Takis and Dinamitas can, on first look, appear to be the same product. Both are rolled corn chips that claim to be spicier than the rest.
Without packaging, some of the flavors look identical. There are differences in taste and texture and differences in ingredients, and affordability.
I will look at these to determine whether Takis or Dinamitas is the better chip!
Takis
What Takis Flavors Are There And Where Can I Buy Them?
Takis offer different flavors, ranging from mild-hot (Nacho) to truly hot (Fuego).
You can buy them in supermarkets, Walmart, and other retailers that sell savory snacks. The easiest option is to shop online.
Here are some examples of Takis flavors:
- Takis Fuego is the classic Takis which is very spicy. It combines the flavor of chili and lime and is also a little on the salty side.
- Takis Blue Heat is a feast of confusion for your senses. The rolled chips are indeed blue, which might make you think it’s a cool taste. You’d be mistaken because the blue heat is almost as spicy as Fuego! These are excellent if you want the spiciness, but not the lime.
- Takis Zombie is a fun flavor that combines the spiciness with the coolness of cucumber. It’s still very spicy, don’t be fooled!
- Takis Nitro is another one with lime, but this time it is habanero, not hot chili pepper. It is almost as hot as Fuego.
- Takis Salsa Brava also tells you that Takis love putting lime in their chips. But this one is more on the refreshing side. Still spicy, but true to the salsa name.
What Are Takis Ingredients?
Takis Fuego’s ingredient list is as follows:
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 (chile), disodium inosinate, disodium guanylate, TBHQ (antioxidant)].
Note the use of TBHQ, which is a preservative that has been linked to quite a few health concerns.
Which Takis Is The Spiciest?
While all Takis are pretty hot, you can’t deny that Takis Fuego is the winner regarding spiciness. A close second is Takis Blue Heat, followed by Takis Nitro, which only differs from Fuego because a different type of chili is used.
Dinamitas
What Dinamitas Flavors Are There And Where Can I Buy Them?
Like Takis, Doritos Dinamita can be found in most supermarkets though only some flavors are easily found in brick-and-mortar stores, so your best option is to do some online shopping if you want more than just the most popular one (Chile Limon).
- Doritos Dinamita Chile Limon aka Chile Lime Burn is the direct competitor to Takis Fuego. It is not as salty as Fuego but has more lime flavor – for some, that’s good; others hate it.
- Doritos Dinamita Nacho Blast (formerly known as Nacho Picoso) is a mild spicy rolled chip. It’s great for people who want spicy food, but not too spicy!
- Doritos Dinamita Flamin’ Hot Queso is another interesting flavor that uses cheese to balance the hotness of the flavor.
- Doritos Dinamita Fiery Habanero is a flavor that was discontinued as a regular Dorito chip. Fiery Habanero returned as a Dinamitas option but was poorly reviewed by the Doritos community saying that the flavor just wasn’t the same.
What Are Dinamitas Ingredients?
The ingredient list for Dinamitas Chile Limon is a tad longer than that for Takis Fuego.
Here it is:
Corn, vegetable oil (corn, canola, and/or sunflower oil), and 2% or less of the following: maltodextrin (made from corn), salt, citric acid, sugar, monosodium glutamate, artificial color (red 40 lake, yellow 6 lake), hydrolyzed corn gluten, yeast extract, sodium diacetate, cheddar cheese (milk, cheese cultures, salt, enzymes), modified corn starch, natural flavor, onion powder, whey, corn syrup solids, garlic powder, romano cheese (part-skim cow’s milk, cheese cultures, salt, enzymes), buttermilk, whey protein concentrate, disodium inosinate, and disodium guanylate.
Which Dinamitas Is The Spiciest?
When you compare all available Doritos Dinamita flavors against each other, Chile Limon comes out as the spiciest. At the other end, you would find Nacho Blast – which tastes great but is not quite as spicy as you’d expect from a range named after dynamite! Nacho blast is more cheesy than spicy, while Chile Limon will burn your mouth if your are not used to spicy foods.
Comparison Takis vs Dinamitas
Which Is More Affordable?
As the Chili and Lime flavors are the only ones you can compare with each other (same look, same taste, same level of spiciness), the price could be the deciding factor for potential buyers. So which one offers more for your buck?
| Takis | Dinamitas | More Affordable | |
| Chili and Lime flavor | Average of $0.30 per oz | Average of $0.52 per oz | Takis |
Takis are the clear winner here as their Fuego flavor is more affordable at most retailers.
Which Has The Better Options For Vegetarians and Vegans?
Doritos Dinamitas have no options for vegans and vegetarians alike, as all flavors contain animal products (enzymes taken from animals to create cheese).
Takis are a different story.
While not all flavors are vegetarian- and vegan-friendly, Takis has some options (better than nothing, Doritos!).
Vegans and vegetarians can enjoy the following Takis flavors:
Which Came First?
Takis was invented in 1999 in Mexico but only made its way to the USA in 2006. That was still six years earlier than Doritos Dinamita. These rolled chips only entered the market in 2012!
This means: Takis has been on the market for substantially longer. It is obvious that Doritos wanted to create a similar product and cash in on its popularity.
Are Doritos Dinamitas Hotter Than Takis?
You get a tie if you compare the two hottest varieties from each brand – Takis Fuego and Doritos Dinamitas Chile Limon.
They both are equally hot and also taste similar. Takis is slightly saltier, and with Doritos, you get more of a lime flavor, but the heat of the chili is identical.
Which Has The Better Texture?
While both are crunchy, Takis are thicker and a bit flakier. This gives them a nice “crunch”-factor. Doritos Dinamitas, on the other hand, are thinner and less crispy. This doesn’t make them any less crunchy, but just different.
Read our related post on Cheetos vs Doritos here.
Related Questions
Are Takis And Dinamitas The Same?
They look pretty similar, especially Takis Fuego and Dinamitas Chile Limon. It’s no surprise that people would mistake them for each other. If there were no packaging, the look alone would make it impossible for a casual snacker to keep them apart
It’s all in the flavor, though – in that they are not the same. Similar, yes, but different. Takis are saltier than Dinamitas, for example. And regarding the lime and chili versions both offer, Takis Fuego isn’t quite as pungent-limey as Dinamitas Chili Limon.
Can Takis Or Dinamitas Make You Fat?
Both snacks are not ideal if you are watching your weight. They are calorie-dense and contain lots of fat. If you use these as a snack, keep an eye on what else you eat that day.
It is easy to lose track of how many calories and fat you consume in a day when you eat unhealthy products like these. And if you do lose track, then the answer is: Yes, they can make you fat if you eat too much, but all foods could technically do that.
Just eat an appropriate amount of food a day, get healthy foods in you for your nutrients and chips like these can be snack foods for watching movies or travelling.
Can Takis Or Dinamitas Make Your Poop Red?
Thanks to the food coloring in both brands, there is a chance that you might see a difference in the color of your poop.
Realistically, you would have to eat quite a large amount of these rolled chips to notice a difference. You may also feel the heat on the other side too as spicy foods have that impact.
The Verdict
When it comes down to what’s the better chip it really comes down to personal preference. I prefer the flavor from Dinamitas compared to Takis, I really enjoy the Chile Limon AKA Chile Lime Burn, but my good friend loves Takis.
There are pros and cons to each on a personal level, if you are vegan some Takis are an option for you (which you can’t do with Dinamitas). Takis are a bit more affordable as of today, so that may help your decision too.
Lastly, these are chip options, if you enjoy both you can eat both. If you’d rather one over the other than go with that choice. I like Dinamitas and do not like Takis, so go give them a try if you are that curious!