Are Doritos Getting Healthier?

Doritos and Cheetos are getting a makeover — and this time, it’s not a new flavor or limited-edition bag. PepsiCo just announced it’s ditching artificial flavors and petroleum-based dyes from its snacks, starting with the big ones: Doritos and Cheetos. Yep, that means no more Red 40, Yellow 5, or Yellow 6 in your nacho cheese dust.

The move comes after the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services said it wants those petroleum-based colors out of the food supply by the end of next year. (Because, let’s be honest, nobody wants their snacks to share ingredients with crude oil.)

Dietitians are cheering, saying these dyes have been linked to things like hyperactivity and inflammation. As one expert told Fox News, “Consumer demand is driving this shift. When we stop buying these products, companies are forced to change.” Translation: people got tired of chemically enhanced neon-orange fingers.

But that’s not all. Doritos is also rolling out a “protein-packed” version for folks who want to feel a little less guilty about polishing off a bag. Nutritionists warn not to be fooled, though, protein chips don’t necessarily mean “health food.”

PepsiCo says the rest of its snack lineup, including Lay’s, will follow suit by 2025, swapping out artificial stuff for real ingredients and even experimenting with avocado and olive oils.

So next year, when you grab that bright-orange chip, it might be a little less glowing, but a whole lot cleaner.

Doug O’Brien