A mint or breath mint is a food item often consumed as an after-meal refreshment or before business and social engagements to improve breath odor.
Mints are commonly believed to soothe the stomach given their association with natural byproducts of the plant genus ''
Mentha
''Mentha'' (also known as mint, from Greek , Linear B ''mi-ta'') is a genus of plants in the family Lamiaceae (mint family). The exact distinction between species is unclear; it is estimated that 13 to 24 species exist. Hybridization occurs n ...
''.
Mints sometimes contain derivatives from plants such as
peppermint
Peppermint (''Mentha'' × ''piperita'') is a hybrid species of mint, a cross between watermint and spearmint. Indigenous to Europe and the Middle East, the plant is now widely spread and cultivated in many regions of the world.Euro+Med Plantbas ...
oil or
spearmint
Spearmint, also known as garden mint, common mint, lamb mint and mackerel mint, is a species of mint, ''Mentha spicata'' (, native to Europe and southern temperate Asia, extending from Ireland in the west to southern China in the east. It is nat ...
oil, or
wintergreen
Wintergreen is a group of aromatic plants. The term "wintergreen" once commonly referred to plants that remain green (continue photosynthesis) throughout the winter. The term "evergreen" is now more commonly used for this characteristic.
Mos ...
from the plant genus ''
Gaultheria
''Gaultheria'' is a genus of about 135 species of shrubs in the family Ericaceae. The name commemorates Jean François Gaultier of Quebec, an honour bestowed by the Scandinavian Pehr Kalm in 1748 and taken up by Carl Linnaeus in his '. These pla ...
''. However, many of the most popular mints citing these natural sources contain none in their ingredient list or contain only trace amounts.
History
The production of mints as a discrete food item can be traced back to the 18th century with the invention of Altoids. The popularity of mints took off in the early 20th century, with the advent of mass urbanization and mass marketing. Advertising for mints focused on their convenience, and on the socially isolating effects of
bad breath
Bad breath, also known as halitosis, is a symptom in which a noticeably unpleasant breath odour is present. It can result in anxiety among those affected. It is also associated with depression and symptoms of obsessive compulsive disorder.
Th ...
. These advertisements targeted young people generally, and young women particularly.
Mints have been offered in a variety of packaging, usually in an effort to promote portability. Early producers used cardboard boxes and tins, which have remained popular. More recent packaging solutions have included "rolls" containing many mints stacked in one package composed of paper or foil, plastic boxes, and individually wrapped mints. Mint sales have remained robust in the 21st century.
Types
Hard
![01033B](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/a/af/01033B.jpg)
Hard mints are hard candies or
boiled sweet
A hard candy (American English), or boiled sweet (British English), is a sugar candy prepared from one or more sugar-based syrups that is heated to a temperature of 160 °C (320 °F) to make candy. Among the many hard candy varietie ...
s flavored with mint. Examples of hard mints include starlight mints, also known as pinwheel mints, white, circular, with red or green rays emitting from the middle;
candy cane
A candy cane is a cane-shaped stick candy often associated with Christmastide, as well as Saint Nicholas Day. It is traditionally white with red stripes and flavored with peppermint, but they also come in a variety of other flavors and colors.
...
s;
humbugs; and brand name mints such as
Altoids
Altoids are a brand of mints, sold primarily in distinctive metal tins. The brand was created by the London-based Smith & Company in the 1780s, and became part of the Callard & Bowser company in the 19th century. Their advertising slogan is "The ...
and
Ice Breakers
Ice Breakers is a brand of mints and chewing gum owned by The Hershey Company.
Its line of soft, cube-shaped gum is branded as Ice Cubes.
History
Ice Breakers was launched in the 1990's by Nabisco Holding's LifeSaver division in order to com ...
.
In addition to breath freshening, mints that actually contain peppermint oil or extract have been popular in helping with digestion after a meal. Peppermint has
muscle relaxant
A muscle relaxant is a drug that affects skeletal muscle function and decreases the muscle tone. It may be used to alleviate symptoms such as muscle spasms, pain, and hyperreflexia. The term "muscle relaxant" is used to refer to two major therapeu ...
properties and therefore may relax the smooth muscles of the GI tract, allowing for easier passage of food contents. However, since the lower esophageal sphincter may be relaxed, peppermint may aggravate "heartburn" or
GERD Gerd or GERD may refer to:
* Gerd (given name), a list of people with the given name or nickname
* Gerd (moon), a moon of Saturn
* Gerd Island, South Orkney Islands, Antarctica
* Gastroesophageal reflux disease, a chronic symptom of mucosal damage ...
.
Peppermint also seems to be effective in relieving intestinal gas and indigestion.
According to the German Commission E Monograph, real peppermint oil or extract has been used for cramp-like complaints in the gastrointestinal tract. This can help to explain why mints with real peppermint oil, in addition to peppermint tea, have been popular for and are frequently used after meals to help with digestion as well as to help freshen the breath.
Soft
![After dinner mints](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/1/19/After_dinner_mints.jpg)
Soft mints, such as "dinner mints" and "butter mints", are soft candies, often with a higher
butter
Butter is a dairy product made from the fat and protein components of churned cream. It is a semi-solid emulsion at room temperature, consisting of approximately 80% butterfat. It is used at room temperature as a spread, melted as a condiment ...
content, that dissolve more readily inside one's mouth.
Scotch
A "scotch mint", "pan drop",
granny sooker
or "mint imperial" is a white round candy with a hard shell but fairly soft middle, popular in
Great Britain
Great Britain is an island in the North Atlantic Ocean off the northwest coast of continental Europe. With an area of , it is the largest of the British Isles, the largest European island and the ninth-largest island in the world. It is ...
and other
Commonwealth
A commonwealth is a traditional English term for a political community founded for the common good. Historically, it has been synonymous with "republic". The noun "commonwealth", meaning "public welfare, general good or advantage", dates from the ...
nations and in Europe. Scotch mints were traditionally spheroids, more recently moving toward a larger, discoid shape. Various forms of mint may be used but those termed "scotch mints" are named for the specific mint plant ''
Mentha × gracilis
''Mentha'' × ''gracilis'' (syn. ''Mentha'' × ''gentilis'' L.; syn. ''Mentha cardiaca'' (S.F. Gray) Bak.) is a hybrid mint species within the genus ''Mentha'', a sterile hybrid between ''Mentha arvensis'' (cornmint) and ''Mentha spicata'' (nativ ...
''.
Gallery
See also
*
Tableting
Tableting is a method of pressing medicine or candy into tablets. Confectionery manufacture shares many similarities with pharmaceutical
A medication (also called medicament, medicine, pharmaceutical drug, medicinal drug or simply drug) ...
*
SweeTarts
SweeTarts (; officially stylized as SweeTARTS) are sweet and sour candies invented under the direction of Menlo F. Smith, CEO of Sunline Inc., in 1962. The candy was created using the same basic recipe as the already popular Pixy Stix and Li ...
*
List of breath mints
This is a list of breath mint brands in alphabetical order. A breath mint is a type of candy primarily consumed to freshen the smell of one's breath, by masking offensive odors with the scent of mint or other flavoring, and by stimulating the flo ...
*
Spearmint (flavour)
Spearmint is a flavour that is either naturally or artificially created to taste like the oil of the herbaceous ''Mentha spicata'' (spearmint) plant.
Uses
The most common uses for spearmint flavor is in chewing gum and toothpaste. However, it ...
References
Further reading
* Blumenthal, et al. The Complete German Commission E Monographs First Edition 1998 American Botanical Council, USA.
*
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