Do you love snacking on chips? If so, nothing hits the spot more than munching on a large bag of Doritos.
Whether it’s while watching a movie or when those untimely hunger pangs strike, Doritos provide that satisfying and savory crunch you’re looking for.
But, if you’ve turned vegan, you might wonder if you can still enjoy this delicious snack.
Are Doritos vegan?
Yes and no! Some Doritos flavors are vegan, and some aren’t. So, there isn’t a clear-cut answer to this question. But we’ll go over all of that in this article.
Which Doritos Flavors are Vegan?
We’ve got sad news for all the Doritos fans out there who have turned vegan.
There are only a few Doritos flavors that are suitable for vegans, and that list doesn’t include the two classic flavors that are everyone’s absolute favorite.
Sadly, Cool Ranch and Nacho Cheese Doritos are not vegan-friendly. But, don’t lose heart! The original Doritos, i.e., Toasted Corn Tortilla Chips, are vegan.
Doritos Blaze and Spicy Sweet Chili flavors are also generally classified as vegan. But, there are a few things that can raise suspicion for ardent vegans out there who’ve wholeheartedly committed to the philosophy of veganism. Let’s briefly discuss it to help you make an informed decision!
It’s important to note here that vegan Doritos flavors are not the same everywhere in the world. Therefore, always check the ingredient list on the package to make sure the flavor you’re buying doesn’t contain any animal-product or a suspicious ingredient that may not be suitable for vegans.
Is Doritos Blaze Vegan?
The following ingredients found in Doritos Blaze may be of concern for strict vegans:
- Natural and Artificial Flavors –This is a generic and vague term. You don’t know what exact flavors are used in Doritos Blaze and where they are sourced from.
- Artificial Color (Red 40 Lake) – Although this commonly used food color doesn’t contain any animal or animal-derived ingredient, it is tested on animals. In other words, Red 40 is vegan on its own, but not cruelty-free.
- Sugar –This is an ingredient that doesn’t ring an alarm for most vegans. However, it often sneaks animal components into packaged goods. In the commercial food industry, bone char is often used to process and refine sugar. Coconut, beet, and organic sugar are never processed with bone char and hence, are suitable for vegan. Doritos doesn’t specify what kind of sugar is used in its Blaze flavor, which makes the situation a little uncertain for the hardcore vegans.
Is Doritos Spicy Sweet Chili Vegan?
As mentioned earlier, the Spicy Sweet Chili flavor of Doritos is generally classified as vegan. However, similar to the Blaze flavor, it contains a couple of unspecified ingredients that may create concerns for some vegans. These include natural flavor and sugar.
All other Doritos flavors available in the US are not suitable for vegans!
Are There Any Other Vegan Doritos Flavors Available Outside the US?
Yes, there are several other vegan Doritos flavors available in many other parts of the world. Let’s take a look at a few of them:
Vegan Doritos Flavors in the UK
The United Kingdom has the following three vegan Doritos flavor available:
- Chili Heatwave
- Heatburst BBQ & Chili
- Lightly Salted
Important:
While these Doritos flavors do not contain any animal ingredient, they are not certified as vegan Doritos because the Doritos Company in the UK clearly states that these tortilla chips are made in a factory that also handles milk.
Vegan Doritos Flavors in Australia
Vegans living in this country in Oceania are the most unlucky in the sense that there is only one vegan Doritos flavor available to them, and that is the Original Salted Flavor.
So, Are Doritos Vegan?
There isn’t a straightforward answer to this question.
There are some Doritos flavors that are vegan. However, most of them are not vegan-friendly.
The story doesn’t end here, though. Even the Doritos flavors that are classified as vegan may raise doubts and concerns for hardcore vegans.
For those living in the US, some of the ingredients used in the vegan flavors of Doritos can lead to uncertainties regarding their source and how they are processed. In the UK, on the other hand, the declaration by the company that the corn chips are made in the same factory that also handles milk can be of concern for some vegans. Even though vegan Doritos in the UK do not contain milk, there is a risk for cross-contamination. This is why the vegan Doritos in the UK are not certified as vegan-friendly.
The Bottom Line
The decision to eat Doritos depends on your commitment to the philosophy of veganism. Just like every other school of thought, there are different categories of vegans. Some only avoid foods that contain animal products, and others completely avoid everything with animal or animal-derived products. There are also some vegans who dig deeper and do in-depth research on every product they use to make sure there isn’t an animal product or by-product sneaked into it in any way.
The decision to eat vegan Doritos depends on which category of vegans you belong to and how you classify the food products that you consume. Vegan Doritos flavors can be considered okay to consume by some vegans, whereas some (the more cautious ones) may prefer to avoid them to be on the safe side.
If you want to learn more about other vegan snacks, check out this article on if Lays Chips are vegan or not.
