Which Bottled Iced Tea Brands Are Gluten-Free?

You'd think that iced tea—usually made up of tea and some sort of sweetener, possibly with some flavoring thrown in—would generally be gluten-free. It's true that plain tea leaves are free of gluten (assuming they haven't been subjected to gluten cross-contamination in harvesting and processing).

However, it gets complicated when you consider bottled iced tea brands and iced tea mixes, since they are processed products and almost always contain added ingredients such as sugar and other flavors. Find out which iced tea products are gluten-free and safe for you to drink.

Gluten-Free Iced Tea List

There are plenty of iced teas on the market that are considered gluten-free to at least 20 parts per million. You'll find that all of the bottled iced teas and iced tea mixes on this list are gluten-free.

AriZona Iced Teas and Tea Mixes

AriZona brand offers teas and juice blends in colorfully decorated bottles and cans, plus iced tea mixes. According to the company's Frequently Asked Questions, "all of our tea and juice beverages are gluten-free."

Gold Peak Teas

Gold Peak, owned by the Coca-Cola Co., makes five different varieties of iced tea: Sweetened Iced Tea, Diet Iced Tea, Sweetened Green Iced Tea, Lemon Iced Tea, and Unsweetened Iced Tea. The only one of these that appear on Coca-Cola's U.S. gluten-free list is Gold Peak Unsweetened Tea.

Honest Tea

This independent brand (fully acquired by The Coca-Cola Co. in 2011) has made a name for itself by specializing in lower-calorie beverages sweetened with less sugar than typical bottled iced tea. All of its varieties are considered gluten-free, according to the company FAQ page.

Lipton Bottled Teas and Iced Tea Mixes

Lipton makes a variety of different bottled iced teas and ice tea powdered mixes in different flavors. The company does not publish a gluten-free list and does not test for gluten. The Lipton FAQ page currently claims no ingredients in its products are derived from grains or flours associated with gluten sensitivity, however.

Republic of Tea

If you prefer unsweetened tea in a bottle, you may want to consider one of Republic of Tea's eight gourmet flavors. All are certified gluten-free by the Gluten-Free Certification Organization (GFCO), which requires products to test below 10 parts per million of gluten.

Snapple

This popular iced tea brand states that none of its products contain gluten.

SoBe Iced Teas

SoBe makes a line of exotic tea and fruit blends, including two that would qualify as bottled iced teas: SoBe Energize Green Tea and SoBe Lean Honey Green Tea. SoBe products are manufactured by PepsiCo, which only discloses wheat, not all potential gluten sources (none are listed as containing wheat).

Tazo Bottled Teas

Per the company website, "Tea doesn't naturally contain gluten, but we also do not perform testing to be able to claim gluten free on tea and herbals. Without specifically requesting and putting testing into place, we can't guarantee gluten free from cross contamination."

A Word From Verywell

It's clear that most iced tea you'll find—but not all—is safe on the gluten-free diet. Remember that although many beverage companies remove gluten from their products (as opposed to adding it), you should always check labels every time you buy.

Finally, many of these products are manufactured in facilities or even on equipment that also processes gluten ingredients. Therefore, if you're particularly sensitive to trace gluten, you may react to some of these even though they meet the current "gluten-free" standard. Always drink with caution and listen to your body—it may be trying to tell you something.