Pedialyte has encountered many helpful applications for those who are looking to solve various gastrointestinal problems over the years. Some critics further wonder how is Pedialyte gluten free and is Pedialyte good for you? When is Pedialyte good for dehydration and when is Pedialyte good for diarrhea? All of these questions and more will be answered in this helpful explanation of the ingredients of Pedialyte.
Is Pedialyte gluten free?
It wouldn’t be fair to say that all Pedialyte products are all the same. Some come in liquid drink form, while some are offered as popsicle versions that can be frozen. Then there is a powdered version that is added to water. All of these variants come from the same company and feature fruity flavors. It’s safe to say that the liquid versions are 100% gluten-free and are safe for those who may have celiac disease.
The big product in question is the powdered version that is specifically not labeled gluten-free. The bigger question is what is in the powdered version that would give any reason that anything with gluten is included at all. The company Abbot who is the producer of Pedialyte has specified that Pedialyte powders do not contain gluten and are gluten-free. That hasn’t stopped internet sleuths from making unconfirmed claims on Facebook and Twitter.
Sadly, the website Gluten Free Watchdog is the biggest scammer for this claim which specifically makes non-members subscribe for a premium membership ($30.00) just to see their testing results. If it was a matter of life or death for those with celiac disease, you simply don’t charge money to show a gluten test result! The truth is that Pedialyte powder most likely doesn’t have any gluten in the powdered ingredients whatsoever.
Is Pedialyte good for you?
There is a line that you have to draw when it comes to using Pedialyte. This is not an energy drink or nutrition drink that should be consumed every day. The whole purpose of Pedialyte is to help adults and children restore and rehydrate if they have been sick or have lost a lot of water in a short amount of time. This is why many sports fitness enthusiasts have chosen Pedialyte instead of Gatorade to replenish lost electrolytes such as potassium and sodium.
You should never drink Pedialyte if there is no need to drink it. This can cause a variety of side effects that will make healthy people feel worse. Not only that, but drinking Pedialyte without any reason may also cause minor side effects that include hand swelling, chest tightness, and even headaches. This product is a supplement that should be used for rehydration purposes only which is basically when there is a minor health emergency.
Suffice to say, Pedialyte has no health benefits for you if you are looking to have nutritional value. There are plenty of fruit juices that can be enjoyed instead if you are looking for natural vitamins.
Pedialyte nutritional facts
Deeper information about Pedialyte here: Pedialyte information
| Nutrition facts | Pedialyte Berry Frost Advanced Care Electrolyte Solution | Pedialyte Iced Grape Advanced Care Electrolyte Solution | Pedialyte Tropical Fruit Advanced Care Electrolyte Solution | Pedialyte Unflavored Electrolyte Solution |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Units | 12 fl oz | 12 fl oz | 12 fl oz | 12 fl oz |
| Calories | 25 | 25 | 25 | 35 |
| Total Fat | 0g | 0g | 0g | 0g |
| Sodium | 490mg | 490mg | 370mg | 370mg |
| Carbohydrates | 6g | 6g | 6g | 9g |
| Protein | 0g | 0g | 0g | 0g |
| Sugars | 6g | 6g | 6g | 9g |
| Dietary Fiber | 0g | 0g | 0g | 0g |
| Calcium | 0mg | 0mg | 0mg | 0mg |
| Iron | 0mg | 0mg | 0mg | 0mg |
Pedialyte ingredients
Deeper information about Pedialyte here: Pedialyte information
Pedialyte unflavored
- MEDICINAL INGREDIENTS
- Sodium
- odium chloride
- sodium citrate
- potassium
- potassium citrate
- chloride
- sodium chloride
- Sodium
- NON-MEDICINAL INGREDIENTS
- Water
- dextrose
- citric acid
- CONTAINS
- Ingredient associated with food intolerances and/or sensitivities: Citric acid
Pedialyte grape
- MEDICINAL INGREDIENTS
- Sodium
- sodium chloride
- sodium citrate
- potassium
- potassium citrate
- chloride
- sodium chloride
- Sodium
- NON-MEDICINAL INGREDIENTS
- Water
- dextrose
- citric acid
- artificial grape flavour
- sucralose
- acesulfame potassium
- FD&C Red No. 40
- FD&C Blue No. 1.
