However, Cheetos aren’t a healthy food. They come with a lot of calories and very little nutritional value.
This being said, are Cheetos suitable for a gluten-free diet? In this ultimate Cheetos guide, we find out if your beloved cheesy snack is gluten-free, vegan and dairy free.
Are Cheetos Gluten-Free?
Yes, Cheetos don’t contain any gluten which means they are gluten-free. However, Cheetos aren’t gluten-free certified.
None of the Cheetos snacks have an official gluten free certification that would clearly state the product is gluten-free.
This means that Cheetos may be made in a factory where gluten products are handled.
Plus, the company that produces Cheetos, Frito Lay, found that there is a tiny amount of gluten in their snack products.
However, the small amount of 20 ppm of gluten is minimal and it matches the FDA’s Gluten-Free Food Labeling regulations (read more about food labels here).
This means that Cheetos are officially gluten-free. Saying this, people with celiac disease and gluten intolerance shouldn’t eat Cheetos due to the still small amount of gluten present.
If you are sensitive to gluten or you have a strong gluten allergy, then it’s best to avoid these cheese puffs.
Now that you know that Cheetos are gluten-free, let’s take a look at what Cheetos are and their ingredients.
Frito Lay Gluten Statement
Frito-Lay put out a specific gluten statement where they state that some of their products contain only the smallest amount of gluten and others contain no gluten at all.
This means that specific Cheetos flavors don’t have any gluten. However, there is still a risk of cross-contamination.
Frito-Lay also state that Cheetos are manufactured on the same production lines as products that contain gluten.
While they clean the lines between production, there is no safe guarantee that all their products are 100% gluten-free.
Frito-Lay’s gluten statement clearly says that people with gluten intolerance or celiac disease should consider the risk of cross-contamination before consuming Cheetos.
What Are Cheetos?
Cheetos are cheese puffs made from corn and a cheese-flavored powder. Manufactured by Frito Lay, Cheetos come in a great variety of different flavors.
These puffed corn snacks are fried and then covered in a cheese powder that’s made with real cheese.
Cheetos Ingredients
Cheetos has a variety of different ingredients that make these cheesy corn snacks so tasty. The ingredients in Cheetos are
Enriched corn meal
Vegetable oil
Cheese seasoning (made from whey and cheddar cheese)
Maltodextrin (made from corn)
Whey protein concentrate
Salt
Artificial flavoring and artificial color
Canola oil
Monosodium glutamate
Citric acid
Lactic acid
There are also other ingredients in the various Cheetos brands as they contain different flavors.
As the main ingredient in Cheetos is corn meal, it doesn’t contain a significant amount of gluten.
However, if you have celiac disease or you are allergic to gluten and any other ingredients in Cheetos, then it’s best to avoid them and look for cheese puff alternatives.
What Is Gluten?
Gluten is a type of protein that can be found in any product made with wheat. Gluten is usually used by food manufacturers to bind food together.
In fact, gluten can be found in most types of bread because it’s what makes the bread slightly spongy.
Any food that contains durum, rye, semolina, kamut, spelt, barley, farro, bulgur, barley or wheat is not free from gluten.
All these cereals and whole grains contain gluten in some form and in varying amounts.
Wheat is often used in processed foods, such as wheat bread. But wheat is particularly high in gluten by nature which means that you should avoid wheat if you are gluten intolerant.
This being said, also flavorings, coloring and additives can contain gluten.
That’s why it’s so important to take a close look at the ingredients list of your Cheetos and other corn puff snacks.
Gluten-Free Cheetos Flavors
Frito-Lay said that the majority of their Cheetos flavors are gluten free. However, some of these may contain small amounts of gluten.
These Cheetos flavors include:
Cheetos Crunchy Cheese Flavored Snacks
Cheetos Paws Cheese Flavored Snacks
Cheetos Fantastix! Chili Cheese Flavored Corn and Potato Snacks
Cheetos Crunchy Flamin’ Hot Cheese Flavored Snacks
Cheetos Simply Puffs White Cheddar Cheese Flavored Snacks
Cheetos Crunchy Flamin’ Hot Limón Cheese Flavored Snacks
Cheetos Simply Crunchy White Cheddar Cheese Flavored Snacks
Cheetos Crunchy XXtra Flamin’ Hot Flavored Cheese Flavored Snacks
Cheetos Reduced Fat Puffs Flamin’ Hot Cheese Flavored Snacks
Cheetos Fantastix! Flamin’ Hot Flavored Corn and Potato Snacks
Cheetos Simply Puffs White Cheddar Jalapeño Cheese Flavored Snacks
What Flavors Of Cheetos Are Free From Gluten?
