In brief, AMP Energy Drink is considered vegan but without it being officially certified.
With that being said, if you’re an ethical vegan, it might not be for you, concerning the processing of the sugar and food colorings.
Everyone loves to drink a good can of energy drink from time to time. And AMP Energy Drink is surely a great option due to its strong blend of sugar, caffeine, and various other ingredients.
But the question is, is AMP Energy Drink actually vegan?
For a more detailed response, read on!
Page Contents
Can vegans drink energy drinks?
Vegans can drink energy drinks. Energy drinks are typically and most likely vegan-friendly. This is due to the fact that many are natural and derived from plants, and many synthetic options do not contain any traces of animal by-products in the formula.
Who owns Amper energy drink?
PepsiCo owns Amper energy drink. Mountain Dew Amp, also known as simply Amp, is a brand of energy drink produced by PepsiCo. In 2001, when Amp Energy was first made available to the public, it was distributed under the Mountain Dew soft drink brand.
AMP Energy Drink Ingredients
Let us first take a peek at the ingredients of AMP energy drink.
- Carbonated Water
- High Fructose Corn Syrup
- Citric Acid
- Concentrated Orange Juice
- Natural Flavors
- Sodium Benzoate (Preserves Freshness)
- Sodium Polyphosphates (To Protect Flavor)
- Caffeine (142mg)
- Guarana Seed Extract
- Gum Arabic
- Niacinamide (Vitamin B3)
- Ascorbic Acid (To Protect Flavor)
- Taurine
- Calcium Disodium EDTA (To Protect Flavor)
- Riboflavin
- Calcium Pantothenate (Vitamin B5)
- Panax Ginseng Root Extract
- Pyridoxine Hydrochloride (Vitamin B5)
- Cyanocobalamin (Vitamin B12)\
You will not find anything that goes against a vegan diet through the ingredient list. But the people who do point out animal use and abuse in this energy drink look beyond the listed ingredients.
Are All The Ingredients In AMP Energy Drink Vegan?
Now that we know what goes into an AMP Energy Drink, here’s a table detailing their properties, usual sources, and whether or not they’re vegan-friendly.
| Ingredients | Properties | Source | Is it Vegan? |
| High Fructose Corn Syrup | A sweetener made from corn. | Organic | Yes |
| Citric Acid | A natural acid, used as both flavor and additive. | Organic | Yes |
| Concentrated Orange Juice | Flavoring | Plant-based | Yes |
| Sodium Benzoate | Additive | Synthetic | Yes |
| Sodium Polyphosphates | Additive | Synthetic | Yes |
| Caffeine | A stimulant that keeps you awake and improves cognitive function. | Plant-based/ Synthetic | Yes |
| Guarana Seed Extract | A source for antioxidants | Plant-based | Yes |
| Gum Arabic | Stabilizing agent | Organic | Yes |
| Ascorbic Acid | Protects Flavor | Synthetic | Yes |
| Calcium Disodium EDTA | Protects Flavor | Synthetic | Yes |
| Taurine | Amino acid | Synthetic | Yes |
| Panax Ginseng Root Extract | Improves Memory | Plant-based | Yes |
As you can see, AMP Energy Drink does not contain anything that can be constituted as a non-vegan or animal-derived ingredient.
However, many people might disagree because while caffeine and sugar are primarily plant-based, the making of sugar might not be vegan-friendly.
Furthermore, there is the issue of artificial coloring.
So, what is in fact the case? Stick around to find out for yourself!
Let’s talk about the substantial and questionable ingredients that are on the list one by one.
Caffeine in AMP Energy Drink
Each 16 fl. oz can of AMP energy drink contains about 142 mg of caffeine, which is about right for someone with low caffeine tolerance.
Caffeine is originally plant-based and synthetically produced in some cases. So it is absolutely vegan-friendly.
It is the most essential ingredient of all because it’s responsible for giving us the necessary boost of energy.
Despite the plant-based origin of caffeine, overconsumption can be harmful to your health. Generally, FDA recommends a caffeine intake of no more than 400 mg per day.
Any more than that can lead to some unpleasant side effects, such as:
- headaches
- anxiety
- insomnia
- restlessness
- dizziness
- dehydration
So, the best thing to do is to keep your caffeine consumption within a healthy limit.
High-Fructose Corn Syrup in AMP Energy Drink
High-Fructose Corn Syrup or HFCS is another ingredient that is used in large quantities in AMP Energy Drink.
High-Fructose Corn Syrup is a sweet syrup made from corn starch. Therefore, we can consider it to be vegan-friendly.
But regular or high consumption of HFCS may lead to problems like obesity and diabetes. So it is not healthy to consume too much of it.
Learn more about High Fructose Corn Syrup through this video.
Vitamins in AMP Energy Drink
Let’s have a closer look at the list of vitamins found in AMP Energy Drink.
| 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 the system as an 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; help to maintain healthy bones, skin, and blood vessels. |
As you can, AMP Energy Drink is packed with rich B-Vitamins which are responsible for giving you the boost that you need.
