As of December 1st, 2025, Pepsico released their new Simply NKD line which is supposed to be a reinvention of their Doritos and Cheetos but without the artificial dyes and flavors. Now, you may be thinking, what’s so crazy about these colorless chips?
For one, several sources claim they taste just like the originals. “Try as I might, I simply could not tell the flavor difference,” said Dennis Lee, an author for the Takeout.
Another author, Steven Morea who writes for Delish, says, “There’s no glow, no dust, nothing. But the smell? Exact match. The flavor? Exact match.” He even goes as far as saying that he prefers them over the original.
Yet another positive about the Simply NKD line is that it’s the start of a stronger movement toward health benefits. According to the Takeout, the removal of dyes was a request from the Food and Drug Administration to the food manufacturing industry as a whole. It looks like Pepsico is just getting ahead of the game.
Not only does the Takeout mention this, but the Food Network does too, saying “The U.S Food and Drug Administration has pushed for phasing [artificial ingredients] out from the American diet.”
Reading about all of these favorable reviews, it convinced me to try them for myself and safe its to say that “shocked” is not merely enough to explain my reaction.
When I first opened the bag, I leaned over to see what looked like bleached Doritos. Upon smelling them, just as Morea said, it was an exact match. For a good while, I sat contemplative because I initially didn’t have high hopes despite such positive reviews in regards to the Simply NKD line. Though, when I finally did taste them, it was to a T.
The chip itself looked bland, your basic corn chip if you will. But if I closed my eyes and had the original Doritos and Simply NKD Doritos placed in front of me? I wouldn’t be able to tell the difference. The only thing that sets them apart is their make and color.
One of the main things I quite fancied about this rebrand was the movement toward health benefits. According to the ingredients label, here is what they removed: monosodium glutamate, artificial flavor, yellow 6, yellow 5, and red 40.
In the Simply NKD chips, rather than those ingredients there is tomato powder and potassium salt. Granted, the removal of artificial dyes and flavors is a small step, but it’s still a step toward a healthier direction.
In all, I enjoyed the Simply NKD Doritos and thought this was a well planned product with great intentions. Without bias, I would definitely recommend them to others seeking a not-so-unhealthy snack.
