contains 90mg of caffeine, 80 calories, 20g of sugar, B vitamins, and other energy-boosting properties.
Let’s find out if the Mountain Dew Kickstart Energy Drink is bad for you by taking a closer look at the main ingredients.
Mountain Dew Kickstart Nutrition Facts
For a start, let’s have a quick look at the nutritional value of Mountain Dew Kickstart and compare it with Game Fuel and AMP Energy to get a sense of what you’re getting in this beverage.
| Typical Value (Standard Serving) | Mountain Dew Kickstart (16 fl. oz) | Game Fuel (16 fl. oz) | AMP Energy (16fl.oz) |
| Energy | 80 calories | 90 calories | 220 calories |
| Protein | 0 g | 0 g | 0 g |
| Fat (Of Which Saturated) | 0 g (0 g) | 0 g (0 g) | 0 g (0 g) |
| Carbohydrate (Of which sugars) | 21 g (20 g) | 24 g (23 g) | 58 g (58 g) |
| Sodium | 170 mg | – | 140 mg |
| Caffeine | 90 mg | 90 mg | 142 mg |
| Vitamin A | – | 180 μg | – |
| Vitamin B2 (Riboflavin) | – | – | 0.7 mg |
| Vitamin B3 (niacin) | – | 6.4 mg | 4 mg |
| Vitamin B5 (pantothenic acid) | – | 1 mg | 2 mg |
| Vitamin B6 | – | 0.7 mg | 0.3 mg |
| Vitamin B12 | – | – | 1.2 μg |
How Many Calories Are In Mountain Dew Kickstart?
Each 16fl.oz can of Mountain Dew Kickstart has 80 calories, which is quite average for an energy drink.
Mountain Dew Kickstart has a moderate amount of calories for its size, considering that other brands like Red Bull and Monster have much more (110 calories and 190 calories).
Given that the recommended daily calorie intake is around 2,000 to 2,500 calories (depending on lifestyle and other factors), a single can of Mountain Dew Kickstart definitely won’t put a dent in your overall diet.
However, it still isn’t a good idea to have multiple cans of Mountain Dew Kickstart as the calories will eventually rack up over time.
Plus, Mountain Dew Kickstart doesn’t really give you the important nutrients that you need, so you should have proper meals instead of trying to replace them with this drink.
If you want to save your energy on your time doing workouts to burn off the calories from Mountain Dew Kickstart, I’d suggest having this drink on days you really need that boost.
Looking for something with fewer calories? If you are, check out my article on the best zero-calorie energy drinks, where I’ve listed some amazing recommendations.
Mountain Dew Kickstart Ingredients
Every 16 fl. oz can of Mountain Dew Kickstart contains:
- Carbonated Water
- High fructose corn syrup
- White grape juice concentrate
- Citric acid
- Sodium polyphosphates (preservative)
- Natural flavour
- Potassium sorbate (preservative)
- Caffeine
- Potassium Citrate
- Potassium chloride
- Gum Arabic
- Acesulfame potassium (artificial sweetener)
- Sucralose (artificial sweetener)
- Red 40 (colouring)
- Calcium disodium EDTA
- Sucrose acetate isobutyrate
- Salt
- Blue 1 (colouring)
How Much Caffeine Is In Mountain Dew Kickstart?
A 16 fl. oz can of Mountain Dew Kickstart contains 90 mg of caffeine, which happens to be an ideal amount of caffeine in an energy drink.
Given that energy drinks of the same liquid, volume can have up to 300 mg of caffeine, Mountain Dew Kickstart is pretty moderate with regard to its caffeine content.
Personally, my caffeine preferences range from between 50 to 100 mg per drink. For me, that amount slides nicely into the sweet spot and leaves me feeling refreshed without the lingering side effects.
As such, Mountain Dew Kickstart is definitely a drink I would look forward to.
Even though it has a middling amount of caffeine, you should still control your intake to avoid excessive caffeine consumption.
Sure, caffeine overdoses are rare, but having too much is still detrimental to your health and can lead to a number of health issues in the future.
The FDA suggests an everyday caffeine consumption of no more than 400 mg for healthy grown-ups. Any more than that, and you might develop these potential adverse effects:
- restlessness and shakiness
- dizziness
- headaches
- dehydration
- anxiety
Based on the daily caffeine limit set by the FDA, it’s highly unlikely you can overdose on Mountain Dew Kickstart unless you have more than 5 cans in a day.
Though, I think I’ll be more concerned about the amount of sugar you would’ve consumed.
That said, it really boils down to your caffeine metabolism at the end of the day, which will determine the number of energy drinks you can have before the negative effects kick in.
Therefore, make sure to know your personal limits and adjust accordingly.
How Much Sugar Is In Mountain Dew Kickstart?
Each 16fl.oz can of Mountain Dew Kickstart contains 20 g of sugar.
In the context of this beverage’s sugar content, it certainly has less than many other energy drinks of the same size, but it can still pose health risks if there is no proper control in intake involved.
In general, Mountain Dew Kickstart has a moderate amount of sugar for a 16fl. oz energy drink, but consuming that much in one serving isn’t exactly beneficial.
For guidance, the AHA advises a maximum daily sugar limit of 25 g and 36 g for women and men respectively.
Aside from that, Mountain Dew Kickstart uses high fructose corn syrup (HFCS) instead of table sugar. This type of sugar comes from corn syrup and is generally used to enhance the flavors of processed foods.
While it’s also a sweetener, HFCS is actually believed to be more harmful than regular sugar and can still cause health problems like metabolic syndrome and insulin resistance.
