Are Takis Vegan?

If you are a chip lover, you have likely tried Takis before. They are such a delicious chip that has just the right amount of spice and crunch. 

If you have been vegan for a long while, or have just recently become vegan, you will know how difficult it is to find vegan chips.

The majority of people may not realize that a lot of chips contain milk or other animal by-products. In addition to this, some chicken flavored chips for example, actually have chicken seasoning in them.

Given this, most corn based chips are not vegetarian or vegan friendly. As tortilla chip alternatives and snack foods they are not a good vegan snack option

As veganism has become more popular, there are more brands of chips available to purchase that are suitable to eat. 

But are Takis vegan?

We will be delving into this question in more detail in this article. We will be taking a look at the history of Takis and the ingredients their chips contain. 

We hope you will enjoy this article, it will only Taki a few minutes to read!

What Are Takis?

If you are unfamiliar with what Takis are, they are a popular brand of chips. They are made from corn and are a Mexican brand.

They are known for their distinctive taste and shape. They resemble a taquito, due to their rolled shape. 

A taquito is a Mexican dish. It is made of a small tortilla that has been rolled. They typically contain a filling of meats and cheeses.

They are deep-fried or crisp-fried to create their distinctive crunch. 

When looking at the design of Takis, it is easy to see how they resemble this authentic Mexican dish!

In terms of flavor, Takis have a hot and spicy taste. They are created by a brand called Barcel. In comparison to other types of crisp, Takis can be likened to Flamin’ Hot Cheetos. 

Taki took the US by storm early into the 200’s and have been a popular choice of chip since then.

Vegan Takis?

Now we are going to answer the question that is on everyone’s minds, are Takis vegan? 

For all you spicy chip fans out there, you will be happy to know that Takis are in fact vegan, which is great news! 

However, while some of their flavors are vegan, others are not because they contain milk or eggs. Given this, we will give you a rundown of which flavors you can eat as a vegan, and which ones you cannot. 

Fuego

Fuego Takis are by far the most popular choice. They are fiery in their flavor, with a delicious hint of lime.

These Takis are Vegan in the sense that they do not contain eggs, milk, or animal derivatives. Some argue they are the best vegan chip due to the corn masa flour used to make them. As a vegan product they are a vegan option in a limited space due to no animal derived ingredients. 

While they do not contain any obvious animal by-products, there is a specific coloring used to create their staple red color.

It is this coloring that some vegans may choose not to consume. This coloring is called Red 40.

What is Red 40?

Red 40 is a specific type of coloring that is used in different foods, such as chips and candy. It can even be found in makeup and certain sodas and drinks. 

While this dye is not made from any animal by-products, like Carmine is, it is one of the dyes that is tested on animals.

Given this, many vegans choose to avoid it, which is completely understandable. Whether or not you choose to avoid it is a personal choice, however. 

While the Feugo Takis do not contain any animal by-products, this dye does contribute to animal testing. 

Zombie

Zombie Takis are also vegan. They are seasonal, being released in the fall around Halloween. They are habanero flavored with a hint of lime. They are not for the faint-hearted!

These Takis are vegan, but they still contain the same red coloring that is in the Fuego Taki flavor. 

Nitro

These Takis provide strong heat. Labeled as “very hot” by Barcel, they are certainly created for those who enjoy extreme spice!

The Nitro Takis also contain the Red 40 colouring. Given this, it is down to personal preference whether or not you choose to eat these chips. 

Salsa Brava

Salsa Brava Takis remains a firm favorite for many people. They are hot sauce flavored and have yellow packaging. Again, this flavor contains the Red 40 coloring. 

As you can see, if you are vegan, you can still eat Takis. The four flavors of Taki listed above do not contain any animal by-products at all. 

However, if you are opposed to eating anything containing a dye that is tested on animals, we would not recommend eating Takis. 

All of the other Taki flavors, such as guacamole, Xplosion, and crunchy fajitas contain products such as milk and eggs. 

What Other Chips are Vegan?

In addition to Takis, there are a whole host of other chips that are vegan friendly. Some of these include:

Doritos

This may be quite surprising, but some flavors of Doritos are vegan! They go well with vegan dips, so you do not have to miss out when your friends or family are snacking.

Here are some of the vegan-friendly options:

• Toasted Corn
• Spicy Sweet Chili
• Blaze

Pringles

Pringles are such a tasty chip and thankfully, many of their flavors are vegan! 

Here are some of the flavors you can still enjoy:

• Original
• Paprika
• Bacon
• Wasabi & Soy Sauce

These are arguably some of the best Pringle flavors too!

These are just a few of the vegan-friendly chip options that are available to you.

Do Takis Have Dairy in Them?

Not all variants of Takis will contain dairy, but you should be aware that some flavors of these beloved chips will contain dairy.

The reasoning behind this is that some of the different flavorings contain various dairy products, which makes them unsuitable for those that cannot have dairy.

This is why you should always check the packaging if you are unsure if the flavor in question contains dairy. 

However, as a general rule, if you cannot have dairy you should avoid the crunchy fajitas, guacamole, and explosion flavors of Takis, as these all contain dairy in different forms.

All of these flavors of Takis contain milk, and the explosion flavor contains both milk and cheese. If you fancy yourself a bag of Takis, you should always check the ingredients list on the back of the packet to check that they are safe for you to eat.

Summary

To conclude, depending on your stand regarding the Red 40 dye, there are four flavors of Taki that are technically vegan friendly.

While these Takis do not contain any animal by-products, it is understandable if you are concerned about the dye that has been tested on animals. 

However, it is your personal choice whether or not you choose to consume it. If you would rather avoid it, there are other chip options available that are still full of flavor and taste. 

In addition to the vegan Pringles and Doritos flavors, many other chip companies create vegan-friendly chips too.