Is Red Bull Vegan? (And Other Answers)

Well you may know for a fact that Red Bull doesn’t actually give you wings, but is it a vegan energy drink?

If you’re wondering what the term “vegan” means, it simply means abstaining from animal products from both nutritional and ethical levels. Meat, eggs, milk, and any product that contains animals are a big no-no for vegans.

Some even go to the extent that they avoid products that use animals for product testing.

A can of Red Bull — *Good stuff, is it vegan though?*

The short and fulfilling answer is yes, Red Bull is perfect for vegetarians/vegans, the reason being that the ingredients are all synthetically made, do not contain animal parts, and aren’t (in any means) tested on animals.

If that makes you satisfied, continue reading as you see more about the significance of veganism and why ingredients of Red Bull are considered vegan.

Why Veganism Is Good

People go vegan for a lot of reasons. Some do it for the animals, while others do it for their health. There are more than two reasons why veganism is vital – I’ll explain each reason explicitly.

Prevents Animal Cruelty

Protecting animals has been the main factor on why people advocate veganism. Sadly, over 70 billion land animals are killed to make food every year, and going vegan may help reduce those numbers to some extent.

According to Veestro, an average person going vegan for a month can save the lives of 30 animals, that’s one animal saved from misery every day in a month!

If you’re wondering how it was quantified, Veestro also stated that the calculation was made by using a vegan calculator.

Possibly Improves Healthy

Making a well-planned vegan diet can allow your body to be enriched with nutrients. Obviously, if you dedicate yourself towards veganism, you avoid heavy foods like meat and other animal products.

That means you have to rely on whole foods like fruits and vegetables, which as we all know is the healthiest food of them all. Here are some examples of the healthiest vegetables that you can start eating today:

Spinach
Carrots
Broccoli
Kale
Green Peas
Asparagus
Sweet Potatoes

Should You Go Vegan?

Honestly, you don’t have to force yourself. If you want to become a vegan, good (if you’re already a vegan then that’s great!)

You can still eat meat while eating vegetables. Yes, you’re not a vegan, but reducing your meat intake and eating healthy foods like fruits and vegetables will lessen the demand for meat — not only that but your body will also thank you for eating healthier foods.

Lab-meats are also under research and development, hoping that it will replace traditional meat. Giving us delicious meats without the notion of killing animals and harming our environment.

Is taurine vegan?

Commonly seen in the nutritional value table or sticker of energy drinks, Taurine is an amino acid usually derived from animals, such as cows, pigs, and fish. Although it is not vegan, it is added to the formulation of various energy drinks because it is believed to support the body’s cardiovascular system.

Among the claimed health benefits of Taurine are reducing inflammation and improving mental alertness and focus. It is an excellent addition to sports and energy drinks because it helps reduce fatigue, improve endurance, and stimulate the central nervous system.

Can vegans drink coffee?

Various brands of coffee are a staple in any store. Vegans who would love to sip coffee to fuel their day are now catered to by most local and commercialized coffee shops. For the past few years, vegan alternatives have also decked the grocery stores and market shelves.

There is something bound to satisfy vegan coffee drinkers with the selection of coffee produced using almond milk, coconut milk, and oat milk, crafted with other vegan-friendly flavors. As long as it is not made with animal-derived products such as milk, cream, or honey, coffee can accompany vegans in their daily lives and activities.
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What Makes an Energy Drink Vegan?

For an energy drink to be considered vegan, the beverage must have validations with regards to their beverage.

Vegan Certification

For an energy drink to be vegan, it must not contain any animal ingredients during the manufacturing process and testing products on animals are also not allowed by any company or independent contractor.

Vegan Label

Also know as V-Labels, these are registered symbols labeling vegan and vegetarian products and services. This label can help consumers simply determine whether a product is vegan or not (a reliable guide to help them when they are shopping.)

When using V-Labels, companies should promote transparency and clarity.

Are Energy Drinks Vegan?

Not all energy drinks are vegan, some beverage test their products on animals which makes it not an option for vegan.

However, there are also energy drinks in the market that are considered vegan-friendly and have officially stated on their website that their energy drinks are safe for vegans.

For a low-down on what other energy drinks might be vegan, have a look at my other articles detailing how vegan certain energy drinks are:

Vegan Energy Drinks

Here’s a table of energy drinks that are vegan:

Energy Drink	Ingredients	Vegan
Boost	Taurine, caffeine, sugar, sweeteners	Yes
Emerge	Taurine, caffeine, sugar, sweeteners, B vitamins	Yes
Lucozade	Caffeine, sugar, sweeteners	Yes
Monster	Taurine, caffeine, sugar, sweeteners, B vitamins, botanical extracts including ginseng and guarana	Yes
Red Bull	Taurine, caffeine, sugar, B vitamins	Yes
Relentless	Taurine, caffeine, sugar, B vitamins, guarana	Yes
Rockstar	Taurine, caffeine, sugar, sweeteners, B vitamins, botanical extracts including ginseng, milk thistle, gingko biloba and guarana	Yes

Vegan-Friendly

Non-Vegan Energy Drinks

If you’re a vegetarian/vegan, remember to avoid these ingredients:

E120
Carmine
Cochineal
Cochineal Extract
Carmine Lake

Is Red Bull Vegan Certified?

From the website of Red Bull, you’ll be able to see that they officially stated that the beverage is suitable for vegetarians/vegans.

