G Fuel in a can might have everything you need in an energy drink, but, if you’re an environmentalist or simply health-conscious, you’re probably wondering:
Are G Fuel cans vegan-friendly?
According to G Fuel G Fuel’s official Twitter, their drinks are not entirely vegan-friendly. Almost all their listed ingredients are vegan-friendly except for L-Tyrosine, an amino acid that could be either sourced naturally or synthetically. In G-Fuel’s case, it’s naturally derived so it’s considered to not be vegan-friendly.
If you’re an ethical vegan, this will definitely steer you away from having G Fuel cans, but if you’re into veganism for the health benefits, read on for a more in-depth look at G Fuel Cans and how they might benefit you.
Let’s get started…
G Fuel Can Ingredients
Here’s a quick list of every ingredient in a G Fuel can:
- Carbonated Water
- Natural and Artificial Flavors
- Sodium Gluconate
- Malic Acid
- Caffeine (Purecaf™)
- Potassium Beta-Hydroxybutyrate (goBHB®)
- Vitamin Blend (Maltodextrin, Vitamin C, Vitamin B3, Vitamin B6, Vitamin B12)
- L-Tyrosine
- Sucralose
- Potassium Citrate
- Citric Acid
- Acesulfame Potassium
- Antioxidant Blend (Green Coffee Bean Extract, Green Tea Extract, Turmeric Extract, Tart Cherry, Blueberry, Broccoli, Kale)
- L-Theanine
- Steviol Glycosides
Are G Fuel Cans Carbonated?
As G Fuel cans list carbonated water as an ingredient, as such, they are carbonated.
If you like G Fuel powder because of the lack of fizz, GFuel cans might not be the best thing for you since they are carbonated.
Apart from losing its smooth feel, you also can’t control how much formula goes into the drink, which might be an issue if you have a low caffeine metabolism, in which case, the G-Fuel powder might be more suitable.
So while it’s a lot easier to grab a GFuel can from the store, the powdered version does offer more flexibility without the fizz.
Are G Fuel Can Ingredients Vegan?
Now that you have an idea of the ingredients present in a can of G Fuel, let’s dive deeper into their source to determine how vegan they are:
| Ingredients | Properties | Source | Is It Vegan? |
| Sodium Gluconate | Preservative | Organic/ Synthetic | Yes |
| Malic Acid | Sour taste and food additive. | Synthetic | Yes |
| Caffeine | Stimulant | Plant-Based/Synthetic | Yes |
| Potassium Beta-Hydroxybutyrate | Ketone, possibly provides energy | Synthetic | Yes |
| Maltodextrin | Thickener, preservative and flavor improver. | Plant-based | Yes |
| Vitamin C | Growth, development and repair of all body tissues. | Plant-based/ Synthetic | Yes |
| Vitamin B3 | Converts nutrients into energy and has antioxidant effects | Synthetic | Yes |
| Vitamin B6 | Support immune functions and promote brain health | Synthetic | Yes |
| Vitamin B12 | Development of brain and nerve cells | Fugal/Plant-Based/ Synthetic | Yes |
| L-Tyrosine | Amino Acid | Synthetic | Usually, but not in Gfuel Cans. |
| Sucralose | Sweetener | Synthetic | Yes |
| Potassium Citrate | Acidity regulator | Synthetic | Yes |
| Citric Acid | Natural preservative, adds a sour taste to the drink | Synthetic | Yes |
| Acesulfame Potassium | Sweetener | Synthetic | Yes |
| Antioxidant Blend | Fruit and begetable extracts with antioxidising proerties | Plant-based | Yes |
| L-Theanine | Amino acid, Improves cognitive memory | Plant-Based/Synthetic | Yes |
| Steviol Glycosides | Sweetener | Plant-based | Yes |
The table above has been cross-referenced with PETA’s animal derivative ingredients list, which you could check with in case you’re still skeptical.
While almost all of the ingredients above are synthetically sourced or are derived from plants, L-Tyrosine happens to be an ingredient that isn’t universally vegan.
Is L-Tyrosine in G Fuel Cans Vegan?
L-Tyrosine can often be derived from plant or synthetic material, but some variations of it come from animal sources, which makes it a non-vegan ingredient.
In terms of its properties, L-Tyrosine is a beneficial amino acid that assists in memory and counteracts the effects of sleep deprivation, but whether it’s vegan or not is an entirely different story.
According to the information on tyrosine on PETA’s website:
Amino acid often of plant or synthetic origin but sometimes hydrolyzed from casein (milk)
PETA
On top of that, G Fuel’s official Twitter account has also stated that G Fuel is not vegan compliant, as shown below:
So there you have your answer. G Fuel cans aren’t completely vegan.
While it’s safe to assume that most of the content in G Fuel cans could be vegan, L-Tyrosine is probably what prevents G Fuel from being vegan.
If you’re an ethical vegan, as in someone who doesn’t consume animal products due to environmental and/or animal cruelty reasons, you should probably consider other energy drink alternatives than G Fuel cans.
That being said, if you’re a vegan for health reasons, the L-tyrosine content won’t negatively impact your overall diet, so read on to learn more about G Fuel cans from a health perspective.
Do G Fuel Cans Have Sugar?
G Fuel cans are labeled as sugar-free, so you’ll be pleased to know that canned G Fuel, similar to the powder version, does not have any added sugar present in the drink.
As G Fuel cans have no sugar, you don’t have to worry about the short or long-term effects of overconsumption of sugar as you do with other energy drinks.
Furthermore, the lack of sugar means that G Fuel cans are also calorie-free, so having one won’t negatively impact your weight loss or dieting efforts.
