Rockstar vs Monster: 160 mg Caffeine Each, 63 g vs 54 g Sugar

Rockstar Original and Monster Energy Original Green both list 160 mg of caffeine per 16 oz can, but their labels differ on sugar, calories, sodium, sweeteners, preservative names and color declarations. This comparison places those label facts side by side so you can check them against the can in your hand. The figures come from Open Food Facts and USDA FoodData Central, and the printed Nutrition Facts panel is the final reference.

Key takeaways

• Both 16 oz originals list 160 mg caffeine. Guarana appears in both ingredient lists, but its amount is not disclosed.
• Per 16 oz, Rockstar Original lists 260 kcal, 63 g sugar and 80 mg sodium. Monster Energy Original Green lists 230 kcal, 54 g sugar and 370 mg sodium, based on Open Food Facts.
• Monster's list includes sucralose and declares only 'color added.' Rockstar's list names no non-nutritive sweetener and names caramel color and Yellow 5.
• Preservative names differ, and older database records use different wording, so the printed can is the best check.

Rockstar Original vs Monster Energy: The Quick Label Answer Per 16 oz Can

The table below summarizes the main label facts for each 16 oz can, using Open Food Facts unless noted.

Label fact (per 16 oz can)	Rockstar Original	Monster Energy Original Green
Calories	260 kcal	230 kcal
Total carbohydrate	64 g	58 g
Sugars	63 g (63 g added)	54 g (54 g added)
Fat / protein	0 g / 0 g	0 g / 0 g
Sodium	80 mg	370 mg
Caffeine	160 mg	160 mg
Non-nutritive sweetener	None listed	Sucralose
Preservatives	Sodium benzoate, potassium sorbate	Sorbic acid, benzoic acid (older records)
Color declarations	Caramel color, Yellow 5	'Color added' (type not specified)

The table is a snapshot of database entries. Label wording and nutrition values can change between production runs, so match the figures to the Nutrition Facts panel on the can you are holding.

Caffeine: Why Both Cans List 160 mg and What Guarana Adds Undisclosed

How much caffeine is in Rockstar Original per can?

Rockstar Original lists 160 mg of caffeine per 16 fl oz (473 ml) can in Open Food Facts label data. The brand's own product page was not used to confirm that figure directly.

How much caffeine is in Monster Energy Original Green per can?

Monster Energy Original Green lists 160 mg per 16 fl oz can in Open Food Facts. The Monster brand website did not return usable data for this comparison, so the figure rests on database entries rather than a brand page.

Guarana seed extract appears in both ingredient lists. Neither label discloses how much guarana each can contains, so the caffeine contributed by guarana cannot be separated from the 160 mg figure. For a broader comparison of caffeine across other products, see Reign vs Monster Caffeine: 300 mg vs 160 mg per 16 oz Can.

Is Rockstar or Monster stronger?

Neither label lists more caffeine than the other, since both show 160 mg per 16 oz can. How a drink feels depends on many factors, and a caffeine number on a label does not measure individual response.

FDA's consumer guidance notes that energy drinks span roughly 41 to 246 mg of caffeine in its table, and that 400 mg per day is, for most adults, an amount not generally associated with negative effects. A single 160 mg can is under half of that daily figure. FDA also estimates that toxic effects such as seizures can occur with rapid consumption of about 1,200 mg.

Sugar and Calories: 63 g vs 54 g Sugar and 260 vs 230 kcal Per Can

How much sugar is in Rockstar Original?

Rockstar Original lists 63 g of sugars per 16 oz can, with 63 g of that listed as added sugar in Open Food Facts. The USDA branded record for the same UPC lists 63 g sugars and 62.9 g added sugar per 473 ml can.

How much sugar is in Monster Energy Original Green?

Monster Energy Original Green lists 54 g of sugars per 16 fl oz can, all listed as added sugar, in Open Food Facts. An older USDA record uses an 8 fl oz serving of 27 g sugars, which equals 54 g per 16 oz on that label.

How many calories are in each can?

Open Food Facts lists 260 kcal for Rockstar Original and 230 kcal for Monster Energy Original Green per 16 oz. Total carbohydrate is 64 g for Rockstar and 58 g for Monster. Both list 0 g fat and 0 g protein.

The USDA records show lower Rockstar calories (251 kcal per 473 ml can) and higher Monster calories on an older label (220 kcal per 16 oz equivalent). Those differences reflect different records and label dates rather than a single product standard.

When reading the Nutrition Facts panel, look at the serving size, the number of servings per container and the added sugars line. A can is often one serving on some labels and two on others, which changes every per-serving number.

Sodium: Why Monster Lists 370 mg and Rockstar Lists 80 mg Per Can

How much sodium is in Monster Energy Original Green per can?

Open Food Facts lists 370 mg of sodium per 16 fl oz Monster can. The older USDA record equals 360 mg per 16 oz on its 2017 label.

How much sodium is in Rockstar Original per can?

Open Food Facts lists 80 mg of sodium per 16 oz can. The older USDA record shows 71 mg, which is a reason to check the printed panel.

The sources do not explain why the sodium amounts differ. The ingredient lists do show different sodium-containing items. Monster's list names SALT, along with sodium citrate. Rockstar's list names sodium citrate and sodium benzoate and does not name salt. Readers who track sodium for personal reasons can use the milligram figure on the panel directly, and people with sodium-related health conditions should discuss intake with a clinician.

Sweeteners: Sucralose Appears Only in the Monster Ingredient List

Does Rockstar Original contain sucralose?

No. Rockstar Original's ingredient list in Open Food Facts names sugar and glucose syrup, and no non-nutritive sweetener appears.

How much sucralose is in Monster Energy Original Green?

