🔌Monster Energy Smackdown: Is Lo-Carb better than Zero Ultra (White Monster)?

Versus Thumbnail monster energy lo-carb compared to white monster energy

Pretty much everyone has seen the infamous White Monster, but surprisingly few have also tried its older, blue, and Lo-Carb sibling.

Flavor Comparison

Both beverages are very citrus forward, but Monster Energy Lo-Carb is much closer to the original monster flavor, slightly less sweet than the OG and somewhat savory while Ultra Zero is "bright" with what I perceive as tangerine or clementine. I would summarize Lo-Carb as being more candy-like and Ultra Zero as veering more fruit-like, though they're definitely both on the same flavor spectrum. A similar comparison would be that the blue monster is to the white monster what Sprite is to Fresca.

On the tongue, Lo-Carb feels a bit smoother with less of the electric lightning bite of Ultra Zero.

Under the Tab - Comparison of Ingredients

Looking at the two side-by-side, you see that Lo-Carb has 20 more calories per 16oz. can which still only leaves you at a total of 30. Peeping the ingredients list, you'll see that this is primarily from the six grams of added sugars in the form of good of standard glucose, the most abundant monosaccharide on the planet. Note that maltodextrin is also used for sweetness to augment the glucose. Ultra Zero Sugar relies on Erythritol and sucralose for its sweetness which are almost entirely non-caloric. Most of the remaining ingredients are shared, but Lo-Carb uses grape skin extract for its color and there are some differences in the vitamin content. Lo-Carb is slightly higher in B12 and has Riboflavin (B2) in place of Pantothenic acid (B5). Both Riboflavin and Pantothenic acid are related to energy production, with Riboflavin serving as a precursor to enzymes crucial to generating ATP (powers cells) and Pantothenic acid's related enzymes aiding in breakdown an synthesis of fatty acids. Variations in B-complex are common across energy drinks, so my layman's understanding of this is to better fit with marketing of "Low-Carb" as a quick boost of energy while Ultra Zero may be more of a "Fat Burn" or diet conscious aesthetic. Lastly, Lo-Carb includes D-Glucuronolactone and Guarana Extract (natural caffeine) whereas Ultra Zero Sugar relies on panax ginseng and inositol.

Side by side of nutrition facts for Monster Energy Lo-Carb and Ultra Zero Sugar (White Monster)

Which one is for you?

For me, it is tough to say one is outright better than the other. Though aimed at very similar groups and use-cases, the two products are actually quite different in practice. I have an overall preference for the smoothness and main-line flavor profile of Lo-Carb, and I think it gives me more of an immediate pick-me-up than Ultra Zero does, though I'd imagine this will very person-to-person. While the ingredients do have some differences, the tiny difference in calories and presence of traditional artificial sweeteners in both steer me towards a flavor focused decision. If you're looking for more citrus fruit flavor and a sparkling mouthfeel, go with the White Monster otherwise Lo-Carb could be a great fit.

My Ratings

Monster Energy Zero Ultra (White): 4/5 Great - The Bar by Which All are Measured.

Monster Energy Lo-Carb: 4/5 Great - A worthy alternative with a classic flavor.

⚖️Scale:

1 | Bad | Don't Drink it | I Wouldn't Drink it

2 | Poor | I would drink it if there was nothing else or it was free

3 | Good | Serviceable | Buy it on sale

4 | Great | A Cut Above | White Monster | Buy at full price

5 | Excellent | Standout in the Category | Pay venue prices

🍺🍷🥃 Beer, Wine, and Spirits Rebate Website Master List

If there is anything I love more than a good drink, it's saving money buying that good drink! The rules for providing discounts on alcohol differ substantially between states with some allowing outright discounts or coupons and others entirely disallowing any sort of purchase incentive. Thankfully though, in my native Georgia as well as most states, a simple reimbursement approach is permissible. Last Updated & Validated 2/4/2026 . Alcohol Rebate Site Master List The following sites are relatively stable for each manufacturer. New offers usually come out every few months. None of these are affiliate links and I provide no assurance as to the process. I have saved so much money using rebates and hope you have similar success. Best practices and general process advice will be presented at the bottom. New sites will be added as I uncover them. Beer Rebates Boston Beer Company Brands - Angry Orchard, Dogfish head, Hard Mountain Dew, Samuel Adams, Sun Crusher, Truly, and Twis...

