The Hidden Dangers of Hot Chips
My son recently came home from his first soccer practice showing off his bright neon orange jersey. “We might be named the Flaming Hot Cheetos!” he proudly announced. His smile quickly faded as he qualified, “I know, I know, Mom – you don’t like hot chips.” Here’s why he anticipated my reaction.
I see many patients each week with belly pain in our pediatric clinic. While there are numerous causes of belly pain in kids and teens, over the past 10 years I have counseled more and more kids whose belly pain is triggered or worsened by these snacks.
Hot chips can cause belly pain.
“Hot chips” or “spicy chips” – brand names of which are now too many to list – pack the shelves of corner stores and grocery stores alike. I see them offered as snacks after my kids’ sports games, and I see traces of their colored coating under kids’ nails in my clinic. It concerns me both as a parent and a pediatrician that social media has spurred on “spicy chip challenges”, leading some kids to eat them in huge amounts. Some kids even end up in the emergency rooms due to taking in such high levels of capsaicin, the ingredient that makes the chips spicy and can also lead to serious gastrointestinal symptoms.
While spicy foods have always been known to trigger gastrointestinal (GI) symptoms like heartburn or reflux, “hot chips” seem to cause even more GI problems for kids than jalapeños or other naturally spicy foods. The “why” isn’t fully clear, and may be related just to the amount they eat at a time. However, spicy chips also include high levels of trans fat and saturated fat to enhance their flavor, which not only makes them less healthy but can worsen GI symptoms too.
Some of the digestive problems these highly processed spicy snacks can lead to are:
- Gastritis (irritation of the lining of the stomach)
- Constipation (hard stools or infrequent stools, both leading to cramping and other forms of abdominal pain)
- Diarrhea (especially if your child has symptoms of irritable bowel syndrome)
Like many processed foods, spicy chips are designed to be addictive. When you eat them, your taste buds trigger pleasure centers in your brain and encourage you to eat more and more. The chips’ blue, purple, orange, and red-colored spice coatings contain many ingredients aside from the capsaicin, which brings the heat. Reading their food labels, they contain:
- More MSG (a significant sodium source and headache trigger) than their plain-flavored counterparts
- High levels of trans fats and saturated fats, which can lead to high cholesterol levels
- Food dyes, which can turn spit, vomit and stool concerning colors, and are increasingly being researched for possible links to cancer and other long-term health problems
While allowing occasional treats or junk food can be an appropriate parenting tactic, encouraging a diet that focuses mainly on whole foods – things not processed or packaged – is one of the best ways to promote your child’s health.
As I told my son in the end, if playing on the “Flaming Hot Cheetos” soccer team gets you moving outdoors, I’m excited for the season. But we’ll be bringing orange slices for post-game snacks!
Resources for Parents
USDA
American Academy of Pediatrics
Featured Author
Dr. Lindsay Frost's biography reads: I joined the pediatrics team at Kaiser Permanente South Sacramento in 2018 to help kids thrive. During my medical training, I pursued a Masters degree in public health and health promotion. I enjoy being able to foster long-term relationships with patients and their families, providing care in both health and illness as children grow. Some of my most relevant experiences as a pediatrician have come from my two children, who have “trained” me first-hand on the challenges of parenthood.
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