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Is Bang Energy Drink Vegan? (Full Info)

Bang has been growing in popularity in the US over the years and is a great choice if you’re looking for a big energy boost. Bang is also a good alternative to conventional energy drinks since it doesn’t contain calories or sugar.

But behind all the purported benefits and positive claims about Bang, you may also be wondering if Bang is vegan-friendly?

The short answer is: Bang energy drinks are vegan friendly as stated on their official website. However, there are some underlying concerns about whether the ingredients are in fact really vegan friendly.

Join me as I explore the ingredients in Bang, from the functions of these ingredients to whether or not they’re actually vegan and if the concerns are well-founded.

Let’s start!

Bang Energy Drink Nutrition Facts

The nutrition facts of a can of Bang energy drink.
Bang’s nutrition facts.
Standard Values (per 16 fl.oz)BangMonsterRed Bull
Energy0 calories240 calories210 calories
Fat (Of which saturated)0g (0g)0g (0g)0g (0g)
Carbohydrates (of which sugars)0g (0g)60g (55g)56g (52g)
Caffeine300mg179mg151mg
Sodium40mg370mg210mg
Protein0g2.28g0g
Calcium5mg
Magnesium5mg
Vitamin C27mg
Vitamin B35mg51.5mg43mg
Vitamin B60.5mg10.7mg40mg
Vitamin B121.5μg13 µg9.6μg
Comparison between the nutrition facts of Bang, Monster and Red Bull.

Bang Energy Drink Ingredients

A 16 fl.oz can of Bang Energy contains the following:

  • Carbonated water
  • Citric acid anhydrous
  • Natural flavors
  • Malic acid
  • Caffeine anhydrous
  • EAAs (L-leucine, L-isoleucine, L-valine, L-lysine, L-threonine, L-phenylalanine, L-histidine, L-methionine, L-tryptophan)
  • Sodium Benzoate
  • Potassium citrate monohydrate
  • Sucralose
  • Potassium phosphate dibasic
  • Potassium sorbate
  • Magnesium chloride
  • Vitamin C
  • SUPER CREATINE® (Creatyl-L-Leucine)
  • Calcium chloride
  • Calcium disodium EDTA
  • vitamin B3 (niacinamide)
  • CoQ10 (coenzyme Q10)
  • vitamin B6 (pyridoxine hydrochloride)
  • vitamin B12 (methylcobalamin)

Can vegans drink caffeine?

Coffee beans and brew are both vegan. You may think of it as a mixture of water and the different chemicals that are removed from the coffee beans during the brewing process. That’s why we can confidently say it’s entirely plant-based.

However, because milk is often used in brewed coffee, vegans run into issues when more ingredients are added.

Are BCAAs Vegan-Friendly?

BCAAs that are sourced synthetically or from plant-based sources are vegan friendly. However, there are some BCAAs that are produced from animal sources, so you should definitely double-check the source of the BCAAs that you’re consuming first.

Branched-chain amino acids (BCAAs) consist of three essential amino acids which are leucine, isoleucine, and valine.

Some of the proven benefits of BCAAs include:

  • Enhanced rate of muscle growth
  • Reduction in muscle soreness
  • Decreased symptoms of exercise fatigue
  • Prevention of muscle wasting

BCAAs can’t be produced naturally by your body, so you need to obtain them through your diet. You’ll find high amounts of BCAAs in protein-rich foods like meat, poultry, fish, eggs, and cheese.

BCAAs can also be obtained from vegan-friendly sources like tofu and tempeh, although unfortunately, the majority of BCAA supplements don’t come from vegan-friendly sources.

In the past, nearly all BCAAs available were made from keratin that’s processed chemically from animal hair, hooves, and feather. The most horrifying part is that in some cases, a few mainstream BCAA supplements were made from human hair!

However, nowadays vegan BCAA supplements are becoming more common so as to cater to people following a strict vegan diet. Still, it can be difficult to differentiate which BCAA supplements are vegan and which aren’t unless it’s clearly stated on the label.

As to whether the BCAAs in Bang Energy are vegan or not, another writer stated that the BCAAs in Bang weren’t vegan-friendly as they might have been derived from animal sources.

Besides that, the majority of users in this archived Reddit thread agreed that Bang Energy isn’t vegan at all because the BCAAs in Bang is supposedly processed from feathers.

But before you jump the gun and start throwing out every can of Bang you bought, if you go to the official Bang Energy website, it states that the reformulated versions of Bang are certified gluten-free and vegan-friendly.