🥃 Review #34: ASW Fiddler Toasted Wheat Cask Strength Bourbon

Founded by University of Georgia graduates Jim Chasteen and Charlie Thompson, American Spirit Whiskey Distillery ("ASW") is a craft producer out of Atlanta, GA with the plant registry DSP-GA-20014. As Southern Pot-Still Pioneers, they are one of the few producers to distill in the ancient Scottish Tradition of small, grain-in batches (where grain solids are left in for the remainder of the distillation process) though they also partner with Midwest Grain Products to source distillate for further aging, finishing and blending before bottling as is the case here. This bottle is from the June 2023 batch which is a blend of two principal spirits. ASW's master distiller, Justin Maglitz, is accomplished old-time string music fiddler and he often experiments with various factors between batches. As such, the "Fiddler" brand name fits perfectly. No two batches are truly the same, but all of the ones I've had so far have been to my liking. This bottle shares the same...

🎮 Call of Duty Warzone - The Drinking Game

Fairly self explanatory per the graphic below. What could be more fun than tossing back a few cold ones with your closest buds while rampaging through one of your favorite video games? Call of Duty Warzone might not have as much nostalgia as it did in the Verdansk days, but it still has some charm. The best part: you'll already be at home when you're done so there's no need to worry about a designated driver! Obligatory plug to know your limits, be legal, and drink responsibly, we don't respawn IRL (yes I know that's a cringe statement - that's the joke). Call of Duty Warzone Drinking Game Prep To play the game, you'll need the following in addition to an internet connection, gaming device, and Call of Duty: A Party Sipper of your Choice - I recommend something relatively low ABV. We balanced the rules for a player of moderate ability and a sipper of 4-8% alcohol. Light beer is my go-to here since it has enough lovely hydrating water to soak up any shots. ...

🔌Review - QuickTrip Energy - Ultra

QuickTrip has a solid history of being in the energy drink business with it's "Rooster Booster" brand, most often in a Big Q from the fountain. Around 2022, they rolled out a 16oz canned line simply titled "QT Energy" to capitalize on continued growth in the energy drink segment, particularly with gen-z. The cans feature a digital camouflage design, in this case gray pixels, and seem to be primarily marketed at young men. In the store, they're usually about knee level on the left hand side of the main energy drink cooler, somewhat hard to spot compared to blocks of larger numbers of SKUs for other brands. 🛒 Price: $2.39 (often 2/$4 or with a BOGO coupon in the app). This one was a BOGO for me ✨Calories: 10 , 16oz. can 🍵 Caffeine: 160mg, slightly less than a cup of coffee 👅 Flavor: Whereas the red original flavor was very much a Red Bull clone, this one tastes very much like the original Monster Energy, almost exactly the same as their Zero Sugar of...

☕ All Java Monster Flavors Tasted & Ranked

As a habitual caffeine abuser, I have a soft spot for Monster, both for their expansive lineup of flavors as well as their support for Sports and E-sports. Coffee is my standard caffeination vector, so the Java Monster suite of products is the perfect mix of bean flavor and energy boost. In this post, I'll provide my personal rankings and rationale for what is a very strong lineup. Note that I have not been compensated in any way for this write-up... I just like them. Currently, Monster Energy 's Java Monster lineup has five available flavors: Mean Bean - Vanilla Irish Crème Loca Mocha - Chocolate Salted Caramel Café Latte There are two "triple shot" versions of the Vanilla and Mocha which contain 300mg of caffeine though their flavors are very similar to the base versions above. At this point, we should also take a moment of silence for the two cold brew flavors, sweet black and nitro latte. The nitro latte was a personal favorite and I quite liked the sweet black,...

Castle and Cairn

Search This Blog