Cool Blue Thirst Quencher

Name: Cool Blue Thirst Quencher
Brand: Gatorade

0Avoid

Breakdown

Ultra-processed · 4 contaminants flagged · 4 ingredients to avoid

100

Lab-measured contaminants

Measured against published safety limits

−35

di(2-ethylhexyl) phthalate (dehp)−28

dimethylphthalate−6

dibutyl phthalate−1

Ingredients

−85

natural and artificial flavor−31

blue 1−30

dextrose−8

modified food starch−8

citric acid−2

3 smaller deductions−6

Processing

−10

NOVA 4: ultra-processed−10

Adjustments

What it takes to land on the final number

+30

Minimum score+30

Final score0

Contaminants · 18

1 at/over limit

Measured by an independent lab and compared against published safety limits.

Di(2-ethylhexyl) Phthalate (DEHP)11 ppbof 6 ppb

Over the limit — 1.8×US EPA drinking-water MCL, 40 CFR 141.61(c) — 0.006 mg/L. Applied to all foods as the TIGHTEST published DEHP number; the EU food-contact limit is looser (Reg. (EU) 10/2011 as amended by 2023/1442: SML 0.6 mg/kg, plus the 0.6 mg/kg DEHP-equivalent group limit with DBP/BBP/DIBP).

Dimethylphthalate6.23 ppbof 10 ppb

62% of the limitDMP is not on the EU Union list of substances authorised in food-contact plastics (Reg. (EU) 10/2011 Annex I), so no migration is permitted. Set at 0.01 mg/kg, the detection limit 10/2011 uses for not-detectable (ND) restrictions.

Dibutyl Phthalate15.3 ppbof 120 ppb

13% of the limitEU food-contact plastics, Reg. (EU) 10/2011 as amended by 2023/1442 — DBP SML 0.12 mg/kg (cut from 0.3). Also inside the 0.6 mg/kg DEHP-equivalent group limit (DBP x5).

Di (2-ethylhexyl) Terephthalate0.0457 ppmof 60 ppm

<1% of the limitEU food-contact plastics, Reg. (EU) 10/2011 — DEHT (FCM 798) SML 60 mg/kg, group restriction with DINCH. No tighter published limit exists (EFSA TDI 1 mg/kg bw/day).

Benzylbutyl PhthalateNDof 6 ppm

Not detectedEU food-contact plastics, Reg. (EU) 10/2011 as amended by 2023/1442 — BBP SML 6 mg/kg (cut from 30). Also inside the 0.6 mg/kg DEHP-equivalent group limit (BBP x0.1 = 6 mg/kg alone).

Bisphenol a (BPA)NDof 1 ppb

Not detectedEU Reg. (EU) 2024/3190 — BPA banned in food-contact materials from 20 Jan 2025 (old 0.05 mg/kg SML repealed); the residual exemptions require NO detectable migration at a 1 ug/kg detection limit. 1 ppb is therefore the tightest published number.

BpfNDof 10 ppb

Not detectedNot on the EU Union list of substances authorised in food-contact plastics (Reg. (EU) 10/2011 Annex I), and Reg. 2024/3190 restricts hazardous bisphenols; no migration is permitted. Set at 0.01 mg/kg, the detection limit 10/2011 uses for not-detectable (ND) restrictions.

BPS (Bisphenol s)NDof 50 ppb

Not detectedEU food-contact plastics, Reg. (EU) 10/2011 — BPS (4,4'-sulphonyldiphenol) SML 0.05 mg/kg; BfR applies the same 0.05 mg/kg.

Di-n-octyl PhthalateNDof 10 ppb

Not detectedDNOP is not on the EU Union list of substances authorised in food-contact plastics (Reg. (EU) 10/2011 Annex I), so no migration is permitted. Set at 0.01 mg/kg, the detection limit 10/2011 uses for not-detectable (ND) restrictions.

Dicyclohexyl PhthalateNDof 10 ppb

Not detectedDCHP is not on the EU Union list of substances authorised in food-contact plastics (Reg. (EU) 10/2011 Annex I), so no migration is permitted. Set at 0.01 mg/kg, the detection limit 10/2011 uses for not-detectable (ND) restrictions.

Diethylhexyl AdipateNDof 18 ppm

Not detectedEU food-contact plastics, Reg. (EU) 10/2011 — DEHA (FCM 207) SML 18 mg/kg.

DiethylphthalateNDof 10 ppb

Not detectedDEP is not on the EU Union list of substances authorised in food-contact plastics (Reg. (EU) 10/2011 Annex I), so no migration is permitted. Set at 0.01 mg/kg, the detection limit 10/2011 uses for not-detectable (ND) restrictions.

Dihexyl PhthalateNDof 10 ppb

Not detectedDNHP (di-n-hexyl phthalate, EU Repr. 1B) is not on the EU Union list of substances authorised in food-contact plastics (Reg. (EU) 10/2011 Annex I), so no migration is permitted. Set at 0.01 mg/kg, the detection limit 10/2011 uses for not-detectable (ND) restrictions.

