My relationship with gum is purely pragmatic—on a plane during takeoff to prevent that weird popping sensation in my ears, after a particularly savory meal when I’m dining in public or, occasionally, when I’m bored. Because I’m a human being, I have mild preferences—I don’t like spearmint (it’s just too minty) and I prefer small packaging that I can easily tuck into a pocket of my bag or a clutch. At some point, I decided that Orbit Wintermint was my favorite mint chewing gum. Was it the lovely cerulean packaging? Was it that the flavor was minty, but not too minty? Or the fact that each piece was the goldilocks of gum—not too big, not too small?In the name of science (or something like that), I conducted a side-by-side testing to find the best mint chewing gums to help me (and you) decide which piece I should pop the next time I eat something garlicky. Related:Here's Exactly What Happens to Your Body if You Chew Gum Every Day?? SIGN UP to get delicious recipes, handy kitchen hacks & more in our daily Pop Kitchen newsletter. ??
What to Look for When Shopping for Chewing Gum
When choosing a pack of gum from the checkout counter at your local drugstore or grocery store, there are a couple of factors to keep in mind.
Most chewing gums contain ingredients like sorbitol and aspartame, which provide sweetness alongside other natural and artificial flavors. Some chewing gums may also contain added colors, like Blue 1 Lake, for their vibrant hue. If you prefer to avoid colors that don’t exist outside of a botanical garden, look for chewing gums that are pure white and free of other additives and artificial ingredients.
Packaging
Chewing gum comes in a variety of packages, including traditional square or rectangular-shaped paper packages, round plastic cups and soft pouches. I prefer the paper packages because I can easily throw them in my bag without having them take up too much room. However, the plastic lidded cups are convenient for stashing in your car’s cup holders.Related: 12 Ways To Successfully Remove Gum From Clothes, Carpet and More
Kelly Vaughan
How I Tested These Mint Chewing Gums
To test the flavor and texture of these mint chewing gums, I chewed each piece for 30 minutes, noting any changes throughout the duration of the test. In between each piece of gum, I drank a cup of tepid water and ate two Ritz crackers to cleanse my palate and provide a buttery, salty contrast to the cooling gum.My goal was to find gum that was consistently minty for at least 10 to 15 minutes, offered a nice texture that was soft and chewy without being tacky, and wasn’t too big to the point where it hurt my jaw. Related: People Love Aldi Chocolate Bars—We Ranked Our Top 10
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10 Mint Chewing Gums, Ranked from Worst to Best
10. PÜR Gum Peppermint
Kelly Vaughan
I was definitely skeptical of this natural, aspartame-free gum, but was pleasantly surprised by its initial chew. Each piece is shaped as a small white puffy rectangle (no specks of blue in sight), but I didn’t like that it created a huge, tacky wedge in my mouth as I chewed. The flavor was initially nice and minty, but it went away after just a few minutes, giving way to a less pleasant aftertaste that didn’t deliver the refreshing feeling I was looking for. Props for better ingredients (it’s aspartame-free!) and a dentist-friendly chew, but those are about the only good things I can say about this one.
9. Wrigley’s Doublemint Gum
Kelly Vaughan
If mashed potatoes and toothpaste had a baby, it would be named Wrigley. This gum was surprisingly bland and dense. The thin, white strips created a large, tacky wad upon chewing. Most of the flavor went away within a few minutes, leaving me with nothing more than an aching jaw.Related: I Tried 15 Different Brands of Potato Chips and Found a New Favorite
8. 5 Gum Peppermint Cobalt Gum
Kelly Vaughan
My first thought was, "Wow, the plastic wrapping is really hard to open." This doesn’t impact the flavor, but it is particularly troublesome if, like me, your husband isn’t home and you just got your nails done. Once I (finally) unwrapped the package, I was hit with an overwhelming candy cane-like aroma.This gum’s bark is worse than its bite, which is to say that it didn’t taste nearly as pepperminty as it smelled. The gum is quite chewy and tacky, which caused my jaw to hurt after just a couple of minutes (maybe that’s a bit dramatic, but it’s not far from the truth either). After about 20 minutes, the flavor started to dissipate, but subtle minty notes lingered for longer. It’s a good choice of chewing gum if you don’t want something overly minty, but start practicing your jaw exercises. I think mine still hurts.Related: Here's Exactly What Happens to Your Body if You Swallow Gum
7. Trident Original Flavor Gum
Kelly Vaughan
I didn’t love the odd, off-white color of this gum, but I was willing to overlook it for a minty chew. At first, I found the flavor off-pointing, but it quickly got more delightfully minty. It’s not as sweet and refreshing as many of the gums I tried, which I personally found disappointing, but I could see how someone might like it. The flavor dissipated within about five minutes, so I’d recommend reaching for a different pack the next time your breath needs a little help. Related: 23 Must-Buy Aldi Snacks, According to a Superfan
6. Mentos Pure Fresh Sugar-Free Gum
Kelly Vaughan
This gum features 50 puffy coin-shaped pieces that are white and speckled with blue. Each piece has a hard exterior shell that cracks upon the first few chews, giving way to a pronounced cooling sensation that’s more noticeable than the minty notes. It took a fair amount of work to break it down into something chewable and even once I did, I was underwhelmed by the flavor.
