All-Natural Vegan Mints!

For most of my life, I've been a gum and mint addict. I always had to have something minty after a meal, and I'd carry sugar-free gum or mints in my purse at all times. But nearly everything I found contained aspartame or some other artificial sweetener, and shortly after going vegan, I started to care more about not consuming so many icky chemicals.

That's about the time I discovered VerMints — organic, gluten-free, non-GMO, nut-free, vegan mints!

I stumbled upon them at Whole Foods years ago and quickly found a new addiction. I was so excited to have found a healthier way to freshen my breath! But as with all good habits, it eventually fell by the wayside. I'm sure I ran out of VerMints one day and didn't have time to make the 20-minute drive out to Whole Foods for more. And then I probably found myself in a gas station, hiding my face in shame as I purchased Breath Savers or something in desparation.

Anyway, at some point, I kicked the mint/gum addiction, but I'd happily accept it back into my life if I could stay on the right track. VerMints sent me some samples of their mints, and that might be just what I need to get that healthy habit started.

They sent me their Wintergreen mints and their Chai mints. These mints have the mouthfeel and texture of Altoids, which as you probably know aren't vegan because they contain gelatin. But VerMints are gelatin-free. The Wintergreen mints are flecked with little bits of real organic peppermint leaves, and they're flavored with natural wintergreen oil, so they leave a fresh feeling in your mouth.

They're lightly sweetened with organic cane sugar, tapioca syrup, and maple syrup, so no nasty chemicals or bone-char sugar. And even though they contain real sweetener, they're still super low-cal — only 10 calories per 3 mints.

The Chai mints taste just like a cup of warm chai with hints of cardamom, cinnamon, pepper, and tea. These don't exactly leave your mouth feeling minty fresh, but they are delicious and just the thing you need when you're sitting through a boring meeting and need a little boost. 

VerMints also makes Peppermint, Cinnamon, Gingermint, and Cafe Express (a coffee flavor). I'm definitely hooked again, but this time, when I run out of VerMints, I'll stop being a lazy ass and head to Whole Foods to stock up on more.