These days consumers want to know the vegan, gluten-free, and artificial sweetener status of the foods and beverages they consume. Energy drinks are no different. But trying to figure out if 5-hour Energy Shots are vegan can be a challenging task.
Energy drinks have ingredients that most people aren’t familiar with.
To make sure that you only eat foods that align with your vegan diet and ethical values, I’ve investigated the ingredients and processes used to make 5-Hour Energy drinks.
Here’s what I found.
Are 5-Hour Energy Drinks Vegan?
Yes. 5-Hour Energy drinks are vegan.
The ingredients used to make 5-Hour Energy drinks are either synthetic or plant based. They don’t contain any animal-based products.
Common animal ingredients in energy drinks include gelatin, which is often used as a thickener and is made from animal skin, tendons, and bones. But 5-Hour Energy doesn’t use gelatin. 5-Hour Energy even forgoes refined sugar and uses sucralose instead, which is a totally plant-based sweetener.
5-Hour Energy also does not use food coloring made out of animals, such as carmine, which is crushed up cochineal bugs.
So, if you’re looking for an energy drink that’s vegan, you can rest assured that 5-Hour Energy drink is one of them.
Is 5-Hour Energy Cruelty Free?
Yes, 5-hour Energy drinks are a cruelty-free product. 5-Hour does not conduct animal testing on any of their energy drink ingredients.
The red color of the energy drink may have concerned you since red dye is often tested on animals. However, the company confirmed that they do not use red food dye in their products.
Many popular energy drinks use food dye that is tested on animals, so it’s good to know that this isn’t the case with 5-Hour Energy.
So there you have it. 5-Hour Energy drink is vegan and cruelty free. If you’re looking for an energy drink that fits with your ethical values, this is a great option.
What Is 5-Hour Energy Drink Made Of?
Here are the ingredients of 5-Hour Energy Shots:
- Purified water
- Citicoline
- N-acetyl-l-tyrosine
- L-phenylalanine
- Taurine
- Malic acid
- Glucuronic acid (as or from glucuronolactone)
- Caffeine (200mg)
- Natural and artificial flavors
- Sucralose
- Potassium sorbate
- Sodium benzoate
- EDTA
Let’s break down each ingredient of 5-Hour Energy Shots:
Citicoline
Citicoline is a compound that occurs naturally in the body and is involved in the production of cell membranes, neurotransmitters, and phospholipids. Citicoline is vegan.
N-acetyl-L-tyrosine
N-acetyl-L-tyrosine (NALT) is a compound involved in the production of neurotransmitters and is found in a variety of foods, such as chicken, beef, pork, fish, eggs, soybeans, nuts, seeds, and dairy products. It is often synthesized in laboratories from synthetic sources, so it’s vegan.
L-phenylalanine
L-phenylalanine is an amino acid involved in the production of dopamine and norepinephrine. This amino acid is often synthesized in laboratories from synthetic sources, making it a vegan ingredient.
Taurine
Taurine is an amino acid involved in a variety of functions in the body, such as metabolism, cell signaling, and the nervous system. It is often synthesized in laboratories from synthetic sources, making it a vegan ingredient.
Malic acid
Malic acid is a compound involved in metabolism and energy production. It can be found in a variety of fruits and vegetables, such as apples, pears, and tomatoes. It is a vegan-friendly ingredient.
Glucuronic acid (as or from glucuronolactone)
Glucuronic acid is a compound involved in the metabolism of drugs and toxins. It is produced naturally in the body and can also be found in a variety of fruits and vegetables, such as apples, pears, and tomatoes. It is a vegan-friendly ingredient.
Caffeine
Caffeine is a stimulant that is found in a variety of plant foods, such as coffee beans, tea leaves, and cocoa beans. It is a vegan ingredient.
Purified water
Purified water is water that has been filtered to remove impurities. It is vegan.
Natural and artificial flavors
Natural flavors are made from a variety of plant and animal foods. Artificial flavors may or may not be vegan, since they can be derived from both plants and animals. In general, artificial flavors are synthetic and do not contain any animal products.
Sucralose
Sucralose is an artificial sweetener made from sugar. Sucralose doesn’t contain any animal products.
Potassium sorbate
Potassium sorbate is a preservative that is made from potassium salt. Potassium sorbate doesn’t contain any animal products.
Sodium benzoate
Sodium benzoate is a preservative that is made from sodium salt. Sodium benzoate doesn’t contain any animal products.
EDTA
EDTA (ethylenediaminetetraacetic acid) is a chelating agent used to remove metals from water. EDTA doesn’t contain any animal products.
Why Is 5-hour Vegan?
5-Hour Energy drink is vegan because it doesn’t contain any animal products or by-products. All of the ingredients are either naturally vegan or can be synthesized in a laboratory from plant or synthetic sources. This makes it a great choice for vegans who are looking for an energy boost.
Are 5-Hour Energy Shots Strawberry Lemonade Vegan?
Yes, 5-Hour Energy Shots Strawberry Lemonade is vegan. It contains no animal products or by-products.
This energy drink is suitable for vegan consumption.
Are 5-Hour Energy Shots Grape Vegan?
Yes, 5-Hour Energy Shots Grape flavor is vegan. There are no animal-derived ingredients in this energy drink.
This product is suitable for vegan consumption.
Are 5-hour Energy Shots Peach Mango Vegan?
Yes, 5-Hour Energy Shots Peach Mango flavor is vegan. It contains no animal products or by-products.
This energy drink is suitable for vegan consumption.
Are 5-Hour Energy Shots Berry Vegan?
Yes, the 5-Hour Energy Shots Berry flavor is vegan. It contains no animal products or by-products.
This product is suitable for vegan consumption.
Are 5-hour Energy Shots Orange Vegan?
Yes. The 5-Hour Energy Shots Orange contain no animal by-products or obvious animal-based ingredients.
This product is suitable for vegan consumption.
Are All Other Energy Drinks Vegan?
No. Many energy drinks are not vegan. Energy drinks that emulate coffee flavoring like latte or mocha generally are not vegan because they contain milk. Some energy drinks also add B-vitamins that are often derived from animals. Other energy drinks have food dyes that contain animal-based ingredients or are the products of animal testing.
There are, however, many vegan energy drinks available on the market, and most energy drinks are suitable for vegans.
Red Bull energy drink is also vegan, as are Rockstar energy drinks and Full Throttle energy drinks. There are many more vegan energy drinks available now than there ever were before.
Are Monster Energy Drinks Vegan?
Yes. Monster Energy drinks are vegan. They contain mostly natural ingredients like caffeine, taurine, and B-vitamins. Monster Energy drink doesn’t contain any animal products or by-products.
This energy drink is suitable for vegan consumption.
Are Guru Energy Drinks Vegan?
Yes. Guru Energy drinks are vegan. This energy drink contains mostly organic ingredients, such as organic cane sugar, organic white grape juice, organic green tea leaf extract, and other organic herbal extracts. This energy drink contains no animal by-products.
This energy drink product is suitable for vegan consumption.
Final Words
Energy drinks are often non-vegan. Most energy drink brands often contain gelatin, artificial colors, and refined sugar. But 5-Hour Energy drink doesn’t contain any of these ingredients. All of the ingredients are either naturally vegan or can be synthesized in a laboratory from plant or synthetic sources.
If you need an energy boost and you’re a vegan, 5-Hour Energy is a safe vegan option. I’m sure you’ll be pleasantly surprised by how effective they are!
It’s smart to always look at the ingredients list of any product before consuming.