Do Doritos Have Olestra Anymore? The History of Wow! Chips

November 16, 2025 •

4 min read

According to the Center for Science in the Public Interest (CSPI), in the late 1990s, the "Light" version of Doritos, known as Wow! chips, were fried in the fat substitute olestra. This synthetic ingredient was a significant part of the snack's history but is no longer present in today's Doritos products.

Quick Summary

The fat substitute olestra was used in Frito-Lay's 'Wow!' brand of 'Light' snacks, including a version of Doritos, in the late 1990s. Due to associated gastrointestinal side effects and consumer backlash, olestra-containing products were rebranded and eventually discontinued. Current Doritos do not contain olestra, instead using conventional vegetable oils.

Key Points

No Olestra Anymore: Modern Doritos do not contain olestra, as the fat substitute was discontinued from all Frito-Lay products due to health concerns and poor sales.
Wow! Chips: Olestra was used in a specific line of "Light" Frito-Lay products, including Doritos, branded as Wow! chips in the late 1990s.
Gastrointestinal Side Effects: Consumption of olestra was linked to abdominal cramps, gas, and loose stools, prompting the FDA to require a warning label.
Nutrient Absorption Issues: Olestra interfered with the body's ability to absorb fat-soluble vitamins (A, D, E, and K), requiring products to be fortified.
Rebranded and Discontinued: The Wow! brand was rebranded to "Lay's Light" in 2004 before being entirely phased out, ending the use of olestra in Frito-Lay snacks.
Alternative Fat Replacers: The industry has shifted towards other fat-reduction methods like baking, and using carbohydrate-based replacers instead of synthetic fats.

No, Modern Doritos Do Not Contain Olestra

The simple answer is no; you will not find olestra in any bags of Doritos sold today. The synthetic, zero-calorie fat substitute was a brief and controversial chapter in Frito-Lay's history. It was used in a specific line of "Light" products in the late 1990s and early 2000s, known initially as Wow! chips. Public backlash over side effects and decreasing sales led to the ingredient's demise in mainstream snacks. Today's Doritos are fried in a blend of conventional vegetable oils, including sunflower, canola, and/or corn oil.

A Brief History: The Rise and Fall of Olestra in Frito-Lay Snacks

Developed by Procter & Gamble and branded as Olean, olestra was approved by the FDA for use in savory snacks in 1996. This marked the beginning of a short-lived but intense trend for fat-free alternatives. Frito-Lay, a PepsiCo company, was a major early adopter, launching the "Wow!" brand of low-fat snacks in 1998, which included potato chips, tortilla chips, and Doritos. The chips were marketed as a guilt-free indulgence, offering the taste and texture of full-fat snacks with zero calories from fat.

However, the excitement was quickly overshadowed by reports of unpleasant side effects. Consumers complained of cramps, gas, diarrhea, and in some embarrassing cases, anal leakage. The FDA mandated a warning label on all products containing olestra to inform consumers of potential gastrointestinal distress and that the product could inhibit the absorption of fat-soluble vitamins. The Center for Science in the Public Interest (CSPI) famously campaigned against the ingredient, further damaging its reputation.

Despite P&G's efforts to dispute the severity of the health complaints, sales declined significantly after the initial boom. In 2004, Frito-Lay rebranded the Wow! chips to "Lay's Light," but the product line was eventually discontinued. By 2015, even Procter & Gamble's own brand of olestra snacks, Pringles Light, were phased out.

Understanding the Olestra Controversy

So why did olestra cause such an uproar? The science behind its formulation explains the reported side effects. Olestra is a synthetic sucrose polyester, meaning it's a sucrose molecule with fatty acids attached. This structure is too large for the human body's digestive enzymes to break down, so it passes through the system undigested, carrying fat-soluble vitamins (A, D, E, and K) and carotenoids along with it. This led to:

Gastrointestinal Issues: The undigested fat substitute acted as a laxative, causing the reported cramps, gas, and loose stools.
Nutrient Malabsorption: Olestra's affinity for fat-soluble vitamins meant that regular consumption could lead to a deficiency in these crucial nutrients. Manufacturers were required to fortify olestra-containing snacks with these vitamins to counteract this effect.

Modern Doritos: A Comparison of Ingredients

The ingredient list for contemporary Doritos is significantly different from its short-lived olestra-laden predecessor. The shift reflects a change in consumer preferences and a move away from controversial food additives. Below is a comparison of the typical main ingredients in the two products:


Feature	Wow! Doritos (with Olestra)	Modern Nacho Cheese Doritos
Primary Oil/Fat	Olestra (Olean)	Vegetable oil (Sunflower, canola, and/or corn oil)
Calorie Profile	Advertised as fat-free/low-fat	Standard calorie content from fat
Nutrient Absorption	Inhibited absorption of fat-soluble vitamins	No inhibition of nutrient absorption
Side Effects	Potential for gastrointestinal distress, cramps, and diarrhea	No specific side effects related to frying oil
Current Status	Discontinued	Widely available

What Replaced Olestra in the Snack Industry?

The demise of olestra didn't end the quest for healthier snacks, but it did shift the approach. Manufacturers began exploring other options for reducing fat and calories, relying more on baking, different carbohydrate-based fat replacers, and alternative ingredients rather than synthetic fat substitutes. Examples of these include:

Baking: Products are cooked in an oven instead of being fried to reduce fat content.
Polydextrose: A synthetic polysaccharide used as a bulking agent and to replace sugars and fats.
Microparticulated Proteins: Proteins from milk or eggs that mimic the creamy mouthfeel of fat.
Modified Starches: Starch-based fat replacers that can thicken and provide a fat-like texture.

Conclusion

The short-lived era of olestra-fried Doritos serves as a cautionary tale in the food industry. While the intention to offer a fat-free snack was clear, the unforeseen gastrointestinal side effects and nutritional concerns led to its rapid disappearance from the market. For anyone wondering, "do Doritos have olestra?", the answer is a definitive no. Frito-Lay returned to using traditional vegetable oils, and today's Doritos products contain none of the controversial fat substitute that once defined its short-lived low-fat variant. It's a reminder that sometimes, the simplest ingredients are the best. CSPI offers extensive documentation of the olestra saga.

Frequently Asked Questions

Wow! chips were a brand of low-fat snacks launched by Frito-Lay in 1998, which used the fat substitute olestra. The line included varieties of Doritos, Lay's, and Ruffles, but was eventually discontinued due to health-related complaints.

Olestra is a synthetic fat molecule too large for the human body to absorb. As it passed through the digestive system undigested, it caused gastrointestinal distress such as cramping, gas, and loose stools.

Current Doritos are fried in conventional vegetable oils and are not associated with the unique gastrointestinal side effects caused by olestra. However, as with most snacks, they are high in sodium and calories, and should be consumed in moderation as part of a balanced diet.

Yes, Procter & Gamble used olestra in a fat-free version of Pringles. The "Pringles Light" product line was also eventually discontinued, like Frito-Lay's Wow! chips.

Olestra was marketed by its developer, Procter & Gamble, under the brand name Olean®.

While still technically permitted by the FDA in the US, olestra is no longer used in any major snack products on store shelves. The last remaining products, including Lay's Light and Pringles Light, were discontinued by 2016.

The FDA removed the mandatory warning label in 2003, stating that new data suggested only a minor increase in digestive problems and that most consumers were aware of the risks. However, the ingredient was already on its way out of the mainstream market.