If you’re a vegan, it can be difficult to find the right energy drink that will both suit your diet and your desired energy boost. Hence, you have to do a lot of research before you can drink a beverage.
One of the main topics for vegan drinks points to Moose Juice.
For a brief background, Moose Juice is an energy drink that originated from the UK. To be specific, it’s from the brand Muscle Moose. This is most popular for its fitness-focused content.
A large part of Moose Juice’s consumers consists of athletes, gym-goers, and simply, people who often engage in physical activities.
Since its release, it has been able to provide them with both healthy supplements and strong energy-boosting effects.
For today’s article, we’ll focus on helping you assess whether Moose Juice will fit a vegan’s lifestyle or not. We’ll also talk about its content, health risks and benefits, as well as the basic details as to where you can get it.
If you don’t have time to skim through the article, the short answer is: Moose Juice isn’t vegan-friendly since it contains some ingredients, one of which are BCAAs, that are obtained from animal sources.
If you want to be more sure, consider reaching out to Muscle Moose. They will be able to provide you with a clearer overview of the question’s answer.
Proceed to the following sections to understand how I came up with the answer.
Contents
What Are The Ingredients Of Moose Juice?
The ingredients present in a 500ml can of Moose Juice are:
- Carbonated Water
- D-Glucuronolactone
- Branched Chain Amino Acids (Leucine, Isoleucine, Valine)
- Taurine
- Caffeine Anhydrous
- L-Tyrosine
- L-Carnitine
- L-Tartrate
- Choline Bitartate
- Pyridoxine Hydrochloride (Vitamin B6)
- Cyanocobalomin (Vitamin B12)
- Nicotinamide (Niacin)
- Folic Acid
- Flavouring(s)
- Malic Acid
- Citric Acid
- Sweeteners (Sucralose, Acesulfame Potassium)
The most distinct ingredients that Moose Juice offers are the different sets of BCAAs that it contains. These amino acids add to the drink’s healthy qualities.
Nutritional Facts Of Moose Juice
Here is a breakdown of the nutritional facts of a single serving of Moose Juice.
| Nutritional Information | Per 500ml Serving | % RI Per 500ml |
| Energy | 63kJ/15kcal | |
| Fat | 0g | 0% |
| of which: | ||
| Saturates | 0g | 0% |
| Carbohydrate | 1.67g | 1% |
| of which: | ||
| Sugars | 0g | 0% |
| Protein | 2.2g | 4% |
| Salt | 0g | 0% |
| Vitamins | ||
| Folic Acid | 400μg | 200% |
| Niacin | 30mg | 188% |
| Vitamin B6** | 40mg | 2857% |
| Vitamin B12 | 500μg | 20000% |
The number of ingredients and nutritional content may vary depending on the flavour.
Caffeine Content of Moose
Moose Juice contains 200mg of caffeine in a 500ml can.
One of the most important things to take note of is the maximum caffeine that one can take in a day. Food regulators recommend not going over 400mg.
Undoubtedly, Moose Juice is one of the strongest energy drinks in the market. The strong caffeinated boost will help you in having better endurance in terms of physical capacity and mental focus.
However, if you have low caffeine tolerance. you need to be very keen on your intake. Doing so will avoid unpleasing side effects such as anxiety, allergic reactions, headaches, irregular heartbeat, and palpitations.
Sugar Level of Moose Juice
Moose Juice is sugar-free.
This sugarless drink will help you in avoiding the unwanted jitteriness from the usual sugar crash effect of caffeinated drinks. Moreover, it can help prevent occurrence of diabetes and failure in weight management.
To provide a sweet taste, two sugar alternatives were added in the drink. These are sucralose and Ace-K.
The addition of the sweeteners will help you enjoy the drink without being prone to several health issues. In addition, these alternatives contain fewer calories compared to regular sugar.
Calories in Moose Juice
Moose Juice contains 15 calories. These come from the BCAAs present in the drink.
The recommended maximum daily calorie intake for adult females comes up to 2000. Adult males, on the other hand, can take up to 2500 calories maximum.
A low-calorie drink is beneficial for your health. This will allow you to monitor your weight. Considering that Moose Juice’s calorie count is not even a quarter of either gender’s maximum intake, the drink won’t affect your diet.
How To Know If An Energy Drink Is Vegan
You should mainly look at an energy drink’s ingredient list to know if it’s vegan-friendly or not.
The specific sources of a brand’s ingredients aren’t always mentioned in the packaging nor in their official website. To be sure, you should look for a vegan certification on the drink’s details. You can also directly contact the certain brand.
Is Moose Juice Vegan?
Based on my research, Moose Juice is most probably not vegan-friendly due to the amino acids that come with it.
The brand doesn’t specify the status of Moose Jucie in terms of being vegan-friendly. Hence, we have to look at each ingredient manually.
The alleged animal-based ingredients include amino acids like taurine, tyrosine, and choline. In addition to these, citric flavourings can come from animal fat. Its vitamins are also flagged.
What Are The Health Benefits of Moose Juice?
Moose Juice’s health benefits can include enhancement of brain functions, stamina increase, and reduction of fatigue.
First off, note that the benefits gained from having energy drinks, Moose Juice included, are short-lived. Meaning, long-term and overconsumption won’t amplify them.
Going back, if you’re a healthy individual who’s drinking Moose in a moderate amount, you might reap the best outcome from the drink. Below is a list of what you can expect:
- Better endurance
- Improved memory
- Improved concentration
- Instant alertness.
The low-calorie and zero-sugar option for Moose will help in managing diabetes, reducing weight, and preventing cavities.
What Are The Side Effects Of Moose Juice?
Moose Juice’s side effects mostly involve caffeine-related issues.
