Is G Hughes BBQ Sauce Vegan & Cruelty Free? (2024)

Figuring out whether G Hughes BBQ Sauce is safe for vegans to consume can be challenging.

barbecue sauces often mask their ingredients behind vague terms such as “natural flavors”, and even when they do provide a full list of ingredients, it can be difficult to determine which ones are vegan.

To make sure that you are only consuming food that aligns with your vegan diet and ethics, I’ve investigated the ingredients and production process of G Hughes BBQ Sauce.

Here’s what I found.

Is G Hughes BBQ Sauce Vegan?

Probably. But maybe not. Confused? Please allow me to explain.

G Hughes BBQ Sauce is a brand of sugar-free barbecue sauce. The company produces several flavors of barbecue sauce that have become a favorite of many Americans. Sadly for vegans, they can’t enjoy the taste of G Hughes BBQ Sauce with no guarantee of guilt.

This barbecue sauce is gluten free and is made with vinegar, tomato paste, spices, and more. None of the ingredients are animal derived. However, they contain caramel color.

Caramel color is a food coloring agent that is made by heating up some kind of refined sugar. Refined cane sugar is not vegan because it is usually processed with bone char. Bone char is a charcoal that is made from the bones of animals used to make the sugar whiter. Unless the sugar is labeled as “unrefined,” “raw,” or “organic,” it’s probably processed with bone char.

However, most vegan experts think there’s a good chance that most caramel color is not made from refined cane sugar processed with bone char. Caramel color is often made from high-dextrose corn syrup, a derivative of corn, not sugarcane.

So, if you are looking for a delicious barbecue sauce that is also vegan-friendly, it all depends on how strict of a vegan you are if G Hughes BBQ Sauce qualifies as a go-to option for you.

This would all be so much easier if food manufacturers would just disclose the sources of their ingredients.

Is G Hughes BBQ Sauce Cruelty Free?

Yes! G Hughes BBQ Sauce is cruelty free.

G Hughes BBQ Sauce is not tested on animals at any point in its production. This barbecue sauce also does not contain ingredients, such as artificial colors, that are routinely tested on animals.

Animal testing is a cruel and outmoded practice that should be stopped. Innocent animals should not be subjected to tests that inflict pain, suffering, and death. There are alternative methods that are more humane and effective. So there is no reason for food brands to continue testing on animals.

What Is G Hughes BBQ Sauce Made Of?

Here are the ingredients of G Hughes Sugar-Free BBQ Sauce Hickory Flavor:

Vine-ripened crushed tomatoes (water, crushed tomatoes)
Cider vinegar
Modified cornstarch
White vinegar
Salt
Dehydrated onion
Caramel color
Lemon juice concentrate
Spices
Natural flavor
Garlic powder
Hickory smoke
Xanthan gum
Sucralose
Sulfites

Let’s break down each ingredient of G Hughes BBQ Sauce:

Vine-ripened crushed tomatoes (water, crushed tomatoes)

Vine-ripened crushed tomatoes are the base of the sauce. The tomatoes are picked when they are ripe and then crushed. G Hughes BBQ Sauce vine-ripened crushed tomatoes are made of water and crushed tomatoes.

Water is often used as a base for sauces, soups, and stews. It is a vegan-friendly ingredient.

Crushed tomatoes are a type of tomato sauce. They are made of tomatoes that have been peeled and then crushed. Crushed tomatoes are a vegan-friendly ingredient.

Cider vinegar

Cider vinegar is a type of vinegar made from apple cider or apple juice. It has a milder flavor than other types of vinegar and is used in many salad dressings and marinades. Apple cider vinegar is a vegan-friendly ingredient.

Modified cornstarch

Cornstarch is a type of starch that is derived from corn. It is often used as a thickening agent in sauces, gravies, and puddings. Modified cornstarch is cornstarch that has been treated to make it more resistant to heat and acid. Modified cornstarch is a vegan-friendly ingredient.

White vinegar

White vinegar is a type of vinegar made from distilled alcohol. It has a strong flavor and is often used in cleaning products and pickling. White vinegar is a vegan-friendly ingredient.

Salt

Salt is a vegan-friendly ingredient that is used as a preservative and to add flavor to food.

Dehydrated onion

Dehydrated onion is a type of onion that has been dried. It is often used as a flavoring agent in soups, stews, and sauces. Dehydrated onion is a vegan-friendly ingredient.

Caramel color

Caramel color is a type of food coloring made from caramelized sugar. It is used to add color to food. Caramel color usually uses refined sugar of some kind. Refined sugarcane is processed using bone char, an animal by-product, making it non-vegan.

However, caramel color is made from a variety of sugar sources that are not disclosed by food manufacturers. The caramel color in G Hughes BBQ Sauce could very well come from a sugar source not processed with bone char.

Lemon juice concentrate

Lemon juice concentrate is a type of lemon juice that has been concentrated. It is often used in sauces and salad dressings. Lemon juice concentrate is a vegan-friendly ingredient.

Spices

Spices are vegan-friendly ingredients that are used to add flavor to food.

Natural flavor

Natural flavor is a flavor that is derived from natural sources. It can be either vegan or non-vegan depending on how it is sourced. The natural flavor of G Hughes BBQ Sauce is likely vegan because of the tomato-based nature of the product.

Garlic powder

Garlic powder is a type of powder made from ground-up garlic. It is used to add flavor to food. Garlic powder is a vegan-friendly ingredient.

Hickory smoke

Hickory smoke is a type of smoke made from hickory wood. It is often used to flavor food. Hickory smoke is a vegan-friendly ingredient.

Xanthan gum

Xanthan gum is a type of food additive made from fermented sugar. It is used to add texture and thickness to food. Xanthan gum is a vegan-friendly ingredient.

Sucralose

Sucralose is a type of artificial sweetener. It is often used in place of sugar. Sucralose is a vegan-friendly ingredient.

Sulfites

Sulfites are a type of food additive that is used as a preservative. Sulfites are vegan friendly.

Why Isn’t G Hughes BBQ Sauce Vegan?

G Hughes Sugar-Free BBQ Sauce is potentially not vegan because it contains caramel color. Caramel color is a product made from sugar, or carbohydrates. Because bone char is still widely used in the sugar industry, it is possible that the sugar used to make the caramel color was processed using bone char.

This makes G Hughes BBQ Sauce unsafe for consumption by strict vegans. Unless the sugar used in the caramel color is labeled as “unrefined,” “raw,” or “organic,” it might not be vegan.

Is G Hughes Honey BBQ Sauce Vegan?

Maybe not G Hughes Sugar-Free Honey BBQ Sauce contains caramel color. Interestingly enough, honey is not listed as an ingredient.