Are Takis Vegan?

It is undeniable that tortilla chips are a supreme snack choice.

Whether you prefer salty or spicy, salsa or guacamole; when it comes to tortilla chips, there’s something for everyone. Even vegans!

That’s right, certain types of tortilla chips are vegan-friendly! This may come as a surprise given that so many chips contain animal by-products. 

If the first thing that comes to mind when you think about tortilla chips is Takis, you’ve definitely come to the right place! The good news for vegan tortilla chip lovers is that certain flavors of Takis are vegan.

Now, let’s ‘Taki’ a look at what makes these chips suitable for people on a vegan diet! 

What Are Takis?

Takis are a rather polarized snack! People either love them so much they write songs about them, or they can’t stand their strong flavor profiles.

The snack world has no shortage of options when it comes to tortilla chips. But what sets Takis apart is that they’re not your typical fried tortilla chip when it comes to appearance or taste.

Takis is a Mexican brand of corn tortilla chip made by Barcel USA, found mostly in the United States and Canada.

These corn snacks are fried and rolled, rather than shaped like a tortilla or curled. Takis chips share their shape with taquitos, a small rolled-up, stuffed tortilla, which is also where they get their name.

Takis has nineteen distinct flavors, all of which create a unique snacking experience. Unfortunately, not all the flavors of Takis are suitable for vegans, but we’ll break that down here.

Non-Vegan Ingredients in Taki Chips 

At the heart of any good chip lies potato or corn. So, given that the main ingredients of chips are essentially vegetables, what actually makes most chips unsuitable for vegans?

Let’s take a closer look at some non-vegan ingredients commonly found in chips:

• Whey

Whey is the most common culprit and is found in a few varieties of Taki chip flavors.

Spotting whey among the list of ingredients on an otherwise perfectly vegan product is a big pet peeve for most vegans. 

Whey is the by-product of the manufacturing process of casein or cheese. It happens to be high in protein and is often added to snack foods as an additional flavoring agent and to help fortify baked snacks. 

• Artificial Colors

Another common non-vegan ingredient found in Takis, and other chips is linked to artificial coloring. While most artificial colors don’t contain animal products, carmine is the exception.

Carmine, which is found in a few Taki flavors, is also known as cochineal. It’s mostly used to add a bright red pigment to food. Carmine is not suitable for vegans as it is derived from an insect called a cochineal bug. While this may sound like an unusual ingredient, it’s found in everything from ketchup to candy to corn chips! 

• Gelatin

Gelatin is an animal product derived from collagen found in the hooves, bones, and connective tissue of animals like cows or pigs. 

In potato chips and corn chips like Takis, gelatin is often used as an additive to help seasonings like spices stick to the chips. 

As Takis isn’t an exclusively vegan brand, there is always the risk of cross-contamination. Even the vegan-friendly flavors of Taki chips are produced in a factory that uses dairy and other animal products. 

This means that there is always the chance that traces of milk or other animal ingredients can contaminate products making them unsuitable for strict vegans and strict vegetarians.

To find out more about the risk of cross-contamination, you can read the company’s disclaimer on the back of each bag of Takis.

Which Flavors of Takis are Vegan? 

There are around nineteen flavors of Takis found around the world. But in the United States and Canada, there are five main flavor combinations. 

Now, let’s have a look at the vegan Takis flavors: 

1. Fuego

Starting strong with the most popular and hottest flavor of Takis, Takis Fuego.

This is the same flavor that has been hotly debated and caused Takis to go viral on TikTok and YouTube! 

So, what’s all the fuss about, and can vegans get in on it? 

These Takis are renowned for their intense flavor. Their bright red appearance perfectly matches their spicy flavor! Takis Fuegos come in a bright purple bag. 

Unlike regular spicy chips, Takis Fuego flavor is more adventurous and has a hearty coating of hot chili pepper seasoning, which is complemented by a sour blast of lime seasoning. 

Hate ‘em or love ‘em, Takis Fuego is vegan-friendly! 

Here are the main ingredients found in the Fuego flavor: corn flour (processed with lime), vegetable oil (palm and/or soybean and/or canola oil), seasoning [salt, maltodextrin, citric acid, sugar, monosodium glutamate, hydrolyzed soy protein, onion powder, yeast extract, red 40 lake, yellow 6 lake, natural and artificial flavors, sodium bicarbonate, soybean oil, chili pepper, disodium inosinate, disodium guanylate, TBHQ (antioxidant)].

Fortunately for vegans that love spicy snacks, there are no animal products in the Fuego flavor. 

2. Zombie 

The name might not sound particularly appetizing, but Takis Zombie flavor is another fan favorite. 

These spicy chips come in a green bag, which matches their green appearance. If a combination of habanero and cucumber piques your interest, you’re in luck. Takis Zombie flavor is vegan-friendly!

These are the main ingredients found in the Zombie flavor: corn masa flour (processed with lime), vegetable oil (palm and/or soybean and/or canola and/or rice bran oil), maltodextrin, salt, citric acid, dextrose, monosodium glutamate, sugar, onion powder, natural and artificial flavors, yellow 5, blue 1, gum Arabic, mannitol.

