Answer: No. They contain many animal-based ingredients, such as cheddar cheese, milk, and artificial additives.
Table of Contents
Are Cool Ranch Doritos Vegan?
Nothing beats that delicious crunchy taste of a good vegan snack.
However, a few of the flavors can be considered vegan with Doritos. A big disappointment is that Cool Ranch Doritos are not among the vegan flavors.
Would you like to learn more about the Cool Ranch Doritos? Have a read!
What Are Cool Ranch Doritos?
Cool Ranch Doritos are one of the most popular Doritos flavors. They are famously known for their cheesy taste.
Generally speaking, Doritos are flavored tortilla chips. They are made from corn, vegetable oil, salt, and other ingredients.
Looking back at the Cool Ranch Doritos genesis, it is necessary to have a little throwback of how and when they came into the market.
History of Cool Ranch Doritos
The first bunch was sold commercially in 1966 by Frito-Lay. In the beginning, they were plain tortilla chips. Progressively more flavors have emerged.
The Cool Ranch made its debut in the market in 1986. Compared to the Nacho Cheese Doritos, they amplified the popularity and sales of the brand.
If you are a committed vegan who loves Doritos, there are limited options to enjoy. You can try making your homemade Cool Ranch Doritos, excluding the dairy ingredients, or try out the vegan options mentioned here.
Why Are Cool Ranch Doritos Non-Vegan?
Many junk foods or processed foods tend to contain a lot of additives. These additives often aren’t vegan.
In the case of Cool Ranch Doritos, it is quite disappointing that a favorite among the flavors is not vegan. These Doritos contain buttermilk, skim milk, whey, cheddar cheese, and other food coloring options that may be non-vegan.
Another alarming concern is animal testing, which is against the vegan lifestyle. Based on this, the Cool Ranch flavor is not suitable for vegans.
Are Cool Ranch Doritos Healthy?
Just like any other chips, Cool Ranch Doritos are quite addictive. You cannot stop until you empty the bag.
With the Cool Ranch flavor, the cheesy powder makes it highly addictive. Well, are they healthy? No, they are not. The only factor you must keep in mind is the amount you choose to consume.
The factors that make Cool Ranch Doritos unhealthy are the source of their ingredients. Ground corn, the main ingredient, is reported to be genetically modified. Any genetically modified food is often associated with an increase in mild or severe inflammation and allergies.
Another factor is the presence of sugar and salt that may affect your body if taken in large quantities. Artificial food colors and additives may also harm your body.
Debates on the nutritional benefits of snacks have become conversation starters as most people argue that nothing healthy stems from consuming processed food.
Cool Ranch Doritos contain whey and other dairy products. When consumed in large quantities, they lead to unhealthy weight gain.
All the mentioned factors are red flags to vegans.
Doritos Vegan Alternatives
Finding the right vegan snacks may be challenging when you decide to be a vegan. For many people, Doritos are a go-to snack. The good thing is there are a few flavors that are considered vegan. These are Spicy Sweet Chili, Toasted Corn Tortilla, and Blaze.
Note that the Toasted Corn Tortilla and Blaze Doritos have questionable ingredients, such as artificial color and sugar, that may or may not be vegan.
If the Doritos vegan options do not interest you, other chip brands offer various vegan flavors, such as Takis.
Spicy Sweet Chili
This is the only option among the Doritos flavors considered 100% vegan. The Spicy Sweet Chili flavor is entirely free of any animal-based ingredients. Additionally, there is no known trace of food coloring that is animal tested.
As the name depicts, these Doritos are sweet and extremely spicy. You are a vegan, and spicy sounds good? This flavor got you fully covered!
Spicy Sweet Chili has a list of plant-based ingredients, such as soy and wheat, among the other primary components.
Toasted Corn Tortilla
Of the wide range of Doritos flavors, the Toasted Corn Tortilla has the least ingredients. Judging from the list, it is easy to place this flavor as vegan-friendly.
Blaze Doritos
When it comes to Blaze Doritos, they are still looming concerns as to whether they are vegan. If you practice pure veganism, you may be hesitant to try out this flavor due to the additional processed additives such as sugar and artificial colors termed as unethical. Nevertheless, the lack of animal-based products on the list of ingredients labels them vegan-friendly.
Homemade Cool Ranch Doritos
A perfect way to ensure you eat all the right things as a vegan is to stick to homemade meals.
Cool Ranch Doritos are known for their cheesy feel. So the question is, how will you achieve that as a vegan? This is simple; you can use nutritional yeast to achieve that cheesy taste. The other main ingredients will include corn, a healthy vegetable like olive oil, and a range of natural spices.
Some spices you can use are dried chives, garlic powder, paprika, dillweed, and onion powder. Of course, the selection of herbs depends on your preferences.
Takis
If the Doritos vegan options do not excite you, Takis is also an excellent chips brand. Some of the flavors that can be considered vegan are Fuego, Nitro, Zombie, and Salsa Brava. The company that produces Takis, Barcel, does not indicate the vegan attribute of their range. However, they highlight that no animal products have been used in the above four flavors.
Endnotes
Finding a purely vegan snack can be difficult. Therefore, as a dedicated vegan, you must conduct your research efficiently when you start your journey. Learn about veganism and the traits to look out for when selecting treats.
Cool Ranch Doritos are not vegan. This article has clearly outlined what Cool Ranch Doritos are made of, their history, and why they are not vegan.
Additionally, the Doritos flavors that are considered vegan have been highlighted. You must go through the list of ingredients in each flavor to properly understand what you are consuming.
Doritos are delicious, and once in a while, a snack here and there can excite your taste buds. Unfortunately, snacks are unhealthy and should be taken in limited amounts.