Short Answer: No, Monster Energy is not bad for you if consumed in moderation.
Who doesn’t know what Monster Energy is?
It’s the brand behind almost every extreme sports event from UFC, Motocross, snowboarding as well as e-sports.
Their tagline “Unleash the Beast” is definitely a hit among young people.
Portraying confidence, dominance, and toughness, it’s no wonder that youths absolutely love a huge can of Monster-goodness.
A 16 fl. oz can of Monster Energy is loaded with 210 calories, 160 mg caffeine, 54 g sugar, and other energy-boosting ingredients designed for keeping you energized throughout your workout session.
Monster Energy Drink Nutrition Facts
Before diving deep, let’s look at the nutrients found in a can of Monster Energy:
- 210 calories
- 160 mg of caffeine
- 54 g of sugar (that’s a lot!)
- 0 g Total fat
- 370 mg sodium (15% of the recommended daily intake)
- 54 g total carbohydrates
- 0 g protein
- Vitamin B2 (200% of the recommended daily intake)
- B3 Vitamins (200% of the recommended daily intake)
- Vitamin B6 (200% of the recommended daily intake)
- B12 vitamins (200% of the recommended daily intake)
It also contains small traces of the following:
- carbonated water
- sugar
- glucose
- citric acid
- ‘natural flavors’
- taurine
- sodium citrate
- artificial coloring
- Panax ginger extract
- Sorbic acid (preservative)
- benzoic Acid (preservative)
- sucralose
- salt
- D-Glucuronolactone
- inositol
- guarana extract
| Nutritional Value | Amount Per Can |
| calories | 210 |
| caffeine | 160 mg |
| sugar | 54 g |
| total fat | 0 g |
| sodium | 370 mg |
| total carbohydrates | 54 g |
| protein | 0 g |
| Vitamin B2 | 200% of recommended daily intake |
| Viramin B6 | 200% of recommended daily intake |
| Vitamin B3 | 200% of recommended daily intake |
| Vitamin B12 | 200% of recommended daily intake |
Can you drink more than one Monster a day?
Well practically you can, but it is not recommended.
Consuming 2 cans of Monster a day is still considered all right from a caffeine point of view, as you’re only consuming 320 mg of caffeine (160 mg in each can).
Still, that puts you close to the maximum dosage for caffeine intake which is 400 mg per day for healthy individuals. By doing so, you’re basically putting yourself at risk of hallucinations, seizures, chest pains, and other symptoms.
Another concern about drinking more than one Monster in a day is the staggering sugar content. Two cans of Monster make 108 grams of sugar! (Too much, isn’t it?)
Is it safe to drink Monster every day?
The short answer is yes – it is safe to drink Monster Energy every day as long as it’s in moderation.
The same goes for any other energy drinks in the market.
It’s also useful to keep in mind that Monster does contain active ingredients such as artificial sweeteners which can become detrimental to your health when consumed long-term.
Therefore, it is wise to consume Monster Energy only when you really need it!
Sugar In Monster Energy Drinks
A 16 fl. oz can of Monster Energy contains 54 g of sugar – roughly 13.5 tablespoons of sugar in a single can.
Getting much of this sugar from Monster can definitely put your health at risk.
The AHA proposes a sugar intake of 36 g and 25 g per day for men and women respectively. Too much sugar can cause a range of serious health problems such as skin damage, fatigue, weight gain, and diabetes.
Is the Guarana in Monster good for you?
Yes, the guarana in Monster might be good for you.
Guarana is another ingredient used in many famous energy drinks due to its high caffeine content.
It’s mainly used as an ingredient to give you the energy boost you need to improve athletic and mental performance.
At the moment, there are no known facts on the maximum daily dosage of guarana.
But, even if you consume it in moderate amounts, you may experience minor side effects like insomnia, anxiety, increased heart rate, and even irritation to your stomach.
When consumed in higher doses, guarana can potentially increase in blood pressure and seizures due to overdose.
The amount of guarana contained in the drink is not specified which is pretty concerning, in my opinion.
Are B Vitamins good?
Generally speaking, yes, B vitamins are good for you.
Each can of Monster contains 200% of the daily recommended dosage for your daily B vitamin needs, and it is certainly possible to overdo it.
It is known that:
- more than 3 g of Niacinamide( B3) can cause severe liver problems and a loss of vision
- more than 12 g of Inositol (B8) can cause mild side effects like nausea, gas, sleeplessness, headaches, fatigue, and even light-headedness.
