Lucozade is a British brand of soft drink manufactured and marketed by the Japanese company Suntory.
It was initially marketed as “Glucozade” in 1927 by a pharmacist named William Walker Hunter before it was acquired by Beecham’s, a British pharmaceutical company that renamed the drink to “Lucozade” and began advertising it as an energy drink for the sick.
Like most energy drinks, Lucozade doesn’t contain any flagrant animal ingredients, therefore it’s suitable for vegans.
Let’s have a look at its ingredients and see whether that statement holds weight.
Lucozade Product Lines
Lucozade currently has two product lines: Lucozade Energy and Lucozade Sport.
Lucozade Energy is their original energy drink (and flagship product line) which comes in a variety of flavors, including the Original flavor, Apple Blast, Orange, Pink Lemonade, Wild Cherry, Brazilian Mango & Mandarin, Caribbean Crush, Watermelon & Strawberry Cooler, Citrus Chill, and Raspberry Ripple.
Lucozade Sport is a product line with four unique products, namely:
- Fitwater – a purified water with 4 electrolytes.
- Body Fuel – an isotonic sports drink with a variety of vitamins and minerals which is available in different flavors.
- Low Cal – a sports drink with a low number of calories, typically because it contains fewer carbohydrates.
- Gels – a food supplement gel that contains carbohydrates in a 2:1 Glucose/Fructose ratio.
Is Lucozade Vegan?
Regardless of whether it’s Lucozade Energy or Lucozade Sport, all drinks in Lucozade’s product lines are suitable for vegans as they do not contain any animal ingredients.
Generally, the type of ingredients you’ll find in their drinks are the following:
- Carbonated Water
- Glucose Syrup
- Acids (Citric Acid, Lactic Acid)
- Preservative (Potassium Sorbate)
- Caffeine
- Antioxidant (Ascorbic Acid)
- Colors (Sunset Yellow, Ponceau 4R)
- Sweeteners (Acesulfame-K, Aspartame)
- Flavorings
None of the ingredients above is derived from an animal, therefore you don’t have to worry. Some people often question lactic acid, but most lactic acid is vegan, as it primarily occurs during the natural fermentation process of plants or is man-made using plants.
If you want to be sure, you can always contact the manufacturer, but in this particular case, we’re referring to a brand that claims all their products are vegan-friendly.
Is Lucozade Gluten-Free?
According to Lucozade’s official website, they do not use any ingredients containing gluten, so for people who are intolerant or have celiac disease, Lucozade’s drinks are not off-limits.
Does Lucozade Contain Caffeine?
Yes, Lucozade’s energy drinks all contain caffeine, as is the case with almost every energy drink, although with Lucozade the caffeine content varies depending on the flavor you choose.
Does Lucozade Contain Electrolytes?
While not all Lucozade drinks seem to contain electrolytes, Lucozade’s Sport Body Fuel line does have electrolytes, namely sodium citrate, which is a mineral we lose as we sweat.
Conclusion
Fortunately, Lucozade products do not contain any animal ingredients, so they’re all vegan-friendly. You might come across lactic acid, but despite the name, it’s mostly vegan.
Additionally, there’s no reason to think otherwise since Lucozade clearly states that their products are vegan.