The amount of sucralose is not disclosed in the sources. Monster's list names sucralose alongside sugar and glucose.

FDA describes sucralose as about 600 times sweeter than sugar. It was approved for use in 15 food categories in 1998 and as a general-purpose sweetener in 1999. Those approvals describe the ingredient, not how much a particular can contains.

Both labels list citric acid as an acid. Neither list names phosphoric acid. For a related comparison of sweeteners across brands, see Monster vs Red Bull: Caffeine, Sweeteners and Preservatives.

Preservatives: Sodium Benzoate and Potassium Sorbate vs Sorbic and Benzoic Acid

Which preservatives are in Rockstar Original?

The newer Open Food Facts entry lists sodium benzoate and potassium sorbate, each marked on the label as preserving freshness. An older USDA ingredient line lists sorbic acid and benzoic acid, each marked as a preservative.

Which preservatives are in Monster Energy Original Green?

Both the Open Food Facts and USDA ingredient lists for Monster name sorbic acid and benzoic acid, each marked as a preservative.

Sodium benzoate is a sodium salt of benzoic acid, and potassium sorbate is a potassium salt of sorbic acid. The names differ on the labels, but the underlying acids are related. The sources do not state when Rockstar changed its preservative wording, so the change date is not disclosed.

Label readers who compare cans should look for each name in the ingredient line rather than assuming the same preservative is used.

Colors: Caramel Color and Yellow 5 vs Monster's Unspecified 'Color Added'

Rockstar Original's ingredient list names caramel color and Yellow 5. USDA's record lists the same color as YELLOW #5. FDA states that FD&C Yellow No. 5 is one of nine certified food colors and is used in beverages.

Monster's list names only 'color added.' FDA explains that color additives exempt from certification can be listed collectively as color added. That wording indicates a certification-exempt color is present, but it does not identify which one. The specific color behind Monster's 'color added' is not disclosed in the sources.

For label readers, the practical difference is that Rockstar's list names its colors and Monster's does not.

Full Ingredient Lists: Rockstar Original and Monster Energy Original Green Side by Side

Rockstar Original's Open Food Facts ingredient list, in the order printed, reads: carbonated water, sugar, glucose syrup, citric acid, taurine, natural and artificial flavor, sodium citrate, caffeine, caramel color, glucuronolactone, sodium benzoate (preserves freshness), potassium sorbate (preserves freshness), inositol, L-carnitine, guarana seed extract, niacinamide (vitamin B3), calcium pantothenate (vitamin B5), milk thistle extract, panax ginseng root extract, Yellow 5, pyridoxine hydrochloride (vitamin B6), riboflavin (vitamin B2) and cyanocobalamin (vitamin B12).

Monster Energy Original Green's ingredient list, as recorded by USDA and matching the Open Food Facts wording, reads: carbonated water, sugar, glucose, citric acid, natural flavors, taurine, sodium citrate, color added, panax ginseng extract, L-carnitine L-tartrate, caffeine, sorbic acid (preservative), benzoic acid (preservative), niacinamide (vitamin B3), sucralose, salt, D-glucuronolactone, inositol, guarana extract, pyridoxine hydrochloride (vitamin B6), riboflavin (vitamin B2), maltodextrin and cyanocobalamin (vitamin B12).

A few differences stand out when reading the two lists:

• Sweetener names: Monster lists sucralose. Rockstar does not.
• Preservative names: Rockstar lists sodium benzoate and potassium sorbate. Monster lists sorbic acid and benzoic acid.
• Color lines: Rockstar names caramel color and Yellow 5. Monster lists 'color added.'
• Sodium-related items: Monster lists salt. Rockstar does not list salt by name.
• Ingredients present in both: citric acid, taurine, sodium citrate, caffeine, inositol, guarana, ginseng and the B vitamins.

The Monster ingredient photo on Open Food Facts dates from 2019, and the USDA record is from 2017. Whether those wordings match the can sold today is not confirmed.

Why Older Database Records Show Different Numbers

Older USDA records differ from the newer Open Food Facts entries. The Monster USDA branded record is dated 2017 and uses an 8 fl oz serving, so its figures must be converted before comparing to 16 oz values. The Rockstar USDA branded record is dated 2020 and lists older preservative wording.

To reduce confusion, match the UPC, the label date and the serving size before comparing numbers, and treat the printed can as the final authority.

Which Label Facts Are Not Disclosed or Still Need Checking Against the Printed Can

The following details are not disclosed in the sources used here:

• Guarana seed extract amounts in either can
• Taurine, panax ginseng, glucuronolactone and L-carnitine amounts in either can
• The specific color behind Monster's 'color added'
• The sucralose amount in Monster Energy Original Green
• The date Rockstar changed its preservative wording
• Whether Monster's 2019 ingredient photo matches the can sold today

The following items should be checked against the printed can:

• Calories, sugars, added sugars and sodium on the Nutrition Facts panel
• Caffeine wording, if the panel or the can states it
• Preservative and color names in the ingredient line
• Serving size and number of servings per container

Regulatory Context: What FDA Says About Caffeine and Color Labels

FDA states that the American Academy of Pediatrics advises against energy drinks for children and teens. For context on age-based rules in another country, see England Bans Energy Drinks for Under-16s. US Labels Hide Caffeine.

For color additives, the FDA rule is straightforward: certified colors such as FD&C Yellow No. 5 must be named, while exempt colors may be listed as color added. Sweetener approvals, such as sucralose, are separate from how a can's sweetener amount is labeled.

To check these label details on the can in your hand, scan its barcode with the Aurascan app.

For more Monster matchups, see Reign vs Monster and Monster Zero Ultra vs Red Bull Sugarfree.