Direct to the point: Yes, Red Bull is totally gluten-free.
With the increasing controversies regarding gluten and its health effects, many people are removing gluten from their diet these days.
Now if you’re wondering whether a classic energy drink like Red Bull is gluten-free or not, I’d like to assure you that Red Bull is indeed gluten-free.
In fact, according to their official website, Red Bull is absolutely gluten-free, lactose-free, wheat-free and, dairy-free.
However, some of you may still have doubts regarding this matter. But don’t worry, I’m here to help you out.
So keep reading!
Recently, people are keener on learning if their favorite drink goes by all the necessary factors that they maintain in their lives. And the issue of gluten has raised many questions about whether or not Red Bull is gluten-free.
In this article, I’ll tell you all about Red Bull’s ingredients being gluten-free, and whether you should live a gluten-free life or not.
So, let’s start by taking a look at what gluten is.
Page Contents
Can you drink Red Bull if you have celiac disease?
You can not drink Red Bull if you have celiac disease. The ingredients of Red Bull, which is an energy drink, do not have any gluten. Red Bull does not provide any information regarding the presence of gluten in any of its other products.
Can celiacs drink energy drinks?
Celiacs are able to consume energy drinks provided that they do not include any gluten traces. Since Red Bull does not include any gluten, wheat, lactose, or dairy ingredients, it is safe for consumption by anybody, including those with celiac disease.
What Is Gluten and Why it could be bad for you?
Gluten is a natural protein present in cereal grains like wheat, barley, and rye. It basically works as a binding agent that gives the gluten-containing products a soft, elastic-like chewy texture.
Other than that, it is also used as an additive to preserve the moisture of processed food.
Gluten has always been a controversial topic because it tends to damage the small intestine in people who have celiac disease.
Even though many sources claim that it is safe for everyone except for those who are suffering from celiac disease, some health experts believe that gluten can be harmful to most people if not all.
It’s because gluten can lead to many health conditions, such as:
Celiac Disease
Celiac disease is a type of autoimmune disorder or a severe case of gluten intolerance.
People with this disease refrain from eating gluten because if they do so, the gluten will eventually damage their small intestine.
Common symptoms of celiac disease are:
- digestive discomfort
- bloating
- constipation
- diarrhea
- headache
- skin rashes
However, some people with celiac disease don’t necessarily feel any of these symptoms.
Around 80% of people who have celiac disease don’t even know that they have this disease, which is why doctors have a hard time diagnosing the disease in the first place.
Non-Celiac Gluten Sensitivity
Non-celiac gluten sensitivity is a condition where individuals can still not tolerate gluten despite testing negative for celiac disease.
Common symptoms of this kind of sensitivity include:
- diarrhea
- exhaustion
- bloating
Irritable Bowel Syndrome (IBS)
Irritable Bowel Syndrome is a medical condition that makes your digestive system more sensitive to some particular food and drink products (including gluten), which later causes bloating and discomfort.
Although it’s a chronic condition, you can still prevent it by following a certain diet, proper stress management, and lifestyle changes.
Wheat Allergy
Wheat Allergy is a condition where a person starts to develop various health issues like skin problems or breathing complications when they consume or even come in contact with wheat or any wheat-based product.
As a result, they need to maintain a gluten-free diet as well. They can still consume other grains like rye and barley though.
Common symptoms of Wheat Allergy include:
- rash
- eczema
- breathing problems
- weight loss
Wheat Intolerance
This is the most general form of gluten intolerance.
People with this kind of intolerance don’t necessarily have any medical health condition but they’re not allowed to consume anything wheat-based because that will cause them discomfort.
Therefore, they too are recommended to follow a gluten-free diet.
What Does Gluten-Free exactly mean?
Gluten-free food doesn’t contain any wheat or wheat-based ingredients. They usually have labels on them so that you know they’re actually certified gluten-free products.
But the use of labels is voluntary for manufacturers. As a result, you may find products with no labels that are actually gluten-free. So, do your own research to ensure that a food or product is gluten-free.
According to the FDA, food and drink products that contain less than 20 parts per million (ppm) of gluten can be labelled as Gluten-free products. The labels generally say the following:
- Gluten-free
- Free of gluten
- No gluten
- Without gluten
Products that contain the following substances can’t be labeled as gluten-free products:
- Any kind of wheat, rye, barley, or wheat-based product
- Any product that hasn’t undergone the gluten removal process
- Any product that contains more than 20ppm of gluten.
Is Red Bull Energy Drink Gluten-Free?
Red Bull energy drink is completely gluten-free as stated by their official website.
Red Bull Original, Red Bull Sugar-Free, and Red Bull Total Zero, all the three basic formulations of Red Bull Energy Drink are gluten-free to 20ppm, which makes it just the right gluten-free drink to include in your diet.
