Well it seems in recent times that it has become “trendy” to eat Hot Cheetos. Guys I kid you not I have been eating these things since I was Pre School aged. Yeah, you heard that right I was five and eating Hot Cheetos. I did not grow up going to “normal” school because I went to a bilingual school, where I learned subjects in both English and Spanish. I was one of the only English-dominant speaking people and one of the only people of European descent in my grade. Which I am so very thankful for, because I was exposed to so many new experiences I would not have had the opportunity to have, had I gone to a “normal” all English speaking school. It all started, I believe, with a girl whose name I remember to be Chantal, but whom really knows because I was five and I actually have a very terrible memory. She would always bring a full size bag of Hot Cheetos for lunch, and I would always trade and bargain to get myself a few of those glorious hot chips. Most people my age and in my neighborhood were eating plain ruffles and fruit popsicles, but not I. I saved up dollars and pennies to go to my corner store to buy myself a coveted bag of flaming’ hots. And to be completely honest with you I did not care that other people thought it was weird. THEY WERE SO DAMN GOOD. Well I’m writing to you fourteen years later, with still red stained hands, and those things still get me. I will eat any kind of hot chip. You name it: lime flavored, hot funyuns, original hot Cheetos, hot fries, hot cheeto puffs, and sometimes takis. But, I’m going to be honest Takis are really not that good in my opinion, but I think I’m pretty biased. Anyway, my addiction was so bad I would have to fast off them sometimes. In my peak hot chips eating season, I would average almost 5 bags a week. This year I gave them up for lent, and let me tell you, it was quite difficult. Forty days without something that isn’t necessary doesn’t seem that bad but there was temptation left and right: buzzfeed taste test videos of HOT CHEETO BAGELS, hot cheeto sushi, hot cheeto pizza, and the countless taunting snaps I received from my friends of them enjoying my favorite snack. I got to wondering a few weeks ago why am I so damn addicted to these things. So I did some research, apparently, “Capsaicin is the natural chemical in hot peppers that makes them hot. Our body has capsaicin receptors that respond to pepper spice as well as heat. In other words, our bodies interpret hot pepper spice irritation as a kind of burn. In response to this burn, our bodies release natural opioids that are normal neurotransmitters called “endogenous opioids,” or “endorphins.” And opiates make us feel good. Mix in just the right combination of salt, sugar, and fat, and you have a snack engineered to taste good and then keep you feeling good. Until the opiates are gone. Then you need to eat more” (http://childrensmd.org/browse-by-age-group/the-worst-junk-foods-for-your-kids/). Who knew, right?!?! I was actually kind of shook and I have been trying to cut back on them lately to but this just proved I REALLY need to cut back.
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