B vitamins are water-soluble, meaning that the body can’t store anything surplus to its daily requirements. Therefore, there is absolutely no reason to include more than 100% of any of these vitamins in an energy drink.
Are Monster Energy drinks safe?
Just like any other energy drink, if consumed in moderation there shouldn’t be any harm from drinking Monster Energy.
An important caveat to that is that you don’t have any pre-existing health conditions. Personally, I do think Monster Energy is safe to consume, but only in moderation.
What sweetener is used in Monster Energy?
Monster Energy uses the artificial sweetener sucralose.
Sucralose is mainly safe to consume and is approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration. It has no bitter aftertaste like many other artificial sweeteners out there.
The best part?
It’s calorie-free!
However, don’t go thinking that it’s alright to consume tons and tons of sucralose.
There have been reports linking sucralose to some serious health issues. Despite not having any digestive properties like sugar, some part of it can still be metabolized in the digestive tract resulting in gut problems.
There hasn’t been much said that it is bad for you, but for your best interest, I wouldn’t recommend consuming much of it.
Monster Energy Drink Side Effects
Overconsumption of Monster Energy drinks can lead to the following symptoms:
- fatigue
- headaches
- thirst
- dizziness
In addition, these are the other side effects that you may experience if you consume energy drinks too frequently:
- insomnia
- diabetes
- addiction
- high blood pressure
- weight gain
Monster Energy Health Warnings
On the side of any Monster Energy drink, you will find a label indicating the potential harm of consuming too much caffeine.
It’s clearly stated on the label that those under the age of 18, pregnant or nursing, or who are taking any prescription drugs and/or having any medical conditions are advised not to consume Monster.
Are Monster Energy drinks bad?
Monster Energy Drinks aren’t that bad for you if consumed in moderation and if the rest of your diet is well-balanced.
In my opinion, the worst part of the ingredients is the whopping 54 g of sugar per can. For that reason, I don’t suggest you drink more than a single can per day.
In fact, even that is too much based on the American Heart Association guidance on how much sugar you can have in a day.
Monster has far less caffeine content compared to many other energy drinks out there, like Bang.
Check out my article on sugar-free energy drinks for the best recommendations.
How unhealthy is Monster Energy drink?
As long as you’re aiming to consume Monster the way it should be consumed, I’d say it can be a healthy choice for an energy drink.
However, everything will start to head south if you consume this drink too much considering the whopping amount of sugar in each can.
Although, you can still consume a can of Monster in a day without any problem when you’re a healthy person. However, I do not advise doing so as it may lead to adverse effects in the long term.
If you’re curious to know more about Monster Energy, read my review here!
Is it okay to drink Monster Energy drinks every day?
Personally, I do not recommend consuming Monster Energy every day due to its high sugar content which can lead to serious health problems.
My main concern really is the amount of sugar infused in this drink which can potentially lead to diabetes, cardiovascular diseases, and other health issues.
Take a quick at this video to find out if it is really safe to consume energy drinks every day.
Where to buy Monster Energy?
You can get Monster Energy literally everywhere!
It’s available in almost every gas station and store that you’re likely to come across.
You can also find it online, with a bunch of different sites selling it. Some offer free shipping, others don’t – so be careful to understand what you’re getting.
Even so, Monster is still considerably more expensive than my personal favorite energy drink – REIZE.
Alternatives to Monster Energy
These are other energy drinks that you might like aside from Monster:
- Red Bull
- Celsius
- Rockstar
- XS
- Monster Import (different from original Monster)
- Rip It
- Bing energy drink
- Guru
- Xyience
- Bang energy drink
If you want something a bit different and more efficient, you can try caffeine pills or something like Make it Mio, by Kraft Foods.
Powdered energy drinks are another great option for you, and they tend to be more convenient and affordable than a lot of the more well-known energy drink brands.
They contain less caffeine than Monster, come with a lower price tag, and are more convenient to use:
- Gfuel
- Zipfizz
- Advocare Spark
- REIZE (10 out of 10)
REIZE (10 out of 10)
REIZE is a powdered energy drink that comes in a sachet. It’s really easy to carry around and to make – all you have to do is add water, soda, or a beverage of your choice.
With just 50mg of caffeine, REIZE doesn’t have the same amount of caffeine that Monster does (so you won’t have to worry about overdosing on caffeine) and it’s a whole lot more affordable than Monster!
REIZE ships right to your door for around $1 per drink!
Give it a try today and you might just find that you prefer it to Monster.