Monster Energy and Mountain Dew aren’t exactly in the same group. Monster Energy falls in the category of energy drink, while Mountain Dew is more of a soda drink. Nevertheless, both are popular caffeinated drinks that many people love. So, which one is actually better? Continue reading below for the comparison between Monster Energy vs Mountain Dew!
What we will discuss below include:
– The caffeine content of each drink here
– The other ingredients that each drink contains
– The comparison of their calories and sugar levels
– The available flavors of Monster Energy vs Mountain Dew
– Which drink that is generally more recommended
Caffeine Content
First of all, since both Monster Energy and Mountain Dew are caffeinated drinks, let’s compare their caffeine levels. They are supposed to help you stay awake and focused on whatever activity you are doing. This is why both drinks are popular among young people, in extreme sports, and even in the professional gaming scene. See also: Perrier vs La Croix.
Monster Energy is an energy drink, so it is not surprising that this drink contains a higher caffeine level. Each 8-oz serving contains about 86.4 mg of caffeine. One 16-oz can of the drink comes with about 160 mg of caffeine.
If you take a look at the ingredient label of Monster Energy, you can find the “energy blend” that combines a variety of ingredients. Besides using pure caffeine, it also uses guarana, which is known to contain caffeine. In addition, it also contains panax ginseng, which may increase the effects of caffeine. It has taurine, which is an amino acid that can help to increase energy levels.
Mountain Dew is one of the soda drinks with the highest caffeine levels. Even so, it still doesn’t have enough caffeine to beat Monster Energy’s level. One 12-oz can of the drink only has about 54 mg of caffeine. Mountain Dew does not use other ingredients that may contain caffeine.
While caffeine can be good for increasing your metabolism and enhancing your focus, too much caffeine can be detrimental for your health. The recommended limit for caffeine consumption is 150 mg per day, but different people may tolerate the substance differently. Some people are unable to take caffeine. Excessive caffeine consumption may cause increased heart rate and blood pressure, insomnia, anxiety, irritability, and stomach upsets.
Vitamins
The next difference between Monster Energy vs Mountain Dew is the vitamin content. As a matter of fact, Monster Energy contains some vitamins that are beneficial for the body. Mountain Dew does not contain any vitamin.
Monster Energy provides vitamin B6, vitamin B12, niacin, and riboflavin. These vitamins are beneficial for your metabolism and nervous system. The vitamins can help in promoting your energy levels. The amounts of these vitamins are quite high, so this drink can help you fulfill your vitamin requirements. Nevertheless, even though consuming high levels of vitamins is generally safe, you still should avoid excessive consumption.
Monster Energy does not contain many minerals. However, each 8-oz serving contains a pretty high amount of sodium, which is 180 mg. While sodium is also needed by the body, excessive sodium is bad because it may increase blood pressure, which, in turn, increases the risk of heart failure, stroke, stomach cancer, kidney disease, and osteoporosis. The same amount of serving also has about 7.2 mg of potassium.
On the other hand, Mountain Dew does not have any vitamin. So, this drink will not really help you fulfill your nutritional requirements. It does not contain any other mineral besides sodium. Each 12-oz serving of it contains about 60 mg of sodium; indeed, the sodium content is relatively lower, so it is a viable option if you need to strictly limit your sodium intake.
Caloric Count
If you want to lose some weight or avoid gaining weight, you should carefully monitor your caloric intake. You should consume just enough calories for your daily activities, neither too high nor too low, in order to maintain an ideal body shape and stay healthy. Consuming more calories than what you need leads to weight gain and eventually obesity.
Each 8-oz serving of Monster Energy contains about 101 calories. This is pretty high, but not excessively high. Even if this drink comes in the same amount as Mountain Dew, it still has a lower caloric count. So, this drink is a slightly better choice if you want to limit your caloric intake.
Each 12-oz serving of Mountain Dew contains about 170 calories. This is a fairly high caloric count. If you reduce the volume to 8-oz, it still has roughly 114 calories. The difference is not huge, but still significant in the long run.
Sugar
Sugar is one of the easiest sources of energy to process in the body. We need sugar, of course, but too much sugar leads to various health problems, such as tooth cavity, obesity, gout, diabetes, heart disease, kidney disease, fatty liver, and depression. Not to mention the “sugar crash” often associated with sugary drinks – these drinks can increase your energy for a few hours, but then you suddenly feel shaky and terrible once the blood sugar levels drop.
Depending on the serving size, Monster Energy may contain a high amount of sugar. The 8-oz can only has 27 grams of sugar, which is pretty high. But the 16-oz can has about 54 grams of sugar. If you consume more than one can in a day, the sugar intake adds up.
Mountain Dew has an even higher amount of sugar. One 12-oz serving of this drink provides about 46 grams of sugar. So, if we increase the volume to 16 oz, the sugar content will be about 61 grams. Mountain Dew has become quite popular because it can increase your energy quickly, but the energy boost effect is only because of the sugar content.
Available Flavors
Monster Energy is available in various flavors. There is the original flavor, which is sweet and very enjoyable. There are also Lo-Carb (zero sugar), Assault (coke-like), Khaos (higher caffeine content), Mixxxed (purple grape), Rehab (iced lemonade tea), Pipeline Punch (tropical fruits), and Vanilla Light, among others.
When it comes to varieties, Mountain Dew does not fall short. So far, it has produced more than 40 flavors. The original version has a citrus flavor. There are also caffeine-free and diet (zero-calorie) versions. Furthermore, there are Code Red, Live Wire, Pitch Black, Baja Blast, Voltage, Game Fuel, Black Label, and White Label, among others.
Monster Energy vs Mountain Dew
| Monster Energy | Mountain Dew |
|---|---|
| - Higher caffeine, has ingredients with enhancing effects | - Lower caffeine |
| - Contains vitamin B6, vitamin B12, niacin, and riboflavin | - Doesn’t contain any vitamin |
| - Slightly lower calories and sugar | - Slightly higher calories and sugar |
| - Higher sodium content | - Lower sodium content |
Conclusion
In general, Monster Energy is more recommended. This drink has a higher caffeine content and is enhanced with other ingredients and vitamins. It also has slightly lower calories and sugar content. Nevertheless, you should not consume it excessively, as too much caffeine and excessive sugar can cause various health problems.