Diisobutyl PhthalateNDof 150 ppb

Not detectedEU food-contact plastics, Reg. (EU) 2023/1442 group restriction — DBP x5 + DIBP x4 + BBP x0.1 + DEHP <= 0.6 mg/kg DEHP-equivalents, so DIBP alone may not exceed 0.15 mg/kg. DIBP is not itself an authorised substance.

Diisodecyl AdipateNDof 10 ppb

Not detectedDIDA (diisodecyl adipate) is not on the EU Union list of substances authorised in food-contact plastics (Reg. (EU) 10/2011 Annex I), so no migration is permitted. Set at 0.01 mg/kg, the detection limit 10/2011 uses for not-detectable (ND) restrictions.

Diisodecyl PhthalateNDof 1.8 ppm

Not detectedEU food-contact plastics, Reg. (EU) 10/2011 as amended by 2023/1442 — DINP+DIDP group SML 1.8 mg/kg (sum). Applied to each alone.

Diisononyl 1,2-cyclohexanedicarboxylic AcidNDof 60 ppm

Not detectedEU food-contact plastics, Reg. (EU) 10/2011 — DINCH (FCM 775) group restriction with DEHT, 60 mg/kg. No tighter published limit exists (EFSA TDI 1 mg/kg bw/day).

Diisononyl ortho PhthalateNDof 1.8 ppm

Not detectedEU food-contact plastics, Reg. (EU) 10/2011 as amended by 2023/1442 — DINP+DIDP group SML 1.8 mg/kg (sum). Applied to each alone.

Ingredients · 11

GoodCautionAvoid

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Healthier swaps

Same shelf, cleaner ingredients

Nutrition facts

Nutrient	Per 100ml	Per serving
Calories	22.22 kcal	80 kcal
Fat	0 g	0 g
Saturated fat	0 g	0 g
Carbohydrates	6.11 g	22 g
Sugars	5.83 g	21 g
Fiber	0 g	0 g
Protein	0 g	0 g
Sodium	0.04 g	0.16 g

Browse Sports & Electrolyte Drinks

Common questions

Is Gatorade Cool Blue Thirst Quencher healthy?

Gatorade Cool Blue Thirst Quencher scores 0/100 on Tallow — our avoid band. That number comes from what is on the label: the ingredients, how processed it is, and what it is packaged in. Per serving it carries 0g fiber, 0g protein and 21g sugar. It is not a verdict on your diet — Tallow does not weigh calories, portion size or how often you eat it, so a high score means the ingredients are clean, not that the food is unlimited.

What is in Gatorade Cool Blue Thirst Quencher?

Gatorade Cool Blue Thirst Quencher lists 11 ingredients, starting with Water, Sugar, Dextrose, Citric Acid and Natural and Artificial Flavor. Ingredients are listed in descending order by weight, so the first few make up most of what you are eating.

How many calories are in Gatorade Cool Blue Thirst Quencher?

80 kcal per serving, or 22 kcal per 100ml. Calories are only part of the picture — Tallow scores Gatorade Cool Blue Thirst Quencher on what the ingredients are, not how many calories they carry.

Does Gatorade Cool Blue Thirst Quencher contain seed oils?

No. Nothing in Gatorade Cool Blue Thirst Quencher’s ingredient list matches a seed oil — canola, soybean, corn, cottonseed, grapeseed, sunflower, safflower, rice bran or peanut oil, or an unspecified "vegetable oil".

How processed is Gatorade Cool Blue Thirst Quencher?

Gatorade Cool Blue Thirst Quencher is NOVA group 4: ultra-processed. That is the top of the scale and the classification the score penalises most heavily.

How does Gatorade Cool Blue Thirst Quencher compare to other sports & electrolyte drinks?

At 0/100 Gatorade Cool Blue Thirst Quencher scores worse than most sports & electrolyte drinks we have scored. A higher-scoring option in sports & electrolyte drinks is BODYARMOR SportWater Electrolytes at 96/100.

Is Gatorade Cool Blue Thirst Quencher organic?

Gatorade Cool Blue Thirst Quencher is not certified organic in our data.

Has Gatorade Cool Blue Thirst Quencher been lab tested?

Yes. 18 substances in Gatorade Cool Blue Thirst Quencher have a laboratory result on file — see the Contaminants section above for each reading and the limit it was measured against.

Does Gatorade Cool Blue Thirst Quencher contain phthalates?

Yes. A lab detected DEHP at 11 ppb against a 6 ppb limit, dibutyl phthalate at 15.3 ppb against a 120 ppb limit and dimethylphthalate at 6.23 ppb against a 10 ppb limit in Gatorade Cool Blue Thirst Quencher. It tested for 8 other phthalates and found none above its detection limit. Each reading is in the Contaminants section above.

Full methodology: how we score products.