- CONTAINS
- Ingredients associated with food intolerances and/or sensitivities:
- Citric acid
- colours
- natural and artificial flavours
- Ingredients associated with food intolerances and/or sensitivities:
Pedialyte fruit
- MEDICINAL INGREDIENTS
- Sodium
- sodium chloride
- sodium citrate
- potassium
- potassium citrate
- chloride
- sodium chloride
- Sodium
- NON-MEDICINAL INGREDIENTS
- Water
- dextrose
- citric acid
- natural and artificial fruit flavour
- sucralose
- acesulfame potassium
- FD&C yellow No. 6
- CONTAINS
- Ingredients associated with food intolerances and/or sensitivities:
- Citric acid
- colours
- natural and artificial flavours
- Ingredients associated with food intolerances and/or sensitivities:
Is Pedialyte vegan?
It seems we have another winner for pushing poor information that is very misleading. According to Can Vegans Eat, they are basing their information on a post on Twitter that specifies that only Pedialyte Advanced Care Products contain milk-based ingredients. The Pedialyte line that also contains milk-based products also includes:
- Pedialyte Advanced Care
- Pedialyte Advanced Care Plus
- Pedialyte with Immune Support Liters
- Pedialyte Sport Liters
Even though the post from Pedialyte, they should know that posting only one of their products that isn’t vegan-friendly is a bad sign of non-transparency. Not that the vegan community is going to question where Pedialyte is getting its citric acid imported from. The largest importer of Citric Acid is the People’s Republic of China. They are not regulated by the FDA and grow fruits and corn using GMOs that are used to produce citric acid.
It’s an ethical question purely by some who are vegan activists that are claiming that citric acid is not vegan-friendly, just as Palm oil is considered non-vegan. It’s merely a matter of time before citric acid is considered non-vegan due to China’s extensive usage of GMOs.
Is Pedialyte good for dehydration?
The proper question that should always be asked about Pedialyte being used to treat dehydration is not if it’s good, but what kind of dehydration is it good for? Healthline has concluded that Pedialyte is best for mild to moderate hydration. But they must match the type of dehydration that matches what mild to moderate symptoms are actually meaning. This can include symptoms that are excessive urination, sweating, vomiting, and diarrhea.
Anything more serious than moderate and you better consult a doctor or seek medical assistance. This is why Pedialyte has been marketed recently for those who are looking for a hangover cure. The balanced amounts of sodium and potassium in addition to the amounts of liquids lost for urination or vomiting caused by drinking are very helpful. You rarely see anyone dying from being hung-over, even though it does feel that way at times…
Pedialyte is also better to drink than ordinary water since there is very little nutritional value contained in tap or bottled water. This is why it’s always been recommended for little kids and babies that have mild stomach disorders or need something that will help replace liquids that they’ve lost.
Is Pedialyte good for diarrhea?
To be perfectly clear, Pedialyte is not used to treat diarrhea or prevent it from getting worse. The contents of Pedialyte are used to help children and adults recover lost electrolytes that are the result of vomiting, diarrhea, and other stomach bugs that make you urinate too much. It’s helpful to drink Pedialyte if you have food poisoning and diarrhea and vomiting symptoms that go with it.
Flu symptoms and viral stomach sicknesses that adults and children can have will also benefit from not drinking old remedy drinks such as Sprite or Ginger Ale. These contain sugars that can actually make diarrhea much worse. This is why Pedialyte has proven that it works better to replace nutrients that help your body to recover easier when diarrhea problems occur.