Not many energy drink companies cater to potential consumers who may have strict or unique dietary practices, and there are many food restrictions that people stick to, either for medical, ethical or even spiritual reasons.
Some types of special dietary practices include keto, paleo, kosher, low-carb, sugar-free, raw, vegetarian and Mediterranean. But today we will be talking about the vegan diet.
So is Mountain Dew AMP vegan-friendly or does it contain ingredients that vegans may want to stay away from?
To cut a long story short, I believe that AMP Energy Drink is probably vegan, judging from the nutrition label and the knowledge that we have regarding AMP’s ingredients.
However, there is no vegan certification logo on the can, so it’s probably best that vegans stay away from it, or at least have it at their own risk.
But if you want to know more about why I think AMP is vegan, read the rest of the article and you may learn a thing or two.
Contents
What Makes an Energy Drink Vegan?
An energy drink needs to be stamped with a recognized Vegan logo for it to be vegan. Celsius is an example of a vegan energy drink because it’s been certified vegan by Vegan Action US (Vegan.com).
Veganism itself is a strict diet choice that not only prohibits meat, but also eggs, milk, cheese, butter, and anything else that may have come from an animal byproduct.
There is also the matter of ethical veganism which is against animal testing, either the ingredients used in the product or the finished product itself.
An energy drink needs to undergo a strict vetting process to ensure that the product is not only free of animal-derived ingredients, but also not manufactured in a factory where animal products may be present.
So in order to truly be vegan friendly, energy drink brands such as AMP need to contact a vegan certification agency in order to get their product approved and stamped with a vegan logo.
Some of the most well-known and trusted vegan agencies include The Vegan Society, Vegan Action, Expertise Vegan Europe, V-Label, VegeCert and VeganOk.
What Is In AMP Energy Drink?
Below, in no particular order, are the ingredients of AMP.
| NUTRIENT | QUANTITY |
| Calories | 220 |
| Added Sugar | 58g |
| Sodium | 140mg |
| Vitamin B2 or Riboflavin | 0.7mg |
| Vitamin B3 or Niacin (as niacinamide) | 4mg |
| Vitamin B5 or Pantothenic Acid (as calcium pantothenate) | 2mg |
| Vitamin B6 or Pyridoxine (as pyridoxine hydrochloride) | 0.3mg |
| Vitamin B12 or Cobalamin (as cyanocobalamin) | 1.2mg |
AMP also contains the following ingredients:
- Carbonated water
- High fructose corn syrup
- Citric acid
- Concentrated orange juice
- Natural flavor
- Sodium benzoate
- Sodium polyphosphates
- Caffeine
- Guarana seed extract
- Gum Arabic
- Vitamin C or ascorbic acid
- Taurine
- Calcium Disodium EDTA
- Panax ginseng root extract
- Yellow 5
- Natural apple extract
- Blue 1
For a detailed breakdown, read this article that I have written on every ingredient in AMP energy drink.
Is AMP Energy Drink Vegan-Certified?
There is no information about whether AMP is vegan-certified. The can is not stamped with a vegan logo, so we suspect that there are few ingredients that may not be
Take note that AMP is produced under Mountain Dew. Most Mountain Dew flavors are vegan, yet there is no verdict specifically for AMP.
Therefore I will try to analyze AMP based on the ingredients listed on the label.
Are AMP’s Ingredients Vegan-Friendly?
Is Caffeine Vegan-Friendly?
Caffeine. The holy grail of all energy drinks. It’s in almost every brand in the market today. But is it vegan?
In order to know for sure we need to find out where caffeine comes from.
Caffeine comes from coffee beans, cacao beans and tea leaves. It is naturally occurring and therefore vegan-certified.
So, caffeine is vegan-friendly.
Are AMP’s Vitamins Vegan-Friendly?
AMP’s vitamins are probably vegan-friendly, although we don’t know for sure because there is no information on the can that tells us where the vitamins are sourced from.
| VITAMINS | FUNCTION |
| Vitamin B2 or Riboflavin | Helps in the digestion and absorption of nutrients; maintains tissue health |
| Vitamin B3 or Niacin (as niacinamide) | Converts nutrients to energy; repairs DNA; supports system as antioxidant |
| Vitamin B5 or Pantothenic Acid (as calcium pantothenate) | Breaks down fats, proteins and coenzyme A; promotes healthy skin |
| Vitamin B6 or Pyridoxine (as pyridoxine hydrochloride) | Supports the central nervous system; ensures smooth metabolism |
| Vitamin B12 or Cobalamin (as cyanocobalamin) | Generates red blood cells; maintains brain function and nerve tissue health |
| Vitamin C or Ascorbic Acid | Acts as an antioxidant; maintains bones, skin, and blood vessels |
Note that the vitamins B3, B5, B6, and B12 are artificial vitamins, which means they were synthesized in labs using chemicals and not extracted from either animal or plant material.
This makes them vegan-friendly since chemicals are derived from non-living sources like naturally-occurring minerals and elements.
