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The Daily Insight

What are the ingredients in Junior Mints

Author

Mia Lopez

Updated on April 21, 2026

Total Fat 2.5g3%Added Sugars 25g50%Protein 0g

What is Junior Mints made of?

The History of Junior Mints: Ingredients: Sugar, Semi-Sweet Chocolate (Sugar, Chocolate Processed with Alkali, Cocoa Butter, Soy Lecithin-An Emulsifier, Vanillin-An Artificial Flavor), Corn Syrup, Confectioner’s Glaze, Food Starch-Modified, Peppermint Oil, Invertase (An Enzyme).

Are Junior Mints good for you?

That box of Junior Mints contains 595 calories and 8.75 grams of saturated fat. Candy is considered a food that has “empty calories” because they provide no important nutritional value. These food items provide a small amount of energy from sugar but contain little or no essential nutrients like vitamins and minerals.

Are there bugs in Junior Mints?

Candy lovers beware: The hard, shiny shells on Junior Mints, Red Hots, Lemonhead, and Boston Baked Beans candies are glazed with secretions from lac bugs. Nearly 100,000 bugs die to produce about 1 pound of shellac flakes, which are combined with alcohol to make a confectioner’s glaze.

Are Junior Mints real chocolate?

Junior Mints Deluxe These sumptuous candies are etched with “JM” on their pure dark chocolate outer shells, making them the ideal gift-giving candy as well as self-indulgent treat.

Are York peppermint patties the same as Junior Mints?

The big difference here is the intensity of the mint flavor. York Peppermint Patty is subtle, focusing mostly on the texture. It’s like a chocolate covered coconut substitute with the hint of mint. Junior Mints on the other hand don’t mess around when it comes to fresh flavor.

What kind of mint is in Junior Mints?

A box of Junior MintsTypeCandyInvented1949Main ingredientsDark chocolateIngredients generally usedMint

Are M&M shells made of bugs?

No, the shells are not made of insects. however, the red ones do use carmine red as the food coloring. Carmine red is a natural food dye derived from the Cochneal insect.

Are Junior Mints vegan 2021?

That ingredient is Confectioner’s Glaze. … As Shellac/Confectioner’s Glaze is a insect-derived ingredient, it is usually not considered to be vegan friendly. Therefore, Junior Mints (Regular and Mini size) are NOT vegan.

Is there beetle poop in jelly beans?

Beetle poop is the secret ingredient that makes jelly beans shiny. The FDA calls this “shellac” and not beetle dump for some strange reason. Shellac is actually found in a lot more candy that just jelly beans like Hershey’s, Milk Duds, Junior Mints, Godiva Chocolate, and the candy everyone loves to hate: candy corn.

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Do Junior Mints have caffeine?

99.9% caffeine free. Junior Mints.

What is the healthiest candy you can eat?

  • UnReal Milk Chocolate Gems. “I’m really impressed with these,” says Gorin. …
  • Endangered Species Dark Chocolate Bites. These chocolates are low on the sugar scale, and two squares contain 3 grams (g) of fiber, too. …
  • Peanut M&M’s. …
  • Snickers. …
  • Reese’s Peanut Butter Cups. …
  • Blow Pop.

Can you eat too many Junior Mints?

Mints either have sugar, which is bad for you, or sugar alcohols, which don’t have many calories, but cause diarrhea when ingested in excess. So don’t eat more than one or two a day, with or without sugar!

Do Junior Mints have gelatin?

Junior Mints recently stopped having gelatin in their ingredients; however, their makers have confirmed that their “confectioner’s glaze” is made with shellac, which is obtained from female lac bugs. It takes about 100,000 lac bugs to make 500 grams (1.1 lbs) of dried shellac.

Why do people like Junior Mints?

Junior Mints are popular because of the source of inspiration behind the name. There was a Broadway show called “Junior Miss” that played between 1941 and 1943. Junior Mints was advertised as a candy that people could enjoy during plays and movies. Even to this day, you find Junior Mints in movie places.

What's inside a Charleston Chew?

The ingredients in Charleston Chew are sugar, corn syrup, palm kernel, palm oil, lactose, non-fat dry milk, cocoa, egg albumen, milk protein concentrate, soy protein, soy lecithin, sodium citrate, salt, and artificial flavor.

Who turns down a Junior Mint?

Cosmo Kramer : Who’s gonna turn down a Junior Mint? It’s chocolate, it’s peppermint, it’s delicious. Jerry : That’s true.

What is the shelf life of Junior Mints?

To maximize the shelf life of mints after opening, place in tightly sealed airtight container or heavy-duty plastic bag. How long do mints last at room temperature? Properly stored, mints will last for about 12 months at normal room temperature.

Who owns York Peppermint Patties?

In 1940, YORK Peppermint Patties were introduced by Henry Kessler, the owner of the York Cone Company. The YORK Peppermint Pattie was acquired by The Hershey Company in 1998.

Are York Peppermint Patties good?

If you love chocolate but do not enjoy the bittersweet taste of dark chocolate, a York Peppermint Patty might be a good compromise. One patty has 2.5 grams of fat and 140 calories. Patties are relatively small, and contain no trans fats.

Are Junior Mints nut free?

Junior Mints Eggs are a cool refreshing mint center coated in a pastel candy shell. All Tootsie Roll Industries products are peanut free, nut free, tree nut free, gluten free and kosher. There are no peanut or tree nut products in any of their manufacturing plants.

Do Andes mints have dairy in them?

Unfortunately, Andes Mints contain multiple milk-based ingredients including Nonfat Milk, Lactose, and Milk Protein Concentrate. … Therefore, all flavors of Andes Mints are NOT vegan.

Are Junior Mints dairy and gluten free?

All flavors and sizes of Junior Mints (including seasonal items) are completely gluten-free.

What candy is made out of beetle poop?

Jellybeans are a tasty treat and come in many flavours, but did you realize their shiny coating is made from bug excrement? Shellac, also known as confectioner’s glaze, is made from a resin excreted by the female lac beetle, indigenous to India and Thailand.

What are red Skittles made out of?

Carmine is a red dye used to create the red Skittles. Carmine is harvested from the cochineal scale insect. Shellac is a wax secreted by the lac insect, Kerria lacca. Food grade shellac is often used as a coating to seal the food and prevent transfer of the color dyes from the candy to the skin.

What fruits have bugs in them?

Raspberries and blueberries make sweet treats for insects like worms and beetles. Knowing this, the FDA allows up to four larvae or ten whole insects per 500 grams of berries, or about 2.5 cups. Translation? Don’t be surprised if these critters end up in your canned or frozen berries.

What president always had jelly beans?

Jelly Belly® Jelly Beans and Ronald Reagan. President Reagan and his jar of Jelly Bellies.

Is nail shellac made from bugs?

Shellac is made from the secretions of the lac beetle and is not vegan because it comes from this small animal. The beetles secrete the resin on tree branches in Southeast Asia as a protective shell for their larvae.

Can Bean Boozled make you sick?

Yes, they are safe to eat. There are no authentic “natural” ingredients used in creating these jelly beans, ie. there are no actual boogers in the booger jelly beans. They are all made with a concoction of edible chemicals to match those of the real thing.

How many calories are in 1 Junior Mint?

Calories130Calories from Fat0

How many calories are in each Junior Mint?

Junior Mints (12 pieces) contains 26g total carbs, 26g net carbs, 2.5g fat, 0g protein, and 130 calories.