Yes, Red Bull Energy Drink is suitable for vegetarians. Red Bull Energy Drink does not contain any animal products or substances derived from animals.
Red Bull

Now that Red Bull said it themselves, let’s dive deeper and I’ll explain each important ingredients and why they’re okay for vegetarians/vegans to consume.

But if you want to know why some people think Red Bull is vegan, here’s a video that will explain a little bit about that.

What’s Inside Red Bull?

For a full in-depth analysis, the Red Bull Caffeine and Ingredients article is probably your best bet. But here’s a summary of those findings as well as what to look out for.

First up, a quick look at all the ingredients to see what goes inside it:

Carbonated water
Sucrose
Glucose
Citric acid
Taurine
Sodium bicarbonate
Magnesium carbonate
Caffeine
Niacinamide (Vitamin B3)
Calcium pantothenate (Vitamin B5)
Pyridoxine HCl
Vitamin B12
Natural and Artificial Flavors
Colorings

The Nutrition Facts and Ingredients of Red Bull

Red Bull Caffeine Content

This is the most important ingredient of any energy drink out there. Why? Well, let’s just say that caffeine is the reason why you buy energy drinks in the first place. It keeps you awake and prevents you from being exhausted.

Red Bull has 80 mg of caffeine which is below the recommended daily intake of caffeine (400 mg). Exceeding the recommended amount of caffeine can lead to side effects like:

dizziness
diarrhea
increased thirst
insomnia
headache
fever
jittery
irritability

Caffeine can also be found in other beverages:

coffee
chocolate
yerba mate
soft drinks
tea

Is the Caffeine Used in Energy Drinks Vegan?

You can usually find caffeine in leaves and fruits of some plants. Ergo, caffeine is vegan-friendly.

However, there are caffeinated drinks like cappuccino and other coffee drinks that have milk which may not be for you if you’re a vegetarian/vegan.

Red Bull Sugar Content

The reason why Red Bull tastes good is because of sugar. This ingredient doesn’t really add nutritional value to your body, its mere purpose is to enhance the flavor of your food or drink.

You may see sugar as an evil thing, but what you’re pertaining to is the bad sugar. Almost everything you consume has sugar, this is alright since our body needs glucose (blood sugar) anyways.

Most of the cells in your body use glucose along with amino acids (the building blocks of protein) and fats for energy. But it’s the main source of fuel for your brain. Nerve cells and chemical messengers there need it to help them process information.
Web MD

The only sugar you should try to avoid or lessen is added sugars, you can find added sugar from ice creams, cookies, doughnuts, and other types of desserts.

Remember when I said that it’s the bad sugar you’re always thinking of? Does that mean there’s good sugar? The answer is yes! Good sugar or natural sugar comes from fruits and vegetables — basically, food that is unprocessed.

Is the Sugar Used in Energy Drinks Vegan?

According to Vegan Friendly, the answer to this question is complex. They stated that some sugar is whitened by using the charred bones of animals which is not pleasant to the ears if you advocate for stopping animal cruelty.

They also said that even though some energy drinks are not listed by the Vegan Society doesn’t necessarily mean they aren’t vegan at all, it just simply means they don’t carry the Vegan Trademark.

So if you’re wondering what other energy drinks are vegan, here’s an article about Game Fuel and whether or not it’s vegan.

Taurine

Let me get this straight, while it’s true that taurine was originally extracted from a bull’s semen, Red Bull clarified that the taurine in their energy drink is not from a bull’s semen.

According to Red Bull, the taurine in their energy drink is produced synthetically by pharmaceutical companies, which guarantees the highest quality standards.

B-Vitamins

B vitamins are water-soluble and have their own unique purpose, here’s a table to explain each vitamins briefly:

B-Vitamins	Purpose	Red Bull (Per 8.4 fl.oz)	Daily % Value	Tolerable Upper Intake Level
Vitamin B3 (Niacin)	Converts nutrients to energy; repairs DNA; supports system as an antioxidant.	22mg	100%	35mg
Vitamin B5 (Pantothenic Acid)	Breaks down fats, proteins, and coenzyme A; promotes healthy skin	5mg	80%	N/A
Vitamin B6	Supports the central nervous system; ensures smooth metabolism	5mg	250%	100mg
Vitamin B12	Generates red blood cells; maintains brain function and nerve tissue health.	5.1µg	50%	N/A

Vitamins, their purpose, daily % value, amount, and recommended intake.

As you can see, the vitamin B6 of Red Bull exceeded the limit, but that shouldn’t worry you because the excess vitamins will be excreted through your urine!

Conclusion: Is Red Bull Vegan?

While Red Bull does not have an official vegan certification, there is no reason to believe that Red Bull isn’t vegan. Moreover, companies are required by law to state if their ingredients contain any animal by-products.

However, do your own research and ask around in vegan message boards and online forums like Reddit since those will give you more detailed information since they will come from user experience and not third person analysis.

Vegan or not, you shouldn’t making Red Bull a part of your daily diet anyway because not only is it unhealthy it is also chock full of artificial coloring, which is one of the reasons why vegans stay away from it.

There’s a reason why Red Bull does not have an official vegan label, despite being in the market for decades, whereas newer brands like Celsius and Tru Energy are certified vegan, and it’s probably not from a lack of trying.

If you’re still unsure about the vegan status of Red Bull don’t fret, there are dozens of smaller, newer brands that are certified vegan. Some of them are even healthier for you. So why not give those drinks a shot and leave Red Bull for the non-vegans.