On a hot summer’s day, it is not surprising that you might want to reach for a chilled, fizzy soda. It is even better when drenched over some ice.
However, if you are vegan, what does come as a surprise (or maybe not) is that some sodas are not actually vegan-friendly. In fact, does the Coca-Cola you are about to consume contain any animal products?
Fortunately, as a vegan, you are welcome to take in the sweet freshness of Coca-Cola because it does not contain any animal-based ingredients – and just to clarify, the brand themselves says most of their drinks are vegan-friendly.
So, if you are wondering what soda beverages are safe to drink as a vegan, then take a look at the rest of the article so you do not accidentally consume animal ingredients. Let’s go!
Sodas That Are Vegan
Here is a list of vegan-friendly sodas:
Sprite
This soda is super vegan friendly, and very refreshing too. It includes absolutely no animal-based ingredients.
Coca-Cola
The company behind this popular beverage themselves states that a number of their drinks, which includes Coca-Cola, are definitely suitable for both vegans and vegetarians.
So the next time you are looking for a fizzy caffeinated hit, then ‘Coke’ can still be your go-to. However, there are Coca-Cola drinks that include fish-based gelatine.
These include Schweppes Orange Squash, Honest Lemon and Honey, Lilt Zero, and Lilt.
A&W Root Beer
If you are craving root beer, then you will be happy to know that this beverage is safe to drink as a vegan. They include raw sugar and have no animal ingredients.
Dr.Pepper
If you prefer something sweeter than Coca-Cola, then Dr.Pepper can be your vegan go-to. While it does contain both man-made and natural ingredients, absolutely none of them are from animals or tested on them.
7up
This soda is considered to be vegan because there are no known animal ingredients within it, despite their being natural flavorings.
Pepsi
Both Pepsi and Pepsi Max are completely suitable for vegans. You may have noticed that Diet Pepsi is not included.
That is because while the company behind the brand states that it is suitable for vegetarians, it is not suitable for vegans. What is more worrying is that they have not revealed why the soda is not suitable for vegans.
What Makes A Soda Not Vegan?
On the face of it, you might not realize that some sodas include ingredients that affect animals in some way. For example, the ingredient itself might be derived from an animal or insect, or the ingredient might be tested on animals.
Any of the above included in the beverage means that the soda is not suitable for vegans to drink. So, what are some of these ingredients?
Honey
Honey is a heavily debated ingredient within the vegan community. This is because some vegans will not eat it at all, while others will only eat honey that has been made locally from a source that they know. If the drink includes honey, it really all depends on your own opinion when it comes to whether it is vegan or not.
Ester Gum
Ester Gum is a type of stabilizer that is commonly used in soda. The basis of this stabilizer is glycerol which more often than not comes from animals.
It is also considered a sweetener that can be created within a lab, however, most soda companies do not make it artificially, and instead, go the animal route. So just to be safe, it is often best to steer clear of this ingredient unless the company says it is made in a lab.
Vitamin D3
You may find a lot of energy and sports sodas include vitamin D3 as a way to benefit a person’s immune system. However, it comes from the oil that is found within the wooly coat of a sheep.
Even though the sheep are not harmed during this process, a vegan often does not consume or wear anything that has been made using animal products.
Artificial Flavoring
To put it simply, often artificial flavorings are not considered vegan because most of the time they are based on using animal products. This can include blue raspberry, cherry, vanilla, and orange.
Yellow 5
While yellow 5 is not an animal ingredient itself, it is often tested using animals. This makes it not vegan-friendly.
Cochineal
When it comes to bugs, vegans either include them alongside animals or do not. This means that some vegans will consider consuming or using anything that has been derived from bugs as okay, while others may avoid anything taken from bugs, just like with animals.
Cochineal is a red-colored food dye that is taken from bugs. So if you see this word, it means that there are bug products within the beverage.
Sugar
There is often confusion around whether sugar is vegan or not. It is said that both raw and organic sugar is 100 percent vegan, while refined sugar is not. This is because it is often filtered by using the bone char that is from cows.
Unfortunately, it can be impossible to even know what kind of sugar has been used within a soda. If you really want to know, then contact that particular company to find out. They should be able to tell you.
Natural Flavoring
Okay, this one is similar to sugar. While the soda may include natural flavoring on the ingredients list, this can mean that it has been taken from animals.
However, this is a lot more common when it comes to food, rather than soda. If you are unsure, just like with sugar, give the company an email so they can tell you directly.
Conclusion
When it comes to being vegan, you do not accidentally want to consume animal-derived products or something that has been tested on animals.
Unfortunately, some sodas are not vegan-friendly. Hopefully, this list has helped you to be more aware of what drinks to choose when you feel like something refreshing and fizzy.
