Is it ultra-processed?
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Is Monster Ultra Gold Zero Sugar ultra-processed?

500 ml Energy drink without sugar and with artificial sweeteners Sold in Sweden

Pack of Monster Ultra Gold 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:

  • 29 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

kolsyrat vatten, smakförstärkare (erytritol), syra (citronsyra), taurin 0.4%, aromer, surhetsreglerande medel (natriumcitrater), panax ginseng rotextrakt 0.08%, konserveringsmedel (kaliumsorbat, natriumbensoat), koffein 0.03%, sötningsmedel (sukralos, acesulfam k), färgämne (sockerkulör), l-karnitin l-tartrat 0.015%, vitaminer (niacin (B3), pantotensyra (B5), B6, B12), natriumklorid, inositol

Additives: E150a Plain caramel , E202 Potassium sorbate , E211 Sodium benzoate , E330 Citric acid , E331 Sodium citrates , E950 Acesulfame k , E955 Sucralose , E968 Erythritol

As written on the pack

KOLSYRAT VATTEN, SMAKFÖRSTÄRKARE (ERYTRITOL), SYRA (CITRONSYRA), TAURIN (0,4%), AROMER, SURHETSREGLERANDE MEDEL (NATRIUMCITRATER), PANAX GINSENG ROTEXTRAKT (0,08%), KONSERVERINGSMEDEL (KALIUMSORBAT, NATRIUMBENSOAT), KOFFEIN (0,03%), , SÖTNINGSMEDEL (SUKRALOS, ACESULFAM K), FÄRGÄMNE (SOCKERKULÖR), L-KARNITIN L-TARTRAT (0.015%) VITAMINER (NIACIN (B3), PANTOTENSYRA (B5), B6, B12), NATRIUMKLORID, 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.

  • E150a Plain caramel Plain caramel is a brown colour made by heating sugars.
  • 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.
Show 2 more
  • 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.
2 ingredients that would only make it processed

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

  • E202 Potassium sorbate Preservatives are substances which prolong the shelf-life of foods by protecting them against deterioration caused by micro-organisms and/or which protect against growth of pathogenic micro-organisms.
  • Preservative Preservatives slow spoilage by microbes.

How the NOVA groups work

Among 60 energy drink without sugar and with artificial sweeteners

From least to most processed, this one ranks 57th. 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 5060896624426, last edited 2 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.