When working out, you expend a lot of calories, water, and energy. Sports drinks such as Powerade, Gatorade, and Vitaminwater are designed to replenish electrolytes lost in sweat. For long-duration exercise, they may have some benefits. As an all-around substitute for water due to the taste, there may be better hydration sources. And for vegans, is Powerade vegan-friendly?
Powerade is considered vegan, but a deep dive into the ingredients list leaves some questions. Natural Flavors, Blue 1 (or any other artificial colors), and Sucralose may not be vegan. Strict vegans tend to avoid items with these ingredients unless verified by the company that they are vegan. The best vegan alternatives are Nooma Organic Sport Hydration Drink and Vitaminwater.
In this article, we will explore the ingredients in Powerade, whether sports drinks are healthy, and present some genuinely vegan substitutes. Let’s dig in!
Contents
Are Sports Drinks Healthy?
The manufacturers of sports drinks claim that they replace electrolytes lost during sweating. Electrolytes are minerals that have an electrical charge. They are essential to replace when exercising.
Most sports drinks follow the same formula, and there is no one better than the other. The important ingredients are water, sodium, and potassium. Some beverages also have carbs, which can provide energy.
Studies show that sports drinks improve performance by about 2% in high-performance athletes exercising for long periods. Those in team sports that alternate intense activity and rest experienced reduced fatigue after consuming sports drinks.
However, many choose to replace water with sports drinks due to the taste and perceived benefits. Those doing moderate exercise can have an occasional sports drink; however, drinking them every day may be hard on your liver. Plus, the extra sodium and sugar levels make sports drinks a less than desirable hydration choice.
Questionable Ingredients in Powerade
Natural Flavor is a broad term used by manufacturers. According to the FDA, “Natural flavor or natural flavoring… contains the flavoring constituents derived from a spice, fruit or fruit juice, vegetable or vegetable juice, edible yeast, herb, bark, bud, root, leaf or similar plant material, meat, seafood, poultry, eggs, dairy products, or fermentation products, thereof, whose significant function in food is flavoring rather than nutritional.” This statement says to strict vegans that you can’t be sure that Powerade is vegan by reading the label.
Artificial Colors are man-made, but many vegans do not consume them as they are historically tested on animals.
Sucralose is a synthetic sweetener made of modified sucrose, also known as table sugar. It is refined sugar, and it is uncertain by reading the label used in the refining process. Sometimes bone char is used to refine the sugar, which would make this a non-vegan product.
Powerade does not claim that it is vegan, and without a word from the company stating that fact, it is impossible to make a claim one way or another.
Powerade Nutritional Information
Powerade Sports Drink
Powerade Sports Drink comes in many flavors:
- Mountain Berry Blast
- Fruit Punch
- Grape
- Orange
- Lemon Lime
- White Cherry
- Strawberry Lemonade
- Melon
- Citrus Passionfruit
- Twisted Blackberry
- Watermelon Strawberry Wave
- Tropical Mango
- Kiwi Pineapple
- Lemonade
Each flavor varies in ingredients slightly to get a specific taste, but they all have natural flavors and artificial colors. The nutrition facts are consistent among the flavors. Ingredients are sourced from genetically engineered crops or GMOs.
Powerade Mountain Berry Blast
Here are the ingredients in Powerade Mountain Berry Blast:
- Water
- High Fructose Corn Syrup
- Citric Acid
- Electrolytes
- Salt
- Magnesium and Calcium Chlorides
- Mono-Potassium Phosphate
- Natural Flavors
- Modified Food Starch
- Calcium Disodium EDTA
- MCT
- SAIB
- Vitamins B3, B6, B12
- Niacinide
- Pyridoxine Hydrochloride
- Cynocobalamin
- Blue 1
Nutritional Facts (per 12 fl oz serving):
- 80 calories
- 0g fat
- 150mg sodium
- 21g total carbohydrates (all of this is added sugars)
- 0g protein
- 20% of the recommended daily value of Niacin
- 20% of the recommended daily value of Vitamin B6
- 35% of the recommended daily value of Vitamin B12
Powerade Zero Sugar
For those who want the electrolytes without the sugar or carbohydrates, Powerade makes a Zero Sugar formula. This product does contain Sucralose, as well as Natural Flavors and Artificial Colors.