In fact, a high sugar intake is generally bad for our health, as it could lead to a number of health-related issues in the long run:
- weight gain
- cardiovascular disease
- diabetes
- high blood pressure
- acne
For more information about the effects of sugar on our bodies, check out this video:
Therefore, keep your intake of Mountain Dew Kickstart to a minimum, and consume less sugar in general.
If you prefer a pick-me-up with all that sugar, you can check out my article on the best energy drinks with less sugar for some great low-sugar options.
Does Mountain Dew Kickstart Have Artificial Sweeteners?
Mountain Dew Kickstart does indeed have artificial sweeteners, namely; acesulfame potassium and sucralose.
Artificial sweeteners are commonly used to improve the flavour of food products without the extra calories and sugar.
They are generally extremely sweet and contain virtually no calories, making them an appealing option if you want to shed some pounds.
While the FDA approves these artificial sweeteners, I wouldn’t recommend consuming them too often.
Like most modern chemicals, there are still a lot of things we don’t know especially the potential side effects and health problems these sweeteners can cause after a long period of time.
Hence, it’s way better to moderate your intake of artificially-sweetened beverages and consume more healthy and natural drinks instead.
Is Mountain Dew Kickstart Better Than Other Energy Drinks?
In my opinion, Mountain Dew Kickstart isn’t any better or worse than other energy drinks.
Mountain Dew Kickstart has a pretty moderate calorie, caffeine, and sugar intake. Having a can of this now and then isn’t going to immediately damage your health and land you in the ER.
But, I wouldn’t say it’s better than other energy drinks, like most caffeinated beverages.
If you don’t control your Mountain Dew Kickstart intake, the calories and sugar will add up as time goes on. As a result, this could lead to severe health issues if you aren’t the active type with a healthy diet to balance it out.
Plus, while Mountain Dew Kickstart can give you a fantastic energy boost for your day, it can’t exactly supply your body with the essential nutrients it needs.
Ultimately, there’s no harm in having a can of Mountain Dew Kickstart occasionally, but try not to have it too often. If you’re still in need of a boost after that, you can always opt for coffee or tea.
Is Mountain Dew Kickstart Bad For You?
Provided you’re a relatively healthy individual and can properly limit your caffeine and sugar intake, Mountain Dew Kickstart isn’t bad for you at all. However, I wouldn’t recommend having this drink on a regular basis.
Like all caffeine-containing beverages, Mountain Dew Kickstart starts to become bad for you when you have more than you can handle, especially if you have got a low caffeine tolerance.
Additionally, it’s not recommended for you to have Mountain Dew Kickstart if you’re under the age of 18; pregnant, nursing; or have medical conditions that are easily affected by sugar or caffeine.
Plus, while consuming more than one can of this drink won’t put you over the caffeine limit, you’ll definitely be having more sugar and calories than you’re supposed to, which will eventually pile up in your system.
So, make sure to keep your Mountain Dew Kickstart intake to only one can per day.
Anyhow, if you’re only having Mountain Dew Kickstart casually, it’s certainly not the worst energy drink to have. If you’re still doubtful, you could always consult a nutritionist for a definite answer before including this drink in your diet.
How Much Is Mountain Dew Kickstart And Where Can I Purchase It?
Based on my search on Amazon, a 12-pack of 16 fl. oz cans of Mountain Dew Kickstart cost around $26. In that case, the price of a single 16 fl. oz can of Mountain Dew Kickstart is about $2.20.
Personally, I think that the price of Mountain Dew Kickstart is a little high given that it doesn’t have any additional vitamins or amino acids. You can find other energy drinks that contain more nutrients at lower prices out there.
But, one of the more interesting features about Mountain Dew Kickstart is that a few of its flavours do contain vitamins, so if you prefer your energy drink to have something more beneficial, you could go for those instead.
All in all, if you don’t mind shelling out some extra cash, Mountain Dew Kickstart can be a good energy drink, especially with its wonderful taste and energy boost.
You can purchase Mountain Dew Kickstart from local stores like Walmart and Target. You can also find several awesome deals if you look around carefully on sites like Amazon and eBay.
Mountain Dew Kickstart Flavors
Mountain Dew Kickstart has a total number of 9 assorted flavours available, with each variety containing different ingredients like extra B vitamins.
Here’s a list of the available flavours under Mountain Dew Kickstart:
- Original Dew
- Orange Citrus
- Black Cherry
- Midnight Grape
- Fruit Punch
- Mango Lime
- Pineapple Orange Mango
- Blueberry Pomegranate
- Raspberry Citrus
Alternatives to Mountain Dew Kickstart
If you feel that Mountain Dew Kickstart isn’t the energy drink for you, here are some other alternatives for you to choose from:
- Reign
- Celsius
- 3D Energy
- Game Fuel
- Red Bull
- Monster
- Raze Energy
- Adrenaline Shoc
- Rockstar
- Xyience
- Bing
- Guru
Powdered energy drinks also make awesome choices as you can personalise your energy drink servings and strength according to your preference:
- Advocare Spark
- G Fuel
- Zipfizz
- REIZE (my favourite)
REIZE (10 Out Of 10)
Looking for an energy drink with less caffeine and sugar? Look no further, ‘cause REIZE is the answer to your search.
REIZE is a powdered energy drink that comes in light 4 g sachets, which makes it convenient for you to bring it around wherever you go.
With a sensible 50 mg of caffeine, REIZE is also sugar-free and has only a minimal amount of 11 calories per serving.
Plus, REIZE contains a smart blend of ingredients like taurine, B vitamins, and ginseng that work together to provide you with a smooth energy boost without the dreadful sugar crashes afterwards.
Best of all, REIZE ships to your home for around $1 per sachet, which is fantastic value for money.
Give REIZE a try, and you might find it to be a smarter choice than Mountain Dew Kickstart.