While most Cheetos flavors contain only a small amount of gluten, Frito Lay states that there are also Cheetos flavorings that have no gluten. These Cheetos snacks are:
Cheetos Flamin’ Hot® Flavored Popcorn
Cheetos White Cheddar Snowflakes® Cheese Flavored Snacks
Cheetos Cheddar Flavored Popcorn
Cheetos White Cheddar Bites Cheese Flavored Snacks
Cheetos Crunch Pop Mix Cheese Popcorn and Snack Mix
Cheetos Flavor Shots Flamin’ Hot Asteroids Flavored Corn Puffs
Are Cheeto Puffs Gluten Free?
Frito Lay says that the below Cheeto Puff flavors can also be considered gluten free.
Cheetos Simply Puffs White Cheddar Jalapeño Cheese Flavored Snacks
Cheetos Puffs Flamin’ Hot Cheese Flavored Snacks
Cheetos Puffs Cheese Flavored Snacks
Cheetos Reduced Fat Puffs Flamin’ Hot Cheese Flavored Snacks
Cheetos Simply Puffs White Cheddar Cheese Flavored Snacks
Cheetos Reduced Fat Puffs Cheese Flavored Snacks
Are The Hot Flavored Cheese Puffs Gluten-Free?
Hot-flavored cheese puffs are some of the most popular flavorings. Both the hot Chester’s cheese puffs and Hot Cheetos variations are free from gluten.
Chester’s Flamin’ Hot Flavored Popcorn
Chester’s Flamin’ Hot Flavored Fries
Cheetos Crunchy Flamin’ Hot Cheese Flavored Snacks
Cheetos Reduced Fat Puffs Flamin’ Hot Cheese Flavored Snacks
Cheetos Crunchy Flamin’ Hot Limón Cheese Flavored Snacks
Cheetos Puffs Flamin’ Hot Cheese Flavored Snacks
Cheetos Crunchy XXtra Flamin’ Hot Flavored Cheese Flavored Snacks
Cheetos Flamin’ Hot® Flavored Popcorn
Cheetos Fantastix! Flamin’ Hot Flavored Corn and Potato Snacks
Cheetos Flavor Shots Flamin’ Hot Asteroids Flavored Corn Puffs
Are Chester’s Puffcorn Snacks Free From Gluten?
Similar to Cheetos, Chester’s Puffcorn snacks are another delicious treat. While some of their flavors contain a small amount of gluten, others are fully gluten-free.
Here are all the gluten-free puffed corn snacks from Chester’s.
Chester’s Flamin’ Hot® Flavored Puffcorn Snacks
Gluten-free Chester’s Flavors
Chester’s Cheese Flavored Puffcorn Snacks
Chester’s Flamin’ Hot Flavored Fries
No Gluten-Containing Ingredients Flavors
Chester’s Flamin’ Hot Flavored Popcorn
Chester’s Butter Flavored Puffcorn Snacks
Do All Baked Cheetos Contain No Gluten?
Yes, the tasty Cheetos baked crunchy cheesy snacks are all gluten-free and you can enjoy them as part of your gluten-free diet.
Are Simply Cheetos Free From Gluten?
Yes, both the White Cheddar Jalapeno Cheese flavor and the White Cheddar Cheese flavor are gluten-free.
In addition, you will find that Simply Cheetos also don’t contain any artificial coloring or flavors.
With corn meal as the main ingredient, this Cheetos variety is one of the healthiest options when it comes to cheese puffs.
Can People With Celiac Disease Eat Cheetos?
Nutritionists recommend that everyone with celiac disease doesn’t consume any type or amount of gluten.
As some Cheetos flavors contain a small amount of gluten, it’s best to avoid Cheetos. Additionally, Frito Lay cannot exclude the risk of cross-contamination.
This means that even if some of the Cheetos flavors don’t contain any gluten, the food products may still come into contact with gluten ingredients as part of the production process.
If you are unsure if you can eat Cheetos or any other snacks, then it’s a good idea to speak to your doctor first.
