Is Red Bull Vegan? The Answer Is Tricky

Many energy drinks look vegan, but they usually contain animal products in some form. We’ll explain why Red Bull is not vegan and offer better alternatives.

Red Bull is a popular carbonated energy drink with caffeine and other ingredients, such as Vitamin B, to boost your energy. In 2020, approximately 154 million cases of Red Bull were sold in the US alone. Consumers of the drink may reach for one when they are feeling sluggish and tired to get a quick boost of energy. Although it may seem like Red Bull is vegan, there are ethical reasons some people consider the beverage to contain animal products. 

Is Red Bull Vegan?

Red Bull contains carbonated water, sweeteners, flavoring and caffeine. The main ingredients are: 

• Carbonated water
• Sugar
• Baking soda
• Citric acid
• Magnesium carbonate
• Taurine
• Artificial colors
• Natural flavors

Whether Red Bull is vegan depends on your personal opinion of several of its ingredients. For example, artificial colors are tested on animals, which may be an issue for some vegans. Meanwhile, people who are vegan for ethical reasons may not want to drink Red Bull to avoid consuming products made by companies that test on animals.

Natural flavors can also be derived from animal products. According to the U.S. Food & Drug Administration’s Code Of Regulations, natural flavors can be extracted from meat, dairy products and eggs. So, although Red Bull does not directly contain animal products, various beverage ingredients are either tested on animals or derived from animal products, which means that it is not plant-based. 

Alternatives to Red Bull

If you are vegan, you most likely put some extra thought into what products you buy and consume. There are many alternative energy drinks to Red Bull that do not contain ingredients derived from animal products or tested on animals. These alternatives generally have more ethical manufacturing processes, including not containing ingredients that test on animals. Some plant-based options include:

• Zevia Zero Calorie Energy Drinks
• Oca Plant-Based Energy Drinks
• neuroSONIC Organic Energy Drinks

Read more:

• Figs Are Not Vegan. Here’s Why
• Is Bread Vegan? Brands, Recipes and Tips
• Are French Fries Vegan? McDonald’s Fries Aren’t – Find Out Why Here

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Tags: Diet Guide Healthy Eating Vegan