Natural vitamin B12, for instance, is normally obtained from meat, fish, and dairy products. Using artificial vitamin B12 avoids this.
Vitamin C is mainly derived from citrus fruits.
As for vitamin B2, it can be gained through meat, but not necessarily. Almonds and mushrooms also contain Vitamin B2 as well.
*Note that if you are allergic to cobalt or have Leber’s disease, you should not ingest cyanocobalamin (artificial vitamin B12). People have asked for cyanocobalamin to be withdrawn, citing the long-term dangers of cyanide.
Is High Fructose Corn Syrup Vegan-Friendly?
High fructose corn syrup in AMP is vegan-friendly.
High fructose corn syrup (or HFCS) is a sweetener made from corn starch, which does not contain any animal byproduct.
Because it is derived from the corn plant, HFCS is considered safe for vegan consumption.
Unfortunately, some of the health issues linked to the regular consumption of HFCS, like obesity and diabetes, may keep even the most desperate vegans at bay.
Being vegan definitely limits your options but that doesn’t mean you should settle for unhealthy alternatives. It’s important to note that “vegan” or “vegan-friendly” does not always equate to “healthy”.
How much taurine is in AMP energy drink?
Taurine is found in approximately 2000mg per can of AMP Energy drink. It is an amino acid used in a variety of energy drinks. It is presumed to boost mental and physical performance.
It is important to note that while there is no evidence that taurine is harmful, several people may be sensitive to it and experience side effects like headaches, nausea, or jitters.
Are The Other Ingredients in AMP Energy Drink Vegan?
I can say with confidence that guarana seed extract, panax ginseng and gum arabic are all vegan.
However, since AMP does not have vegan certification, we cannot be sure whether these ingredients weren’t extracted or processed in vegan-friendly factory.
As for the additives sodium benzoate, sodium polyphosphates, and calcium disodium EDTA, while not manufactured from animal byproducts, they’re not exactly made out of plant material either, so they’re vegan-“compatible” at best.
A Warning for Vegans Interested in Trying AMP Energy Drink
Aside from the obvious fact that AMP does not have an official vegan certification, there are a few things you need to take note of if you’re a vegan who is interested in trying AMP out for the first time.
First off, AMP isn’t exactly the healthiest option for you and there are better brands out there, and second, the product does contain caffeine which you may be allergic to. I will explain these points in the following sections.
Is AMP Energy Drink For Everyone?
Due to AMP’s high sugar content and moderate amount of caffeine present, it’s certainly not an energy drink for everyone.
Not recommended for children, pregnant women or people sensitive to caffeine.
AMP’s warning label
The warning on the label is there because of the caffeine, but I would say that caffeine is not the only ingredient to watch out for.
Stay away from AMP if you are:
- a child under the age of 18
- pregnant
- a diabetic
- on insulin medication
- watching your carb and/or calories
Please consult your physician if you aren’t sure whether you can handle AMP.
Is AMP Energy Drink Healthy?
In my opinion, although it may be vegan, AMP is not a healthy drink, nor is it a healthy energy drink.
Just to reiterate: this is my opinion based on my own research.
AMP with its high sugar content and use of high fructose corn syrup; it’s not something you want to be drinking often.
If you’re thinking of healthy drinks, go for plain water or natural fruit juices. Most energy drinks are definitely not high on healthy drink lists because of the numerous additives and sweeteners usually present in them.
If you want to know what to look for in a healthy energy drink, watch this video where Thomas DeLauer, celebrity personal trainer and nutrition expert, breaks down what makes an energy drink healthy and what doesn’t.
Why was AMP discontinued?
‘Aside from a possible drop in sales, the AMP energy drink was discontinued in 2017 to allow Britvic to focus more on producing the original variety. All flavors except the original one and Cherry Blast was discontinued production in the United States of America.
In particular, Amp Energy powered by Mountain Dew contains more caffeine than Mountain Dew Energy, with 31 mg/100ml. This is because it is formulated with real sugar, similar to soft drinks in the United Kingdom.
Alternative Vegan Drinks
Here are a list of other vegan energy drinks for your knowledge:
- Celsius
- Red Bull
- Monster
- Rockstar
- NOS
- Reign
- Guru
- Raze
- Bang
Personal Opinion
In conclusion, I believe AMP may be vegan, or vegan-friendly at best, but without a proper vegan certification I wouldn’t recommend it to any vegan who may have doubts about what’s actually in this lime-green can of fizzy soda.
If you are a vegan who has adopted the lifestyle for health purposes then I’d say stay away from AMP altogether. You can get your daily energy fix elsewhere.
I would say that for now, the verdict remains inconclusive. Mountain Dew AMP may earn their vegan certification one day, but today is not that day.
AMP Energy Drink may even already be vegan but the company has not bothered to get their product authenticated or verified by the proper vegan agencies.
Who knows maybe someone may do a test someday in the near future and reveal once and for all if AMP truly is vegan (or not). But at this point in time, its status in that respect remains a mystery.