Banning Cheetos

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            I don’t think anyone would argue that Cheetos are health food. All you have to do is look at the fluorescent residue on your fingers after eating the snack to realize that you’ve just consumed garbage. They’re addictive and I can’t give them up! I’ve been working on making Cheetos a thing of my past for a while. It’s actually cyclical; I’ll give them up for a few months and then in a weak moment I’ll snag the impulse buy and snarf down the entire bag before my guilty conscience starts yelling at me.

According to a Yahoo! News article, “Why Are States Banning Flamin’ Hot Cheetos? Because They’re Seriously Nasty” there’s a movement in school districts in California and New Mexico that would make giving up the snack a big easier. They’re trying to ban the snack because they say each individual bag is a certifiable health hazard. Each bag has 26 grams of fat and 25 percent of the recommended daily intake of salt. There are also dyes and fillers. The worst part is that experts say Cheetos are hyperpalatable, which means they’re extremely addictive. A clinical psychologist at the University of Michigan says our brains find fats and salts rewarding and Cheetos have both elements at such high levels that it triggers an addictive process.

I agree with the healthy movement for schools to ban snacks and sodas from school vending machines and stores. I feel students should be given healthier options to fuel their brains and bodies. Many parents strive to serve their children nutritious foods when they’re at home, however when they’re at school the parents have less control over what their kids are putting in their bodies. These bans would help make sure youth are not able to sneak unhealthy foods against the parents wishes.