Flavors:
- Watermelon Berry
- Citrus Peach
- Mixed Berry
- Fruit Punch
- Grape
- White Cherry
- Orange
- Strawberry
Powerade Zero Sugar Mixed Berry
These are the ingredients for Powerade Zero Sugar Mixed Berry:
Ingredients:
- Water
- Citric Acid
- Electrolytes
- Salt
- Magnesium and Calcium Chlorides
- Mono-Potassium Phosphate
- Natural Flavors
- Sucralose
- Acesulfame K
- Vitamins B3, B6, B12
- Niacinide
- Pyridoxine Hydrochloride
- Cynocobalamin
- Blue 1
- Ascorbic Acid
- Calcium Disodium EDTA
Nutritional Facts (per 12 fl oz serving):
- 0 calories
- 0g fat
- 150mg sodium
- 0g total carbohydrates
- 0g protein
Ingredients are sourced from genetically engineered crops or GMOs.
Powerade Ultra
Powerade Ultra combines the Zero Sugar formula with more premium ingredients, including Creatine, BCAAs, vitamins, and 50% more ION4 electrolytes.
Flavors:
- Strawberry Lemonade
- White Cherry
- Mixed Berry
Powerade Ultra Mixed Berry
Ingredients for Powerade Ultra Mixed Berry:
- Water
- BCAAS (L-Leucine, L-Isoleucine, L-Valine)
- Citric Acid
- Creatine Monohydrate
- Electrolytes
- Salt
- Magnesium and Calcium Chlorides
- Mono-Potassium Phosphate
- Sodium Citrate
- Natural Flavors
- Pea Fiber
- Lecithin
- Sucralose
- Acesulfame K
- Modified Food Starch
- Calcium Disodium EDTA
- MCT
- SAIB
- Vitamins B3, B6, B12
- Niacinamide
- Pyridoxine Hydrochloride
- Cyanocobalamin
- Blue 1
Nutritional Facts (per bottle, or 20 oz):
- 0 calories
- 0g fat
- 380mg sodium
- 0g total carbohydrates
- 1g protein
- 95mg potassium (2% of the recommended daily allowance)
- Niacin (30% of the recommended daily allowance)
- Vitamin B6 (30% of the recommended daily allowance)
- Vitamin B12 (60% of the recommended daily allowance)
Powerade Power Water
Power Water is enhanced with electrolytes. It still has Natural Flavors and Sucralose but no Artificial Flavors. There are no calories or carbs.
Flavors:
- Lemon
- Berry Cherry
- Tropical Mango
Powerade Power Water Berry Cherry
Ingredients for Powerade Power Water Berry Cherry:
- Water
- Natural Flavors
- Citric Acid
- Electrolytes
- Salt
- Magnesium and Calcium Chlorides
- Potassium Sorbate
- Sodium Benzoate
- Ascorbic Acid
- Calcium Disodium EDTA
- Sucralose
- Acesulfame K
- Vitamins B3, B6, B12
- Niacinide
- Pyridoxine Hydrochloride
- Cynocobalamin
Nutritional Facts (per bottle, or 16.9 oz):
- 0 calories
- 0g fat
- 95mg sodium
- 0g total carbohydrates
- 0g protein
- 50mg potassium (2% of the recommended daily allowance)
Powerade Freezer Bars
Powerade Freezer Bars are frozen sports drinks in a squeeze pouch that come in a variety pack with two flavors: Mountain Berry Blast and Fruit Punch. They have Natural Flavors and Artificial Colors.
Ingredients:
- Water
- High Fructose Corn Syrup
- Natural Flavors
- Citric Acid
- Sodium Citrate
- Sodium Benzoate
- Potassium Sorbate
- Monopotassium Phosphate
- Calcium Lactate
- Calcium Gluconate
- Magnesium Oxide
- Dicalcium Phosphate
- Niacinamide (Vitamin B3)
- Pyridoxine Hydrochloride (Vitamin B6)
- Cyanocobalamin (Vitamin B12)
- Red 40
- Blue 1
Nutrition Facts (per bar):
- 50 calories
- 0g fat
- 50mg sodium
- 13g carbohydrates (12g added sugars)
- 2mg calcium
- 12mg potassium
- 2mg magnesium
- Niacin (6% of the recommended daily allowance)
- Vitamin B6 (25% of the recommended daily allowance)
- Vitamin B12 (45% of the recommended daily allowance)
Vegan Alternatives
The easiest way to guarantee your sports drink is vegan is to make it yourself. There are plenty of recipes out there that combine water (about half of your container), a dash of pink salt (for minerals), coconut water (about ¼ of your container – for electrolytes), fresh juice (1/4 of your container – for flavor), some sugar for taste if you like. If you still want premade drinks, try these vegan options.
