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Pepto Bismol, commonly known simply as Pepto, is a popular over the counter medication used to treat stomach discomfort and other digestive issues. It has been around since the early 1900s and has become a staple in many households. But, is Pepto Bismol vegan?
Several Pepto Bismol products are vegan such as Pepto Original Liquid, Cherry Liquid, Ultra Liquid, Cherry Ultra Liquid, Ultra with InstaCOOL and Cherry Diarrhea Liquid. They don’t contain any ingredients sourced from animals.
Below is a table showing Pepto Bismol products and its vegan status.
| Flavor | Vegan Status |
| Pepto LiquiCaps Rapid Relief | No, contains Gelatin. |
| Pepto Original Liquid | Vegan. |
| Pepto Cherry Liquid | Vegan. |
| Pepto Original Caplets | Maybe, contains Magnesium Stearate. |
| Pepto Chewable Tablets Cherry | Maybe, contains Magnesium Stearate. |
| Pepto Chewable Tablets Original | Maybe, contains Magnesium Stearate. |
| Pepto To-Go Cherry Chewable Tablets | Maybe, contains Magnesium Stearate. |
| Pepto Chews | No, contains Beeswax and Shellac. |
| Pepto Ultra Liquid | Vegan. |
| Pepto Cherry Ultra Liquid | Vegan. |
| Pepto Ultra Caplets | Maybe, contains Magnesium Stearate. |
| Pepto Ultra with InstaCOOL | Vegan. |
| Pepto Cherry Diarrhea Liquid | Vegan. |
| Pepto Diarrhea LiquiCaps | No, contains Gelatin. |
| Pepto Diarrhea Caplets | Maybe, contains Magnesium Stearate. |
| Pepto Kids Chewable Tablets Bubblegum | Maybe, contains Magnesium Stearate. |
Pepto Bismol Ingredients
Below is a list of ingredients from all the flavors that I could find.
- Acacia
- Adipic Acid
- Aluminum Silicate
- Beeswax
- Benzoic Acid
- Calcium Carbonate
- Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride
- Carmine
- Carnauba Wax
- Citric Acid
- Corn Starch
- Corn Syrup
- Dextrin
- Flavor
- Gelatin
- Gellan Gum
- Glycerin
- Hydrogenated Coconut Oil
- Magnesium
- Magnesium Stearate
- Maltodextrin
- Mannitol
- Methylcellulose
- Microcrystalline Cellulose
- Pharmaceutical Ink
- Polyethylene Glycol
- Polysorbate 20
- Polysorbate 80
- Potassium Hydroxide
- Povidone
- Propylene Glycol
- Red 22
- Red 27 Aluminum Lake
- Red 28
- Red 40 Aluminum Lake
- Saccharin Sodium
- Salicylic Acid
- Shellac
- Silicon Dioxide
- Sodium Benzoate
- Sodium Salicylate
- Sodium Starch
- Sorbic Acid
- Sorbitol
- Sorbitol Sorbitan Solution
- Soy Lecithin
- Sucralose
- Sucrose
- Talc
- Titanium Dioxide
- Water
[Source]
As always I’ve highlighted the ingredients that we need to take a closer look at.
Non-Vegan Ingredients
Gelatin
Gelatin is made from animal and is not a vegan-friendly ingredient.
Shellac
This ingredient is made from bugs from Asia and is not considered vegan.
Questionable Ingredients
Flavor
Flavors are a very common ingredient in many food products, which can be very problematic for vegans. This is because flavors can have many different ingredients in it, without the source ever being disclosed. So I could contain animal-derived ingredients and just by reading the ingredients labels would not disclose this.
Magnesium Stearate
This ingredient can be made from both plants and animals.
Corn
Corn is one of the most common GMO crops in USA and the problem with these is the high amount of herbicide used to grow them. The herbicide can pollute the surrounding environment and damage it severely.
Artificial Colors
This ingredient is highly debated within the vegan community. A lot of vegans thinks that this ingredient is not vegan, while there are few that still consume them. The reason for this is the animal-testing that has been done and maybe still are going on.
here are other testing methods such as computer simulation that could replace testing on animals. There are also health issues connected to artificial colors such as hyperactivity in kids.
Conclusion
It’s great that at least 6 flavors of Pepto Bismol are vegan-friendly. More flavors could be vegan but contains magnesium stearate. Remember to read the ingredients label because companies can update their recipes.
Thanks for reading, take care!
