Is Gatorade vegan? Sports drinks are a common way for athletes (and regular people) to hydrate. Gatorade is a popular sports drink that's geared towards athletes wanting to replace lost electrolytes and carbohydrates. It comes in a variety of colors and flavors. But is it vegan? Yes! Let's check out the list of ingredients and different kinds of Gatorade products which can be found on the Gatorade website.
Gatorade Ingredients
Most flavors of Gatorade have very similar ingredients. Let's check out the ingredients list below for Orange Gatorade/
Orange Gatorade Ingredients: Water, Sugar, Dextrose, Citric Acid, Salt, Sodium Citrate, Monopotassium Phosphate, Gum Arabic, Natural Flavors, Sucrose Acetate Isobutyrate, Glycerol Ester of Rosin, Yellow 6.
The good news is that there aren't any obvious animal ingredients (or hidden ones) in Orange Gatorade. Also, all of the different flavors of Gatorade products listed below are vegan!
All Gatorade Flavors
Gatorade Thirst Quencher Flavors
The Thirst Quencher is the original kind of Gatorade. Over the years they have made more varieties which are listed below.
- Fruit Punch
- Citrus Kick
- Fierce Blue Cherry
- Cool Blue
- Fierce Grape
- Frost Glacier Cherry
- Riptide Rush
- Frost Icy Charge
- Frost Glacier Freeze
- Frost Arctic Blitz
- Lime Cucumber
- Fierce Green Apple
- Lemonade
- Lemon Lime
- Passion Fruit
- Orange
- Fierce Melon
- Strawberry Lemonade
- Fierce Fruit Punch + Berry
- Fierce Strawberry
- Strawberry Kiwi
- Strawberry Watermelon
- Summer Fruits
Gatorade Zero
Gatorade Zero is the no sugar added version of Gatorade.
- Fruit Punch
- Glacier Cherry
- Glacier Freeze
- Grape
- Lemon Lime
- Lime Cucumber
- Berry
- Orange
- Fruit Punch
- Cool Blue
- Strawberry Kiwi
Gatorlyte
Gatorlyte has a blend of five electrolytes. But, it doesn't have any artificial sweeteners or flavors. It also has less sugar than regular Gatorade.
- Strawberry Kiwi
- Orange
- Cherry Lime
- Watermelon
- Mixed Berry
G2
G2 is the lower sugar (about half) version of regular Gatorade.
- Fruit Punch
- Glacier Freeze
- Grape
Gatorade Fit
This is the healthier version of Gatorade. There's no added sugar or artificial sweeteners, flavors, or colors.
- Watermelon Strawberry
- Tropical Mango
- Citrus Berry
- Cherry Lime
- Tangerine Orange
Endurance Formula
This product is specifically geared towards endurance athletes. It supposedly lowers the risk of stomach issues while also helping to refuel and hydrate.
- Orange
- Lemon Lime
Does Gatorade Have Caffeine?
Gatorade does not contain caffeine! Many people thing of Gatorade as an energy drink but it is not. It is a sports drink that's purpose is hydration. Energy drinks almost always contain caffeine.
History of Gatorade
According to History.com, Gatorade was invented back in 1965 by a team of doctors and scientists working in a lab at the University of Florida. They were trying to create a sports drink that would quench the thirst of their athletes and help them with their lost fluids from the heat.
The university's sports teams were known as the University of Florida Gators which is how Gatorade got it's name. While it wasn't a popular drink with the athletes at first because of the taste, they improved the flavors and the final product became extremely successful.
Vegan Sports Drinks
While Gatorade is considered vegan, it isn't labeled that way. If you want to make sure your sports drink is vegan, there are a few options.
- Vega Sport Electrolyte Hydrator
- Halo Peach Organic Sports Drink
- Roar Cucumber Watermelon Organic Electrolyte Infusions - This product contains organic cane sugar, sea salt, organic coconut water, vitamins and no synthetic food dye.
- Nooma Organic Mango Electrolyte Sports Drink - This product does not contain any added sugar as it's sweetened with stevia.
Homemade Gatorade Recipe
There are a lot of benefits to making your own sports drink. You can control the ingredients, the quantity of sugar, and keep out the food dyes. Check out this recipe for a Homemade Electrolyte Drink by Don't Mess with Mama. It uses natural ingredients including:
- fresh orange juice
- fresh lemon juice
- water (purified or coconut)
- organic maple syrup (You can also use organic raw honey if you consume honey.)
- Himalayan pink salt
I've also seen a lot of recipes for homemade Gatorade that use a packet of Kool Aid. I would skip those. If you're taking the time to make your own sports drink, you probably want to use the most natural options available.
Recipes Using Gatorade
Sure you can drink Gatorade to refuel. But you can also use it as an ingredient in other recipes. Check out the following drink recipes that all contain Gatorade:
- Gatorade Margarita from the Food Network Kitchen - This is an adult beverage.
- Homemade Gatorade Icee from the Quiet Grove - All you need is Gatorade, ice and a blender!
- Patriotic Punch from Amanda's Cookin' - This is a fun, family-friendly drink in patriotic colors.
FAQ
Is Gatorade gluten-free?
Yes, Gatorade's drinks are gluten-free!
Is sugar vegan?
While sugar comes from sugar cane, which is a natural plant, the filtration process of some brands of white sugar uses bone char. According to Peta.org, "Bone char—often referred to as natural carbon—is widely used by the sugar industry as a decolorizing filter, which allows the sugar cane to achieve its desirable white color."
So cane sugar doesn't technically contain any animal products. Some strict vegans choose to stay away from it because of how it's processed. But this is completely up to you. If sugar is labeled organic, it means that it is not filtered with bone char.
Is Gatorade good for you?
Unfortunately, this is hard to say definitively. It contains both artificial colors and artificial flavors. Gatorade does have a good amount of sugar in it but much less than soda. It doesn't really contain any natural ingredients though.
But it also does have the added electrolytes which can help with hydration. If you are an athlete and need a vegan sports drink, Gatorade can be an effective option.
Does Gatorade only come in bottled form?
No. It comes in a powder form that can be added to water. Gatorade also makes Energy and Protein products (including protein powders) as well as Supplements. They also make Evolve Plant-Based Protein which comes as either a powder or a peanut butter flavored bar.
Is Gatorade dairy-free?
Yes! Gatorade doesn't contain any dairy derivatives.
What's the most popular flavor?
According to Audacy.com, Cool Blue is the most purchased flavor of Gatorade. Also included in the top five most popular flavors are Lemon Lime (my personal favorite) and Orange which were the two original flavors. Also near the top is Fruit Punch which was the third flavor which was invented in 1983. Glacier Freeze rounds out the top five flavors.
Is Blue Gatorade vegan?
Luckily, Blue Gatorade is vegan like the rest of the flavors.
Does Gatorade go bad?
Gatorade does not have an Expiration date but it does have a Best By date. However, as long as the bottles are unopened and have been stored at room temperature, Gatorade should be safe to drink up to 3 years after the Best By date. That being said, it's always best to consume it by the Best By date.
Summary
Luckily, the many flavors of Gatorade can be considered a vegan sports drink. While it does average well over 20 grams of sugar per serving (for the regular Thirst Quenchers), the electrolytes do help with hydration. I wouldn't recommend drinking it while sitting and watching a movie.
But if you're an athlete or very active and you don't mind the artificial dyes, you can grab a Gatorade sports drink to help rehydrate your body. If you are trying to stay away from artificial ingredients, you can try the sports drinks by Halo, Roar and Nooma. Or better yet, make your own!
Wondering if other drinks are vegan? Check out:
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