Is it ultra-processed?
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Is Monster Energy Zero Sugar ultra-processed?

1, 500ml Energy drink without sugar and with artificial sweeteners Sold in the United Kingdom

Pack of Monster Energy Zero Sugar

Yes, it's ultra-processed

  1. 1 Unprocessed
  2. 2 Kitchen staple
  3. 3 Processed
  4. 4 Ultra-processed

Signs of ultra-processing in its ingredients:

  • 27 ingredients
  • 8 additives
  • Nutri-Score C

Less processed energy drinks

Less processed isn't automatically healthier, so compare the labels for what matters to you, such as sugar or salt.

Ingredients

Ultra-processing Processing signs are highlighted

carbonated water, acid (citric acid), flavour enhancer (erythritol), flavourings, taurine 0.4%, acidity regulator (sodium citrates), panax ginseng root extract 0.08%, l-carnitine l-tartrate 0.04%, preservatives (sorbic acid, benzoic acid), sweeteners (sucralose, acesulfame k), caffeine 0.03%, colour (anthocyanins), vitamins, vitamin B3, vitamin B6, vitamin B2, vitamin B12, guarana seed extract 0.002%, inositol

Additives: E163 Anthocyanins , E200 Sorbic acid , E210 Benzoic acid , E330 Citric acid , E331 Sodium citrates , E950 Acesulfame k , E955 Sucralose , E968 Erythritol

As written on the pack

CARBONATED WATER, ACID (CITRIC ACID), FLAVOUR ENHANCER (ERYTHRITOL), FLAVOURINGS, TAURINE (0.4%), ACIDITY REGULATOR (SODIUM CITRATES), PANAX GINSENG ROOT EXTRACT (0.08%), L-CARNITINE L-TARTRATE (0.04%), PRESERVATIVES (SORBIC ACID, BENZOIC ACID), SWEETENERS (SUCRALOSE, ACESULFAME K), CAFFEINE (0.03%), COLOUR (ANTHOCYANINS), VITAMINS (B3, B6, B2, B12), GUARANA SEED EXTRACT (0.002%), INOSITOL.

What makes it ultra-processed

Cosmetic additives

Added to change how the food looks, feels or tastes, not to keep it safe. A hallmark of ultra-processed food.

  • E163 Anthocyanins Colours are substances which add or restore colour in a food, and include natural constituents of foods and natural sources which are normally not consumed as foods as such and not normally used as characteristic ingredients of food.
  • E950 Acesulfame k Acesulfame K is a synthetic sweetener about 200 times sweeter than sugar, often combined with aspartame or sucralose.
  • E955 Sucralose Sucralose is a sweetener made by chlorinating sugar.
  • E968 Erythritol Humectants are substances which prevent foods from drying out by counteracting the effect of an atmosphere having a low degree of humidity, or promote the dissolution of a powder in an aqueous medium.
  • Colour Colours are added to restore colour lost in processing or to make a product look more appealing.
  • Flavour enhancer Flavour enhancers such as monosodium glutamate (E621) strengthen savoury taste without adding a flavour of their own.
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  • Flavouring Flavourings are concentrated aroma preparations that add or intensify a taste.
  • Sweetener Sweeteners give sweetness with few or no calories, many at hundreds of times the strength of sugar.
1 ingredient that would only make it processed

Kitchen staples like sugar, salt and oil. On their own they make a food processed, not ultra-processed.

How the NOVA groups work

Among 60 energy drink without sugar and with artificial sweeteners

From least to most processed, this one ranks 55th. 100% of the energy drink without sugar and with artificial sweeteners here are ultra-processed.

Ranked by NOVA group, then by the number of ultra-processing signs, additives and ingredients. Our ordering, not part of NOVA.

All 60 energy drink without sugar and with artificial sweeteners, least processed first

About this information

  • Data from this product on Open Food Facts (barcode 5060947549043, last edited 25 April 2026), available under the Open Database License. If something is wrong or the recipe has changed, you can correct it there.
  • Photo: Open Food Facts contributors, CC BY-SA 3.0.
  • The NOVA group is an automated estimate from crowdsourced data: a missing or mistyped ingredient can change it.
  • NOVA measures processing, not nutrition. For nutrition, Open Food Facts gives this product a Nutri-Score of C (from A, best, to E).
  • General information, not medical or dietary advice. Check the pack if you have an allergy.