Let’s deep dive into the ingredients of Red Bull to see in what ways Red Bull is a gluten-free energy drink.
Are the Ingredients in Red Bull Gluten-Free?
Here are the ingredients that goes inside a can of Red Bull energy drink:
- Caffeine
- Carbonated Water
- Sucrose
- Glucose
- Citric Acid
- Taurine
- Niacinamide
- Calcium Pantothenate
- Sodium Bicarbonate
- Magnesium Carbonate
- Vitamin B12
- Pyridoxine HCI
- Natural and Artificial Tones & Flavors
As you can see, there are no indications of wheat or wheat-based ingredients in the list. If you’re still not convinced let’s take a look at the nutrition facts as well to clear everything out fully.
Also, you can check out this article I’ve written that has an extensive breakdown of Red Bull energy drink ingredients.
Red Bull Nutrition Facts
You will find Red Bull’s nutrition facts along with their amounts in the table below.
| Daily Values | Amount (8.4 fl oz) |
| Energy | 110 calories |
| Caffeine | 80 mg |
| Fat (Of which Saturated) | 0 g (0 g) |
| Carbohydrate (Of which Sugars) | 28 g (27 g) |
| Sodium | 105 mg |
| Vitamin B3 (Niacin) | 22 mg |
| Vitamin B5 (Pantothenic Acid) | 5 mg |
| Vitamin B6 | 5 mg |
| Vitamin B12 | 5.1 µg |
The main ingredients of Red Bull consist of caffeine, sugar, taurine, and B-Vitamins, none of which is composed of gluten.
Therefore it’s quite clear that none of the ingredients of Red Bull has got any trace of gluten or wheat-based product.
However, just because Red Bull is gluten-free doesn’t mean you can binge-drink it. The drink has quite a lot of sugar for a small can which is something to watch out for even if it’s gluten-free.
Just like any other processed foods and beverages, consumption of too much Red Bull can lead to adverse effects.
How Necessary is it for you to go Gluten-Free?
If you’re someone who is not diagnosed with celiac disease or any kind of wheat intolerance then I don’t see any reason for you to go gluten-free.
Even though Gluten doesn’t have any health benefits other than the fact that it makes food like bread and cakes more tasty and chewy, there’s nothing bad about it. Especially if you don’t seem to have any intolerance problem.
There are some benefits that you may obtain from a gluten-free diet, such as reduced obesity, less fatigue, and improved performance. According to this article, 26-30% of adults in the United States have started a gluten-free diet.
On the downside, while maintaining a gluten-free life, you’d normally eliminate wheat products from your diet. And this would make you low in fiber. In most cases, you’re prone to unhealthy bowel movements due to not having fibrous foods, which can eventually give you constipation.
Again, according to this article, having a gluten-free diet can make you deficient in nutrient factors such as iron, vitamin B12, calcium, zinc, vitamins, and folate.
Everything depends on your gluten tolerance level and your way of viewing things. So it’s for you to decide what’s better for your health.
You may find this video helpful to decide whether you should go Gluten-Free or not.
Is Red Bull Yellow Edition gluten free?
As per the website, Red Bull Energy Drink is a gluten-free, wheat-free, lactose-free, and dairy-free beverage.
This means that individuals with gluten sensitivity, wheat allergies, lactose intolerance, or dairy-free dietary preferences can enjoy Red Bull without concerns. So, feel free to grab a can of Red Bull and enjoy its energizing benefits without any worries about gluten, wheat, lactose, or dairy ingredients.
Are all energy drinks gluten free?
Not all energy drinks are gluten-free. While some energy drinks may be formulated without gluten-containing ingredients, others may include additives or additives that could potentially contain gluten.
If you follow a gluten-free diet or have gluten intolerance or celiac disease, it’s advisable to choose energy drinks that are specifically labeled as gluten-free to ensure they meet your dietary needs.
Gluten-Free Energy Drinks that are similar to Red Bull
In case you’re wondering, here’s a quick list of certified gluten-free energy drinks that you can have instead of Red Bull:
Final Say
Since Red Bull doesn’t contain any wheat, rye, barley, or any trace of wheat-based product. So we can conclude that it is absolutely gluten-free.
It is also stated on Red Bull’s official website that their energy drink is free of gluten. Therefore, people with gluten-intolerance can drink Red Bull without worrying about anything.
Although there are no gluten-based ingredients in Red Bull, I’d still recommend you consult your physician before consuming Red Bull or any other energy drinks.
But if you simply believe in a gluten-free lifestyle, you definitely don’t have to double-think about having a can of Red Bull.
So stop stressing over it and go get your favorite Red Bull Energy Drink.
Don’t buy Red Bull before you check out my complete buying guide. It will help you get the best deal and make sure you don’t pay too much.