3. Nitro 

While Fuegos may be rated as the hottest Takis, Takis Nitro is close competition. 

These lime and habanero-flavored corn chips are another vegan-friendly Takis option. They share their red color with the classic Fuego flavor and have a red bag, symbolic of their fiery flavor.

Let’s take a closer look at the main ingredients in the Nitro flavored Takis: 

corn masa flour (processed with lime), vegetable oil (palm and/or soybean and/or canola and/or rice bran oil), maltodextrin, salt, citric acid, dextrose, monosodium glutamate, sugar, onion powder, artificial colors (red 40 lake, yellow 6 lake, blue 1 lake, yellow 5 lake) natural and artificial flavors, gum Arabic, mannitol.

4. Salsa Bravo 

The last vegan-friendly flavor of Takis is Salsa Brava, a hot sauce flavor with chili and lime.

Another delicious, spicy, and crunchy snack option for vegan chip lovers, these Takis contain no animal ingredients.

Here’s the full ingredient list: corn flour, vegetable oil, seasoning (maltodextrin, iodized salt, modified starch, gms), acetic acid, garlic powder, citric acid, onion powder, chili (0.21%), sodium bicarbonate, natural flavorings, sodium inosinate, sodium guanylate, naturally identical flavors).

Non-Vegan Takis Flavors: 

If you’re following a vegan diet, it’s best to avoid these flavors of Takis: 

• Crunchy Fajita
• Angry Burger
• Guacamole
• Original
• Fuego Azul
• BBQ Picante
• Xplosion
• Titan 
• Lava

These flavors contain animal ingredients like dairy, eggs, non-vegan coloring agents, and gelatin. 

Are Takis Cruelty-Free? 

Now, here’s where things get a bit complicated.

When it comes to food, the understanding is that vegans will avoid eating any food that contains animal products or uses animal products during processing. 

While this is true for most vegans following a strict plant-based diet, there is a lot more to the ethics of veganism beyond just not eating animal products. 

Many vegans will also avoid using products that contain ingredients linked to animal cruelty or environmental degradation. 

This means that just because Takis ingredients are vegan, they are not necessarily cruelty-free. 

The main ingredients in Takis linked to animal cruelty or environmental harm are: 

1. Palm oil

As you’ll see from the ingredients lists, Takis uses a few different kinds of vegetable oil, including palm oil, soybean oil, rice bran oil, and canola oil. 

Nowadays, palm oil is found in just about everything, from cosmetics to our favorite snacks. But rainforests and the animals like orangutans that inhabit them are paying the ultimate price for the widespread use of palm oil. 

Palm oil is used as a vegetable oil, and it is found in most Taki flavors. It is derived from the fruits of oil palm trees. Unfortunately, cultivating palm oil is one of the leading causes of deforestation and biodiversity loss in South-East Asia and South America.

It’s estimated that up to 50 orangutans are killed every week as a result of the palm oil industry. 

While palm oil doesn’t directly contain any animal products, the damage it does to animals and their habitats may deter vegans from consuming products that use palm oil. 

2. Artificial Colors

Bright colors like red, blue, and green are a trademark of Takis and its spicy flavors. But, these colors don’t occur naturally and Takis uses artificial colorants. 

Luckily, none of the vegan flavors of Takis contain carmine, but they do contain colorants like Blue #1, Red 40 Lake, and Yellow 6 Lake. 

These artificial colorants don’t contain animal ingredients, but they do contain ingredients that have been tested on animals. 

Many vegans will not use products tested on animals or products that contain ingredients that are tested on animals.

So, the short answer is that while some Taki flavors may be vegan in the strict sense that they contain no animal ingredients, they are not cruelty-free. 

Why Can’t I Find Any Vegan Takis? 

Takis are available in various countries, but each location has different flavor options and varieties available. 

Takis is also known for releasing fun limited-edition flavors. Before trying these out, it’s always best to scan the ingredients list and keep an eye out for those common non-vegan ingredients. 

Are Takis Healthy? 

Back in the day, there were so few vegan junk food options that people often still associate all vegan foods with being healthy. But this isn’t necessarily the case. 

Many people believe that because Takis are so spicy, they can increase the risk of ulcers and cancer. While this isn’t necessarily true, studies have found that Takis can cause health problems, particularly stomach issues like gastritis. 

We all know junk food is not renowned for its nutritional value, but snacks like Takis are particularly lacking in nutrients. They are also highly processed and are very high in preservatives and sodium. This means that they can be linked to an increased risk of obesity, diabetes, heart disease, higher blood pressure, and stomach cancer. 

While Takis might be great for tickling your taste buds and satisfying your snack cravings, they are not the healthiest snack options. 

That being said, snacking on a bag of Takis now and then won’t do too much damage! 

Can Vegans Eat Takis? 

So, can vegans eat Takis? Yes and no. 

In short, there are four main flavors of Takis that contain no animal ingredients: Fuego, Nitro, Zombie, and Salsa Bravo. However, some ingredients in the vegan-friendly Takis, have been tested on animals or are linked to other forms of animal cruelty.

Depending on your ethical views, Takis may be a great snack option for you. Their intense flavors and the perfect blend of spice and crunch, definitely rank them high on the junk food scale!