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The mint is a common favorite treat among Americans. I am not talking about the mint that produces money (although that would be an American favorite treat too!) but the candy that is often enjoyed after a meal. Americans have enjoyed mints in the States since the late 1970s. Since then mints have created quite a rich history.

Brought to the new world as a medicine, eventually, it was used in the making of a wonderful treat. The ancients were intelligent about the uses of herbs for healing, and with great success, used mint for helping out with digestive problems and for that oh so important purpose of making one's breath fresh. Both concepts are still extensively in use today.

However, it is the use of mint for candy making purposes that delights us and blesses us today. The hard candy mints we know today were invented in another century and still realize great popularity now. You have probably been to a restaurant where that pretty little red and white candy was brought to you after your dinner. Starlights, the red and white mints, are still big sellers in the candy world today.

What baby shower has not been graced with those tiny little pink, yellow, and white soft mints. They are not only good, but they are pretty as well; and they serve a good purpose: To set a beautiful table and offer guests a little treat to snack on during a special occasion.

The mint history in the United States continued when in 1912 the mint Lifesaver was introduced. The lifesaver quickly became a crowd favorite due to its creative naming after a life preserver. The Lifesaver remains a favorite among adults and children. Since their introduction Lifesavers have come out with numerous different flavors for all to enjoy.

In 1949 we saw the emergence of a manufactured candy product called Junior Mints. The candy producers successfully married a creamy white mint filling with a delicious dark chocolate covering. Junior Mints were yummy then and they still are. This sparked a whole craze of combing the mint confection with creamy chocolate, and today you can get the fantastic combination in everything from After Eight dinner mints to Mint Chocolate Chip ice cream. It is an extremely popular flavor combination.

Just about everyone has a mint of choice. Some may prefer the soft mints served after a dinner, some may jump at a box of Junior Mints at the movies, while others enjoy an Andes mint on their pillow at a nice hotel or cruise ship. No matter your desired mint, I bet if you asked a handful of people what their favorite was, they would all have a different response, but none would admit they don't enjoy a good mint every once in a while.