Vitamin B3, Vitamin B5, Vitamin B6, and Vitamin B12 are artificially synthesized. That means that they have not been extracted from animal/plant sources, but have been created in labs.
Vitamin C is largely available in citrus fruits, and so it is safe to assume that it is vegan. Vitamin B2 can be found in meat, but there are other sources as well, like mushrooms and almonds.
Vitamin B12 is usually found in animals. But we can consider the artificial B12 we found in AMP to be safe if you’re following the vegan diet for health reasons.
So, you can assume all the vitamins in AMP Energy Drink to be vegan. If you’re still doubtful about it, I suggest doing your own research to confirm everything.
Sugar in AMP Energy Drink
AMP energy drink contains about 58 g of sugar per 16 fl. oz. can.
Even though sugar is normally derived from plants, some sugar is whitened with charred animal bones, which is something that may bother you if you’re an ethical vegan.
Now we really don’t have a clear idea of whether the sugar used in AMP has been manufactured in a vegan-friendly manner or not. And that’s why the issue of sugar being vegan or not gets even more complex.
But at the end of the day, it’s up to you to decide whether or not you should consume something that doesn’t fully go with your vegan ethics.
Apart from the doubts on the sugar in AMP being vegan, the amount of sugar present is really high.
According to AHA, the daily consumption of sugar should not be more than 25 g for women and 36 g for men. In that sense, a can of Amp Energy definitely exceeds the amount you should be having in a single day.
Sugar is an easy source of energy and limited consumption is completely fine. But consistently having too much sugar can lead to health issues like:
- weight Gain
- type II diabetes
- increased risk of heart disease
- sugar crash
- increased risk of depression
Taurine in AMP Energy Drink
Taurine is a natural amino acid that is commonly used in energy drinks.
Although there are rumors regarding Taurine being extracted from Bull’s semen, I can assure you that the taurine used in AMP energy drink is absolutely vegan, as it is derived from synthetic sources.
And funny enough, it is the most discussed as being not vegan-friendly.
Even though the company has confirmed that they produce their taurine synthetically in a lab, many vegans still choose to completely avoid AMP Energy Drink because of taurine.
For more information on taurine in general, you might want to check this out.
Additives in AMP Energy Drink
Guarana seed extract, Panax ginseng, and gum arabic do seem to be exclusively plant-based, and so these are considered vegan-friendly.
However, there is an issue regarding whether the additives are extracted or created in a vegan-friendly manner or not.
The additives/colorings AMP uses in their drinks- Yellow 5 and Blue 1, are produced using vegan-friendly sources. But these colorings are tested on animals, which makes it a matter of concern for ethical vegans.
Therefore, despite the additives being vegan-friendly ingredient-wise, the way of producing and using them in AMP makes them somewhat not vegan-friendly.
But then again, these additives are used in a very minimal amount. So it entirely depends upon the individual vegan whether or not they’ll consider AMP Energy Drink appropriate for their vegan diet.
Is AMP Energy Drink Gluten-Free?
Although not officially labeled, AMP Energy Drink doesn’t seem to contain any gluten-based product, so it should be fine for a gluten-free diet.
Other than the ones with celiac disease, a gluten-free diet is supposedly beneficial for health and diet improvements in general. However, it isn’t something that you should totally avoid.
If you’re interested in knowing more about AMP being gluten-free or gluten in general, you might just want to check this article I’ve written.
Are any energy drinks not vegan?
Certain energy drinks may contain ingredients such as taurine or certain additives that may not align with a vegan lifestyle. However, there are also many vegan-friendly energy drink options available on the market that do not contain animal-derived ingredients.
To ensure that an energy drink is vegan, it’s best to check the product’s labeling or reach out to the manufacturer directly for confirmation
What does AMP Energy do?
AMP Energy is an energy drink brand that provides a boost of energy through its ingredients, primarily caffeine. It is designed to enhance alertness and combat fatigue.
AMP Energy is intended to be consumed as a beverage to help individuals stay awake, increase productivity, or combat tiredness. However, it is important to consume energy drinks in moderation and be aware of their potential effects and any health considerations.
AMP Energy Drink Flavors
AMP doesn’t have many options for you to choose from and their available flavors include:
- Original Dew
- Cherry Blast
- Tropical Punch
- Strawberry Limeade
AMP Energy Drink Alternatives
If you find AMP energy drink interesting, you may also want to check out the followings:
There are powdered energy drinks too! check them out as well:
- Zipfizz
- G Fuel
- Advocare Spark
The Bottom Line
Personally, I do not think that AMP Energy Drink is essentially non-vegan because none of the ingredients used in this drink are inherently non-vegan.
Surely there is a possibility that the ingredients have been created/extracted in a way that is not vegan-friendly. And the fact remains that AMP energy drink does not have a vegan certification logo on its can, which gives rise to skepticism.
With that being said, I guess it is best to let a vegan decide for him or herself if this drink goes with their ethics, values, or choices.
You can totally avoid the drink if you think it doesn’t go with your vegan ethics. But if you do not seem to have issues with anything about the drink, then what are you waiting for?
Go get your AMP Energy Drink now!