Nooma Organic Sport Hydration Drink
Nooma makes sport energy drinks, sports drinks, hydration mixes, and sport recovery drinks. They are made with natural ingredients, nothing artificial. They are certified organic, non-GMO, vegan-friendly, paleo-friendly, keto-friendly, and naturally gluten-free.
Flavors include:
- Chocolate Mint
- Lemonade
- Watermelon Lime
- Mango
- Blueberry Peach
Watermelon Lime Sport Hydration Drink
Ingredients in the Watermelon Lime Sport Hydration Drink:
- Filtered Water
- Organic Coconut Water from Concentrate
- Organic Watermelon Flavor
- Pink Himalayan Salt
- Organic Lime Flavor
- Organic Stevia Leaf Extract
Nutritional Facts (per 16.9 fl oz serving):
- 30 calories
- 0g fat
- 110mg sodium
- 7g total carbohydrates (5g total sugars)
- 35mg calcium
- 340mg potassium
- 20mg magnesium
Smartwater
Smartwater is vapor-distilled water with electrolytes added. It is sugar-free, sodium-free, gluten-free, fluoride-free, with no artificial colors, flavors, or GMOs. If you are looking for hydration with electrolytes, plain Smartwater is a great vegan choice.
In addition to plain water, there is flavored water: cucumber lime, pineapple kiwi, strawberry blackberry, and watermelon mint. These flavors come from “natural flavors.” While strict vegans sometimes question these ingredients, the company has assured those who ask that the products are vegan and vegetarian friendly.
Ingredients in plain Smartwater:
- Vapor Distilled Water
- Calcium Chloride
- Magnesium Chloride
- Potassium Bicarbonate
Nutritional Facts (per 12 oz serving):
- 0 calories
- 0g fat
- 0g sodium
- 0g carbs
Vitamin Water
According to the company, Vitaminwater and Vitaminwater Zero are vegan and vegetarian friendly. Ingredients are sourced from genetically engineered crops (GMO’s).
Flavors:
- Tropical Citrus
- Fruit Punch
- Kiwi-Strawberry
- Tropical Mango
- Essential
- Power-C
- Acai-blueberry-pomegranate
Vitaminwater Tropical Mango
Ingredients in the Vitaminwater Tropical Mango:
- Reverse osmosis water
- Crystalline fructose
- Cane sugar
- Vitamins C, B3, B5, B6, B12, E (ascorbic acid, niacinamide, calcium pantothenate, pyridoxine hydrochloride, cyanocobalamin, alpha-tocopheryl acetate)
- Electrolytes (calcium and magnesium lactate and potassium phosphate)
- Natural flavors
- Citric acid
- Lycopene
- B-Apo-8’-carotenal (color)
Nutritional Facts (20 oz serving):
- 100 calories
- 0g fat
- 27g carbohydrates (all of this is added sugars)
Gatorade
When asked by a consumer, Gatorade states that they use synthetic colorings and do not add any meat or dairy derivatives to their sports drinks. (They do add these derivatives to their Recover drinks and shakes.) They are not definitive about their sugar refining process, so you will want to be cautious if that bothers you as a vegan. Gatorade is certified kosher.
Like Powerade, Gatorade comes in several varieties: Gatorade Thirst Quencher, G Zero, G2, Organic Thirst Quencher, Gatorade Juiced, and G Endurance.
Organic Thirst Quencher Mixed Berry
For comparison purposes, here are the ingredients in Organic Thirst Quencher Mixed Berry:
- Water
- Organic Sugar
- Citric Acid
- Organic Natural Flavor
- Sea Salt
- Sodium Citrate
- Potassium Chloride
Nutritional Facts (per 16.9 fl oz serving):
- 120 calories
- 0g fat
- 230mg sodium
- 30g carbohydrates (including 29g added sugars)
- 60mg potassium
Related Questions
Is Powerade Vegan?
Most vegans generally concede that Powerade is Vegan. Strict vegans question ingredients such as natural flavors, Sucralose, and artificial colors.
Is Powerade GMO-Free?
No, by their website admission, they use genetically modified ingredients in some of their products.
Does Powerade have Allergens?
No allergens are listed.