5. Trident Perfect Peppermint Gum
Kelly Vaughan
I adore the small, rectangular pieces of this gum, which doesn’t require having your oral surgeon on speed dial. Speaking of the scary mouth doctor, this gum tastes a bit more like the dentist's office than something super refreshing and clean. That said, this one is consistently minty and I like the size and soft texture of the chew. Personally, I still want something that offers a little bit more of a cooling blast, like the feeling of being hit with air conditioning in the middle of summer.
4. Ice Breakers Ice Cubes Peppermint Gum
Kelly Vaughan
I wouldn’t necessarily discourage you from purchasing gum just because it’s hard to open, but I would definitely encourage you to buy it if it’s easy, which is only part of what makes Ice Breakers Ice Cubes one of my favorite mint chewing gums. Each piece is round and stout with turquoise blue flecks scattered throughout. It doesn’t crackle and crunch as much as Orbit White (more on that in a bit), but it is refreshing and pleasantly minty without being cloying. After about a minute and a half, I felt some of the mintiness on the back of my throat, but it quickly went away. It’s a bigger wad of gum that’s chewy and tacky. After about five minutes, the flavor was significantly less pronounced, which is why it didn’t come out on top.Related: We Tried 14 Different Orange Sodas and You Can Buy the Winner at Walmart
3. Orbit White Peppermint Gum
Kelly Vaughan
Rather than sticks of gum, each piece is a small rectangular tablet that reminds me of a pillow for Polly Pocket dolls. It’s white with subtle turquoise blue flecks. Going into this taste test, I thought I preferred classic strips of gum rather than ones with a crystallized, hard exterior, but I really liked the feel of this one. It’s a nice size and doesn’t feel like you need some sort of heavy-duty construction equipment to move your jaw. After two to three minutes, the crystallized texture went away completely and I was left with just a regular piece of chewing gum.The mint flavor is refreshing but definitely subtle. If you’re looking for something that has a cooling blast of mint, this probably isn’t for you. After about 15 minutes, the gum tasted more like an essence of mint rather than something super flavorful. Still, I enjoyed the texture and think it’s the best of the crunchy, cube-shaped options.
2. Orbit Peppermint Gum
Kelly Vaughan
I’ll admit some bias here, as I had long considered the sister gum of this variety, Orbit’s Wintermint, to be my preferred chew. I like that the size of the package is small and slim, so I can easily tuck it into a clutch or the pocket of a purse. I also liked that the pieces of gum were on the smaller side. For the sake of science, I let go of any preconceived notions I had about this brand, though, and just started to chew. Initially, I realized that the slightly hard exterior created a difficult chewing experience. I really had to work to break the piece down into something soft and tacky. Once I did, however, I was reminded of why I love this brand so much. It had a powerful minty flavor that didn’t immediately dissipate and I enjoyed the size of the gum (not too small, not too big). Even after 20 minutes, the minty flavor remained front and center.Related: We Tried 9 Different Ice Cream Sandwiches and the Winner Won By a Landslide
1. Extra Peppermint Gum
Kelly Vaughan
Extra, extra, read all about how this is the best mint chewing gum on the market! The silver foil wrapping makes me feel like I won a prize—and I did, in the form of a consistently minty light blue strip of gum. From the size and soft texture of the gum to noticeable minty notes, this gum delivered on its promise of long-lasting flavor.
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