You can identify the new reformulated versions of Bang Energy drinks by searching for cans that have ‘EAA Aminos’ printed on them and, according to Bang, you can rest assured that they are in fact verified vegan-friendly.

Is Super Creatine Vegan-Friendly?

There aren’t many available details about Super Creatine, but it’s safe to say that Super Creatine is vegan. Plus, Bang’s official website has confirmed that the new and reformulated Bang Energy drinks are certified vegan, and they contain Super Creatine.

Before we get into what Super Creatine is really about, let’s do a quick overview of what creatine is.

Creatine is naturally produced by your muscles, though it’s also available in supplement form. It’s often consumed to help increase muscle mass, enhance physical performance and improve muscle strength.

Creatine is usually obtained from animal sources like red meat and fish, and can’t be found in plants. But, a 2020 study reported that the creatine in most supplements is synthetically processed from sarcosine and cyanamide, which doesn’t contain any animal by-products and thus is vegan-friendly.

Now coming back to Super Creatine. Super Creatine is claimed to be the ‘world’s only water-stable creatine’, which was then exposed and shot down later by Thermolife International, LLC in a lawsuit that claimed false marketing and advertising.

Thermolife’s complaint mentioned that Super Creatine is in fact just a covalently bonded creatine dipeptide and that it doesn’t give you any benefits at all after ingestion.

This very question has also been discussed on a Reddit thread and it was generally agreed that Super Creatine wasn’t exactly creatine or might not even exist at all.

Since we’re unsure of what exactly Super Creatine is, or whether it’s beneficial, or if it even exists, we can’t say for certain if it’s actually vegan friendly. But if it’s synthetically produced in a lab using chemicals, we can assume that it’s not sourced from animal derivatives.

Super Creatine label on Bang Energy.
Bang’s controversial patented ingredient.

Is Caffeine Anhydrous Vegan-Friendly?

Since caffeine anhydrous is obtained from plants, it’s definitely vegan-friendly.

Caffeine anhydrous is a powdered form of caffeine that’s more concentrated than regular caffeine. The regular caffeine you usually have from caffeinated beverages and food is derived from plants like coffee beans and tea leaves.

Is Sucralose Vegan-Friendly?

Whether sucralose is vegan-friendly or not depends on how strict you are as a vegan. Although Sucralose in itself is vegan-friendly, Sucralose has been tested on over 10,000 animals. This practice is often frowned upon by ethical vegans.

Sucralose is a zero-calorie sweetener that enhances the sweetness in foods and beverages without the extra calories and carbohydrates. It’s commonly sold under the brand “Splenda” and is used in food products like chewing gum, dairy products, syrups, and canned fruits.

In general, sucralose doesn’t contain any animal products. Though one of the starting materials for Sucralose is sugar and there’s evidence that the sugar used in the processing of Sucralose is not filtered with bone char, but with a coal-derived filter instead.

Splenda is also typically combined together with Dextrose and Maltodextrin. You have nothing to be alarmed about though as both of these ingredients come from corn starch and thus are also vegan-friendly.

If you’re following a vegan diet for health purposes only, you probably won’t have a problem having foods and drinks that contain Sucralose. But if you’re an ethical vegan, you should consider avoiding Bang Energy, even if the ingredients are technically vegan.

All in all, it depends on where you stand as a vegan. The official website has verified that the reformulated versions of Bang Energy are vegan-friendly and gluten-free so perhaps they really are vegan-friendly.

If you want to read more about just how gluten-free Bang is, check out my other article where I cover the topic in great depth.

Are The B Vitamins Complex In Bang Vegan-Friendly?

All of the B vitamins in Bang energy drinks are synthetic and thus are vegan-friendly.

Bang Energy contains three types of B vitamins, namely niacinamide (vitamin B3), pyridoxine hydrochloride (vitamin B6) and methylcobalamin (vitamin B12).

A sufficient intake of B vitamins ensures that our bodies function properly as they play important roles in converting food into energy to promote healthy skin and brain cells.

In fact, if you’re following a vegan or vegetarian diet, you might not be getting enough vitamin B12. Vitamin B12 is usually obtained from animal products like meat and fish. If you aren’t getting enough vitamin B12, it may eventually lead to nervous system damage, anemia, and other illnesses.

Fortunately if you’re following a vegan or vegetarian diet, aside from consuming B12-fortified foods like breakfast cereals and soy products, you can also obtain enough vitamin B12 from vegan-friendly supplements.

To read more about the benefits of vitamin B12, check out this video:

Are Energy Drinks Vegan?

Energy drinks are often considered to be cruelty-free for vegans. The reason being is that they do not include any substances produced by animals. Taurine, which is included in many popular commercial energy beverages, is a synthetic amino acid that is safe for vegans to consume.