Because of Moose Juice’s caffeine content, here are the side effects that you should be wary of:
- Dizziness
- Anxiety
- Restlessness
- Nausea
- Insomnia
- Chest pain
- Hallucination
- Arrhythmia.
Furthermore, if you’re consuming caffeine that is beyond your body’s tolerance, your biological clock will be disrupted. This will be accompanied by lack of sleep, anxiety, and even depression in some cases.
This study shows that people who are consuming energy drinks on a regular basis tend to show attentional bias for caffeine-related stimuli. This can lead to a sense of dependency on the drink.
Reviews also suggest that compared to non-drinkers, consumers of energy drinks are more prone to withdrawal symptoms like drowsiness and difficulty in concentrating.
To avoid going through the said adverse effects, make sure to limit your consumption.
You may check out this article for some of healthiest energy drinks available in the market.
Does Moose Juice Actually Work?
Moose Juice works as an energy drink. In fact, it does its job pretty well.
Considering Moose Juice’s caffeine content of 200mg, you can expect it to give you just the right amount of energy kick. You’ll start to feel the effects within 15 to 45 minutes after full consumption.
How Many Moose Juice Can You Drink In A Day?
For the best and safest results, you can only drink 1 can of Moose Juice in a day.
Like what is said previously, Moose Juice contains 200mg of caffeine. This already takes up half of the maximum daily caffeine intake. Taking two cans, or even one and a half, can already make you susceptible to caffeine overdose.
Moreover, you need to consider the other caffeinated sources that you take. These can include coffee, soda, tea, and likes. I suggest avoiding taking them at the same day as Moose Juice.
For people with low caffeine tolerance, it’s best to drink one can every other day to prevent caffeine dependence.
Is Muscle Moose vegetarian?
As of right now, no official statement has been made confirming that Muscle Moose is a vegan drink. The ingredients listed on the cans, however, indicate that no animal nor their products can be found in the drink.
Additionally, Muscle Moose uses some artificial ingredients in its formula, which includes sucralose. This means that either the ingredients are synthetically derived or from animals, nevertheless no indication is made to determine which.
Does Moose Juice Contain BCAAs?
Moose Juice contains BCAAs otherwise known as Branched-Chain Amino Acids. These amino acids include Leucine, Isoleucine, and Valine and can be found under the ingredients of the drink.
BCAA is associated with muscle growth and recovery or in general bodybuilding. It’s important to note that the BCAA found in Moose Juice alone is not enough to have a significant effect on the body.
What Does Moose Juice Taste Like?
Moose Juice is offered in 5 flavors, all of which are citrus-based. These flavors include; Green Apple, Mojito, Passion Fruit, Berry, and Blue Raspberry. The taste of each flavor greatly varies.
The name of the flavors is almost exactly the same as the taste of the drink. For example, the mojito has a good mix of mint, citrus, and sweetness, while the blue raspberry has a sweet-sour taste. Keep in mind that taste may vary depending on the person drinking the energy drink.
A List Of Ingredients To Be Aware Of As A Vegan
Here is an overview of the ingredients that you should look out for as a vegan:
- Casein
- Castoreum
- Whey
- Gelatine
- L-cysteine
- Lactose
- Lactic acid
- Oleic acid
- Vitamin D3
- Carmine
There’s a very low chance of these ingredients appearing in your drink. However, there’s always a chance of cross-contamination. Hence, make it a habit to observe a produc’s ingredient list before consuming anything.
Vegan Checklist For Moose Juice
For the final verdict, I went through several reviews and PETA’s animal derivative ingredient list to give a more profound answer.
| Ingredients | Source | Vegan-friendly |
| Caffeine | Beans and leaves | YES |
| Natural Flavours | Synthetic, animal or plant sources | NO |
| Sucralose | Synthetic | YES |
| Acesulfame Potassium | Synthetic | YES |
| Taurine | Synthetic | NO |
| Niacin | Synthetic | NO |
| Choline Bitartate | Eggs, Nerve tissue, soybean, blood or milk | NO |
| Citric Acid | Citrus fruits, Synthetic, Animal fat | NO |
| Pyridoxine Hydrochloride | Synthetic | YES |
| Cyanocobalomin | Fungal, plant-based or synthetic | YES |
As you can see, Moose Juice contains vegan ingredients, but it also has animal-based sources. Hence, if we base on the table above Moose Juice is not vegan.
What Are The Flavours Of Moose Juice?
Currently, there are five flavours offered by Moose Juice. These are:
- Mojito
- Green Apple
- Blue Raspberry
- Berry
- Passion Fruit
All the flavours have distinctive tastes with fizzy aftertastes.
Where Can You Buy Moose Juice?
You can buy Moose Juice directly from their official website.
It’s also available in local supermarkets and shops all over the UK.
If you’re living outside the UK or want to purchase online, look out for online retailers such as Amazon, Posted Protein and Dolphin Fitness.
What Is The Price Of A Single Can of Moose?
Each can of Moose Juice retails from less than a pound to £2.00.
Note that the price may vary depending on the flavour and where you’re buying it from. You also need to take delivery fees and handling charges into account.
What Energy Drinks Are Vegan?
Here are some of the vegan energy drinks that you can look into:
All of these drinks are guaranteed to be vegan. In lieu of Moose Juice, you can try the brands above.
Final Answer: Is Moose Juice Vegan?
To conclude, Moose Juice may not be vegan.
Though Muscle Moose doesn’t have any statement as to whether Moose Juice is vegan or not, my research tells me the latter.
Moose Juice contains taurine, citric, BCAAs, and other amino acids that are usually from animal-based sources. The brand not specifying the source of each ingredient is not helping either.
Anyhow, to be safe, you should consider the recommended energy drinks above. They are certified vegan energy drinks, and thus, you don’t need to have doubts or second thought before drinking them.