What Can You Drink On A Plant-Based Diet?

You'll find that most drinks are vegan or at least can be made vegan–whether it's a frothy latte or a bubbling glass of champagne. Alcohol is probably the trickiest type of drink to find vegan versions of, as they tend to contain animal products or be manufactured using non-vegan methods. 

The easiest and most reliable way to tell if a product is vegan-friendly is by looking for the vegan label. Unfortunately, however, accidentally vegan products don't always have an indication that they're vegan, so sometimes you'll have to rely on the internet or the ingredients list!

So, what drinks are suitable for vegans?

All coffee grounds, beans and instant coffee are vegan; all you have to do is substitute cow's milk for one of the many fantastic plant milks out there. Likewise, most teas should be vegan-friendly, except those containing honey. Hot chocolate powders often contain dairy ingredients, but there are a few accidentally-vegan products such as Cadbury's Drinking Chocolate. 

Vegan coffee

Vegan tea

Vegan hot chocolate 

Most fizzy drinks are vegan-friendly, such as coca-cola and sprite. They're mainly made of carbonated water, sweeteners and artificial flavourings. Although, there are healthier alternatives, such as Karma Cola that's made of organic and real ingredients. 

Vegan fizzy drinks

Juices are usually vegan-friendly as they are mainly composed of various fruits. However, sometimes they are not vegan due to the production process, and some may contain fortified vitamins that are derived from animal products, such as certain orange juices.

Vegan fruit juice

Kombucha is a slightly fizzy drink made through the process of fermentation. It uses sweetened tea and SCOBY (symbiotic culture of bacteria and yeast) to form a tasty, healthy alternative to conventional soft drinks. Many people have taken to brewing kombucha from home, but you can buy it ready-made, and it's almost always vegan.

Vegan kombucha

Not all vegan-friendly alcohol has a vegan label, so it's not always obvious what is and isn't suitable for vegans. Barnivore is one of the most helpful websites for looking for vegan alcohol!

Vegan non-alcoholic beer 

Vegan non-alcoholic wine

Squash/diluting juice is a concentrated syrup that's often fruit-flavoured. It's high in sugar. It's surprisingly not always vegan. For example, last year, Vimto announced that their squashes were no longer vegan as they contain vitamin D derived from sheep's wool. 

Vegan diluting juice

Most smoothies are predominantly made up of plant foods, like fruits, vegetables, and seeds. However, many contain milk, so be cautious when buying a ready-made drink. Smoothies may also contain sweeteners–so watch out for honey! 

Vegan smoothies