Besides that, with the lack of sugar present, you’ll also get to avoid the dreaded sugar crash; G Fuel can’t raise your blood sugar levels if there’s no sugar present in the drink
While you’ll get to avoid the dangers of sugar in G Fuel cans, the drink is still sweetened with artificial sweeteners, notably Sucralose and Acesulfame Potassium.
Fortunately, both Sucralose and Acesulfame Potassium have been approved for general use by the FDA, so it works as a healthier alternative to sugar that won’t hamper your diet.
However, there’s still quite a bit of uncertainty regarding their overall health effects in the long-run. So while it should be perfectly safe, cutting down on anything artificial is always a good idea.
How Much Caffeine Is in a G Fuel Can?
Each can of G Fuel contains 300mg of caffeine, ranking it as one of the energy drinks with the highest caffeine content.
With 300mg per 16 fl. oz, a can of G Fuel is one of the most highly caffeinated energy drinks available on the market, equal to both Reign and Bang in terms of its sheer amount of caffeine.
It’s a lot of caffeine in a can, which may not be too suitable for you if you’re caffeine-sensitive or are not used to it. But, if you need some extra pep in your step, you can’t go wrong with a G Fuel can.
For reference, the FDA generally approves a caffeine intake limit of no more than 400mg per day. Any more than that might lead to side effects such as:
- Restlessness and shakiness
- Insomnia
- Headaches
- Dizziness
- Abnormal heart rhythm
- Dehydration
- Anxiety
- Dependency
Caffeine metabolism also plays a factor in how likely you are to suffer from a caffeine overdose.
G-Fuel has a lot of caffeine, and I personally prefer somewhere between 50 to 100mg of caffeine per serving, so the caffeine content in G-Fuel cans are a bit strong for my liking.
While G Fuel might be great if you’re a hardened caffeine user, you might want to switch to something milder if you don’t have such a high tolerance, and definitely put the can down when you start to feel jittery.
Are G Fuel Cans Gluten-Free?
While the official G Fuel FAQ page states that G Fuel is gluten-free, G Fuel cans are manufactured alongside products that handle wheat, which might alter the final product.
While the GFuel Can formula itself doesn’t contain any gluten, GFuel Cans are apparently manufactured in a facility that also processes wheat.
This means, while highly unlikely, a can of G Fuel may contain traces of wheat within the drink, which might pose a problem if you have celiac disease.
I would personally recommend that you stay away from G Fuel cans if you have celiac disease, given the possibility of cross-contamination.
If you’re worried that this applies to its powdered variation, regular G Fuel Powder is gluten-free and isn’t processed in the same facility, so you should be fine if you have the powdered version of G Fuel instead.
Still, if you’re not too sure about the gluten content, it’s best to consult a health specialist to determine if adding any energy drink to your diet would prove beneficial to you.
Are G Fuel Cans Keto-Friendly?
As G Fuel cans are sugar-free and have zero calories, they should perfectly complement a keto diet if you’re following one.
The Keto Diet is a low-carb, high-fat diet that can provide a multitude of health benefits, such as weight loss and general health improvements.
You can find out more about keto diets in this video here:
Of course, undergoing a keto diet means you should probably stay away from anything that might contain too many carbs, so sugary energy drinks are definitely out the window.
G Fuel cans don’t contain any sugar or other complex carbohydrates that might greatly affect your carb intake, so G Fuel cans should complement your keto diet nicely.
If you’re looking for other energy drinks that are keto-friendly, I’ve written a complete guide on the best energy drinks for a keto diet, which you might find interesting.
Can I Have G Fuel Cans If I’m Vegan?
Ultimately, whether you choose to have G Fuel cans depends on the type of vegan you are. If you’re an ethical vegan, you should probably stay away from G Fuel cans.
On the other hand, if you’re vegan for the health benefits, the small protein content in G Fuel cans should not pose an issue to you.
Like many other things, veganism is a sliding scale. In the case of G Fuel cans, where you land on that scale will greatly impact your decision to have the drink or not.
As L-Tyrosine is an animal derivative, if you lean more towards ethical veganism, you’ll probably try to avoid canned G Fuel, and opt for other energy drinks instead.
However, if you’re a vegan for the health benefits, then the small protein content shouldn’t dissuade or ruin your plant-based diet too severely.
In short, it’s mostly your call to make. That being said, there are plenty of other energy drinks out there that are vegan-certified, so you could go for those instead of worrying over G Fuel cans.
How Much Are G Fuel Cans?
While their website lists a 12-pack of 16 fl. oz G Fuel Cans at around $32, most retailers sell them at about $24 per 12-pack.
For comparison, Bang is about $25 for a 12-pack while Reign is only around $19 for the same.
G Fuel cans are surprisingly pricey, roughly equating to between $2.67 to $1.97 depending on where you get them.
They also take some time to deliver, my purchase taking nearly 8 days to reach my door, which isn’t particularly fast.
Out of all the above high-caffeine, zero-calorie drinks, only Reign is considered to be truly vegan-friendly, as discussed in my article here. As a plus, it’s also a lot cheaper than the other options too.
Alternative Vegan Energy Drinks
While G Fuel cans aren’t exactly vegan-friendly, here are some other energy drinks which are vegan-friendly that you could try out:
REIZE (10 out of 10)
REIZE is a powdered energy drink that comes in a convenient 4g sachet. With a sensible 50mg of caffeine, it’s completely sugar-free and has only 11 calories per serving.
REIZE also contains a smart blend of taurine, ginseng, and B-group vitamins (all from vegan-friendly sources), which work together to give you the perfect energy boost without the sugar crash afterwards.
Plus, you can get REIZE shipped straight to your door in record time for only about $1 per drink. That’s outstanding value for money, especially considering the price of other energy drinks listed above.
Give REIZE a try, and you might find that it’s a better option than G Fuel cans.