Gluten-Free Cheese Puff Alternatives To Cheetos
While Cheetos are a delicious treat on the go or just at home in front of the TV, there are plenty of other puff corn brands that make gluten-free alternatives.
There are more and more cheese puff brands coming to our grocery stores, so it’s worth keeping an eye out for any new gluten-free snacks.
Here are some of the most popular Cheetos alternatives that are free from gluten.
Beanitos Baked White Bean Mac N’ Cheese Crunch
Annie’s Organic Cheddar Cheesy Puffs
Hippeas Organic Vegan White Cheddar Chickpea Puffs (also dairy-free)
No, none of the Cheetos flavors are safe for a dairy-free diet because Cheetos are made with cheese powder.
This cheese powder is not just manufactured with real cheese but it also contains whey and milk powder with lactose.
This means that anyone with a lactose intolerance or a dairy allergy should avoid eating Cheetos.
Are Cheetos Vegan?
No, Cheetos are not suitable for a vegan diet because they contain cheese flavors.
In addition, Cheetos snacks aren’t even vegetarian because they also contain animal enzymes coming from animals and animal products.
Are Baked Hot Cheetos Vegan?
No, Baked Hot Cheetos aren’t vegan-friendly because they contain cheese and dairy ingredients.
Frito Lay doesn’t have a specifically vegan product list but all their cheesy snacks contain cheese powder which is made with dairy cheese.
Vegan Alternatives To Cheetos
While you can’t eat Cheetos as part of a vegan-friendly diet, there are plenty of healthy vegan Cheetos alternatives.
Delicious and crunchy, these cheesy snacks taste just as good as the original.
With more and more vegan snacks coming to a grocery store, you may even pick up a few more vegan treats in the future.
Vegan White Cheddar Hippeas
White Cheddar Hippeas were created with vegans in mind. Plus, you can find them at Target and other grocery stores.
Spicy Sweet Chili Doritos
Who could resist Doritos? Although the majority of Dorito flavors are not vegan, the Spicy Sweet Chili Doritos are suitable for vegans and vegetarians.
This does not just cover your cheese cravings but these snacks are also covered with plenty of chili flavor.
Takis
Although Takis chips aren’t the healthiest snack, some of their flavors are completely vegan, including Salsa Brava, Zombie and Fuego.
They are widely available in Target and Whole Foods grocery stores, so you can pick up a variety of these delicious chips.
Plus, you don’t have to worry about any animal ingredients as these delicious cheese puffs are all plant-based.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can You Eat Cheetos If You’re Lactose Intolerant?
No, you shouldn’t eat Cheetos if you have lactose intolerance or you are allergic to any other substance in dairy.
Cheetos are made with dairy and real cheese which means that people with a dairy allergy and lactose intolerance may experience an allergic reaction when eating Cheetos.
Are Cheetos Bad For You?
If you eat Cheetos in moderate amounts, then these tasty cheese puffs aren’t bad for your health.
However, you will need to check the ingredient list for any specific allergens. If you are gluten or lactose intolerant, then steer clear of Cheetos.
In addition, you should also make sure that you eat a healthy diet besides snacking on corn puffs.
Cheetos contain a large amount of fat and carbs that could lead to high cholesterol, heart disease and high blood pressure.
What Do Cheetos Do To Your Stomach?
Cheetos are made of corn meal which supports your digestive system in moderate amounts. However, Cheetos are also covered in spices and cheese powder.
The spice flavors can cause gastritis, inflammation, cramps and other uncomfortable digestive issues.
You may also experience reflux and heartburn after eating an excessive amount of hot Cheetos.
Which Cheetos Are Healthiest?
Simply Cheetos Puffs White Cheddar is considered the healthiest variation of Cheetos. However, you should consume these tasty treats only in moderate amounts.
Cheetos contain a lot of fat and carbohydrates that can lead to heart disease, high cholesterol levels and obesity.
Are Cheetos Healthier Than Chips?
Depending on the flavor of chips, Cheetos are only marginally healthier. They contain a slightly smaller amount of fat, sugar and salt than regular potato chips.
While Cheetos are considered gluten-free, some of Frito Lay’s famous snack contains small amounts of gluten. This means that if you are gluten intolerant, you should avoid Cheetos.
Cheetos are also not suitable for vegans and vegetarians as it contains animal-based products and by-products, such as dairy cheese ingredients.
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