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What kind of mint is used in Andes mints?

Andes mints are a popular after dinner mint made by Tootsie Roll Industries. They are small, chocolate covered mints with a cool, refreshing mint flavor. But what gives Andes mints their unique minty taste? Let’s take a closer look at the key ingredients used to make this iconic candy.

The Mint in Andes Mints

The mint flavor in Andes mints comes primarily from peppermint oil. Peppermint is a hybrid mint, a cross between watermint and spearmint. It has a strong, cooling flavor that is widely used in breath mints, chewing gum, and other candies like Andes mints.

In addition to peppermint oil, Andes mints also contain a small amount of wintergreen oil. Wintergreen has a woody, herbal mint flavor. When blended with the peppermint, it gives Andes mints a more complex, botanical mint taste.

Other Flavorings

While peppermint and wintergreen oils provide the main mint flavors, Andes mints also contain other flavorings that complement the minty taste:

  • Anise oil – Adds a sweet, licorice-like flavor
  • Botanical extracts – Enhance the herbal notes
  • Vanillin – Contributes a slight vanilla undertone

These supporting flavors help to round out the mint flavor and give Andes mints their signature cool, refreshing taste. The ingredients are blended in carefully balanced proportions to produce the perfect after dinner breath mint.

How Andes Mints Are Made

Andes mints have a soft yet crisp texture thanks to the unique way they are produced. Here is an overview of how Andes mints are made:

  1. Liquid chocolate preparation – Cocoa butter, milk ingredients, and sugar are melted and mixed together to form a creamy liquid chocolate.
  2. Mint cream preparation – Corn syrup, sugar, peppermint oil, wintergreen oil, and other flavorings are blended together to make the smooth mint cream filling.
  3. Sheet forming – The mint cream is spread onto a cooled steel belt. The liquid chocolate is then poured over to completely coat the mint layer.
  4. Cooling – The combination of mint and chocolate moves along the belt cooling tunnel until the chocolate sets up into the characteristically crisp shell.
  5. Cutting – After cooling, the sheet is cut into small rectangle shaped candies.
  6. Wrapping – Individual mints are wrapped in foil to seal in the fresh flavor.

It is a careful, multi-step process that brings together premium ingredients to create the Andes mints that melt in your mouth with cool, refreshing flavor.

Nutrition Information

Andes mints deliver a satisfying sweet treat, but are also relatively low in calories and fat. Here is the nutrition information for Andes mints:

Serving Size 1 mint (5g)
Calories 25
Total Fat 2g
Saturated Fat 1g
Sodium 0mg
Total Carbs 2g
Protein 0g

Conclusion

Andes mints get their refreshing minty flavor primarily from peppermint oil, with added depth from wintergreen oil and other botanical extracts. They go through an intricate production process that results in the characteristically crisp, melt-in-your-mouth texture. Made with real chocolate and natural mint oils, Andes mints provide a satisfyingly sweet, cool finish to any meal.