Mostly yes. LMNT's citrus and fruit flavors list citric acid second on the label, right after salt. But five of LMNT's regular stick pack options contain no citric acid at all: Raw Unflavored, Chocolate Salt, Chocolate Caramel, Watermelon Salt, and Mango Chili. The last two use malic acid instead, according to LMNT's own ingredients page.
If you searched this, you are probably checking labels for a reason: tooth enamel, canker sores, interstitial cystitis, or a sensitivity you are still trying to pin down. So here is the same straight answer for the other two brands people ask about. Liquid IV contains citric acid in every Hydration Multiplier packet, listed immediately after the sugars. Pedialyte contains citric acid in every version, including Unflavored. The details, with the labels quoted verbatim, are below.
LMNT, flavor by flavor
LMNT publishes full ingredient lists for every flavor, and the acid changes depending on which one you pick. Here is the breakdown from LMNT's flavor ingredient list:
| LMNT stick pack flavor | Acid on the label |
|---|---|
| Citrus Salt, Grapefruit Salt, Orange Salt, Raspberry Salt, Lemonade Salt | Citric acid |
| Watermelon Salt, Mango Chili | Malic acid, no citric acid |
| Raw Unflavored, Chocolate Salt, Chocolate Caramel | No added acid at all |
For example, Citrus Salt reads: Salt (Sodium Chloride), Citric Acid, Magnesium Malate, Potassium Chloride, Natural Lemon & Lime Flavors, Stevia Leaf Extract. Raw Unflavored reads, in full: Salt (Sodium Chloride), Magnesium Malate, Potassium Chloride.
Two details most answers skip:
The chocolate flavors qualify too. Most articles, including an earlier guide of ours, point citric acid avoiders to Raw Unflavored and stop there. LMNT's own lists show Chocolate Salt and Chocolate Caramel also carry no citric acid and no malic acid.
No LMNT flavor contains citrates. Sodium citrate and potassium citrate are salts made from citric acid, and the strictest avoiders skip those as well. LMNT uses chloride and malate forms instead, so even the flavored packets are citrate free. That matters once you see what is in the other two brands.
Note that LMNT's canned sparkling line is a different story: most sparkling flavors do list citric acid.
Does Liquid IV have citric acid?
Yes, every Hydration Multiplier packet. On the manufacturer's label for Lemon Lime, citric acid is listed immediately after the sugar blend of pure cane sugar and dextrose, ahead of the salt. The same label also lists potassium citrate and sodium citrate, plus silicon dioxide as a flow agent.
The sugar free version does not escape it either. On that label, with the sugars gone, citric acid moves up to near the top of the list, again joined by both citrates.
So for anyone avoiding citric acid strictly, Liquid IV fails on both counts: the acid itself and two citrate salts. There is no unflavored or acid free option in the lineup.
Does Pedialyte have citric acid?
Yes, in every version, and this is the one that surprises people. Even Pedialyte Unflavored contains citric acid. Abbott's own label for Pedialyte with zinc, Unflavoured reads: dextrose, potassium citrate, sodium chloride, sodium citrate, citric acid, zinc gluconate, in water. The US unflavored bottle carries the same short list.
That means Pedialyte stacks citric acid on top of both citrate salts, with no flavor involved at all. The acid is doing preservation and pH work, not taste work. Abbott lists the sodium content at 1035 mg per liter, which is why Pedialyte rehydrates well. It is built on the same sodium and glucose pairing behind the WHO rehydration formula. It just is not an option for a strict no citric acid protocol.
The unflavored trap
Unflavored does not mean acid free. People reasonably assume the acid is there for tartness, so removing the flavor should remove the acid. Sometimes true, sometimes not:
| Unflavored product | Citric acid | Citrates |
|---|---|---|
| LMNT Raw Unflavored | No | No |
| Buoy Unflavored Drops | No | No |
| Pedialyte Unflavored | Yes | Yes, both sodium and potassium citrate |
The only way to know is to read the ingredient list on the exact product, not the brand's reputation. One line of label text settles it every time.
Quick comparison
| Product | Added citric acid | Citrates | USDA Organic |
|---|---|---|---|
| LMNT citrus and fruit flavors | Yes | No | No |
| LMNT Watermelon Salt, Mango Chili | No (malic acid) | No | No |
| LMNT Raw Unflavored, Chocolate Salt, Chocolate Caramel | No | No | No |
| Liquid IV Hydration Multiplier, all packets | Yes | Yes | No |
| Pedialyte, all versions including Unflavored | Yes | Yes | No |
| GREEN Hot Mix | No | No | Yes |
| GREEN Cold Mix | Yes | No | Yes |
Why people check for citric acid at all
The short version: nearly all commercial citric acid is manufactured by fermenting sugar with the mold Aspergillus niger rather than squeezed from fruit, and some people avoid it for tooth enamel, mouth and stomach irritation, or restricted diets like low acid protocols for interstitial cystitis. We cover the evidence, including what is and is not proven, in our full guide to electrolytes without citric acid. For the wider category, including water flavorings and drink mixes, see our category guide to drinks without citric acid.
Where GREEN fits
Disclosure: GREEN is our product, so weigh this section accordingly.
Our Hot Mix contains no citric acid and no citrates. Here is the full label, nothing left out: Organic Cacao, Pressed Organic Cane Juice, Organic Coconut Water, Pink Himalayan Sea Salt, Organic Flavors, Organic Rice Fiber, Organic Green Coffee Bean Extract (180mg caffeine), and Organic Stevia Leaf Extract. It is a USDA Certified Organic cacao drink that replaces coffee with clean energy and hydration. The formula is based on the science of Oral Rehydration Therapy, the sodium and glucose pairing behind the WHO rehydration formula. If you want the caffeine details, we published the same style of straight answer about LMNT and caffeine.
Straight talk about our Cold Mix: it does contain citric acid, listed on the pouch as its own ingredient. If you are avoiding citric acid, skip the Cold Mix and reach for the Hot Mix. We would rather say that plainly than have you find it on the label.
The bottom line
Does LMNT have citric acid? The citrus and fruit flavors do. Raw Unflavored, both chocolate flavors, Watermelon Salt, and Mango Chili do not, and no LMNT flavor contains citrates. Liquid IV has citric acid plus both citrates in every packet. Pedialyte has citric acid plus both citrates in every version, even Unflavored. And if you want a citric acid free option that also replaces your morning coffee, GREEN's Hot Mix is the one on this page that is USDA Certified Organic with 180mg of natural caffeine and zero citric acid.