However, Energy drinks are not typically vegan because they frequently contain animal-derived ingredients such as non-vegan caffeine and guarana. There are, however, several vegan energy drinks on the market produced with plant-based ingredients.

Are Bang Energy Drinks Beneficial to Health?

Energy drinks like Bang are not always a wise option since they shock your body with high levels of sugar and caffeine in an effort to make you more alert. However, if you’re an athlete and need energy drinks, consuming Bang moderately is a safe bet.

But basically, Bang Energy Drinks have not been proven to be healthy. In fact, there is no scientific data exists to back up claims that Bang Energy Drinks optimize or provide any health benefits.

Bang Energy Drink Health Risks And Label Warnings

Warning label on Bang
The warning label on the back of a can of Bang.

If you compare Bang to other popular energy drink brands, Bang seems like the healthier option given that it doesn’t have any calories, sugar, or carbs.

But, as healthy as Bang may seem on the surface, it’s still not a good idea to have too many cans of Bang. If you don’t control your consumption of energy drinks, you risk developing some unpleasant side effects in the long run:

  • Increased heart rate
  • Insomnia
  • Nervousness
  • Headache
  • Caffeine addiction
  • Kidney stones
  • High blood pressure
  • Death

Plus, if you look at the back of a can of Bang, you’ll find plenty of label warnings that you should take heed of

The warning notes on the label of Bang state that:

  • Too much caffeine may cause nervousness, irritability, sleeplessness, and occasionally, rapid heartbeat (definitely not for you if your caffeine tolerance is low)
  • Not recommended for use for individuals under 18 years of age
  • Do not consume this product if you’re pregnant or nursing
  • Do not consume this product if you’re taking any prescription drugs and/or have a medical condition.
  • This product contains caffeine and should not be used with any other caffeine-containing products.
  • This product is intended for use by healthy individuals only.

Bang Energy Drink Caffeine Content

Each 16 fl.oz can of Bang Energy contains 300mg of caffeine, which is quite a substantial amount. Due to its elevated caffeine content, Bang is one of the strongest energy drinks in the market.

If you have a high caffeine metabolism, Bang’s caffeine content may be just right to give you a boost that’ll get you through the day. But if you’re sensitive to caffeine or not used to drinking caffeinated beverages, I suggest going for lower-caffeine energy drinks instead.

The energy boost you experience after drinking Bang is mainly attributable to the high caffeine content.

Aside from reducing fatigue, some other benefits of caffeine include improving your exercise performance and enhancing cognitive functions. Although caffeine is great in helping you in specific areas, it’s not healthy to consume too much caffeine in a day.

According to the FDA, the daily recommended maximum caffeine intake is 400mg for healthy adults. Excessive intake of caffeine might lead to symptoms like:

  • Insomnia
  • Dizziness
  • Headaches
  • Restlessness and shakiness
  • Dehydration

Given that a single can of Bang already has large amounts of caffeine, it should be enough of a boost to keep you alert and focused for a considerable period of time.

I also advise against having more than one can of Bang in a day as you might experience side effects or even a caffeine overdose.

Is Bang Energy Drink Really Vegan-Friendly?

In short, Bang’s ingredients are synthetic and aren’t derived from animal by-products. However, it does contain a few questionable ingredients that may have been tested on animals.

Whether Bang is vegan-friendly or not would depend on how strict you are on your lifestyle as a vegan. If you’re an ethical vegan, Bang is an energy drink you’ll want to consider avoiding.

But if you’re simply following a vegan diet for health purposes, you shouldn’t find any problems with Bang Energy. Bang’s official site has also confirmed that its new reformulated versions of Bang are certified vegan-friendly.

Ultimately, it’s down to your own choice and reasoning.  

Vegan Energy Drinks

Looking for other vegan-friendly energy drinks? Here’s a list of certified vegan-friendly energy drinks that are good alternatives to Bang:

  • Red Bull
  • Monster
  • Rockstar
  • NOS
  • Reign
  • Guru
  • Raze
  • Celsius Energy

Closing Thoughts

Four different Bang flavors
What’s your verdict on Bang?

Overall, the company that manufactures Bang has certified that Bang Energy drinks are indeed vegan. Furthermore, all of its ingredients are synthetic too.

However, ethical vegans might take issue with some of the ingredients in Bang that have a history of being tested on animals. It’s completely okay if you do, and you can always move on to other vegan energy drinks that aren’t tested on animals if that’s the case.

I hope this article was helpful and informative, enjoy your day!

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