Two popular kids’ snacks could actually be causing extreme health issues

Takis and Flamin’ Hot Cheetos are popular spicy snacks, especially among children, who are enticed by their bright red color and rolled tortilla shape. But they could be dangerous. Beyond being processed, they’ve also been shown to sometimes cause severe gastrointestinal distress among children, according to news reports.^[]

Over the years, a number of articles have been published about kids getting sick after eating these spicy treats. In 2020, the parents of a young child claimed that Takis were “responsible for the erosion of the boy's stomach lining,” according to USA TODAY.^[] Some schools even banned Takis and hot Cheetos from campuses, saying they were "unhealthy" and "disruptive.” The snacks have also reportedly led to severe abdominal pain and gallbladder removal in children.^[][]

The Associated Press reports that poison control centers are now warning people that the concentrated amount of spice in these products “could cause allergic reactions, trouble breathing, irregular heartbeats and even heart attacks or strokes.”

FritoLay, which makes Flamin' Hot Cheetos, even admitted that its snack isn’t right for some kids. “Some consumers may be more sensitive to spicy foods than others," the company said.^[]

But there’s more. This year, California lawmakers motioned to ban these snacks (and products like them) in schools due to their food dye content.^[] The move followed from the California Office of Environmental Health Hazard Assessment linking artificial food dyes (like those in Cheetos and Takis) with hyperactivity and other neurobehavioral effects in some children. According to 2022 research published in Environmental Health, “Current evidence from studies in humans, largely from controlled exposure studies in children, supports a relationship between food dye exposure and adverse behavioral outcomes in children, both with and without pre-existing behavioral disorders.”^[]

According to Leah Alexander, MD, a medical expert at Baby Toddlers Kids, these snacks contain high levels of chili powder and artificial spice additives, which can lead to stomach lining and esophagus irritation. Kids who consume these products can present with heartburn, stomach cramps, and nausea. “In more sensitive cases, these symptoms can escalate, resulting in a trip to the emergency room for severe abdominal pain,” Dr. Alexander says. 

“These snacks also often contain high sodium levels, which can aggravate symptoms in children prone to gastrointestinal issues,” she adds.

So how can parents tell if a snack is too spicy? “It’s important to look beyond just the ‘hot’ flavor,” Dr. Alexander notes. “Any snacks with ingredients such as capsaicin, acidic preservatives like citric acid, and artificial colorings” can tip buyers off. Better yet, says Carolyn Vespoli, MD, ditch a snack if the ingredient list “contains a lot of unrecognizable words or food you could not find on the shelf of a grocery store. It is likely [that] a highly processed food can lead to issues with digestive health.”