Spoon University Logo
tic tac
tic tac
Lifestyle

7 Things You Never Knew About Tic Tacs

This article is written by a student writer from the Spoon University at BU chapter.

Tic Tacs have been around since 1969 and have been enjoyed by almost everyone around the world. You can pop one in your mouth for instant fresh breath, or be like me and eat 6 at a time just because you can.

tic tacs

Photo courtesy of facebook.com

But let’s be real. Do you know anything else about Tic Tacs besides the fact that they are tiny mints that come in different flavors? No? It’s okay, I didn’t either. That’s why you should check out these fresh facts that you’ve probably never heard of:

1. The company that makes Nutella also makes Tic Tacs.

tic tacs

GIF courtesy of myreactionpost.tumblr.com

Yes, you read that right. Ferrero, the Italian confectioner, produces Nutella, Kinder Chocolate, Rocher, and Tic Tacs. But please, don’t try and dip your Tic Tacs in Nutella.

2. Tic Tacs were originally called “Refreshing Mints.”

tic tacs

Photo courtesy of facebook.com

I guess the creative juices were not flowing during the product naming stage, but thankfully the name was changed in 1970 to Tic Tac. This onomatopoeia references the sound the mints make in the plastic container.

3. There is a wrong way to eat the mints.

Kind of. It is thought that the design under the top flap was created to allow for a single Tic Tac to be released. If you still want to pour straight in to your hand, you do you. I’m not about that single Tic Tac life so catch me pouring out a handful.

4. The grape flavor has a shocking history.

tic tacs

Photo courtesy of facebook.com

The red dye, amaranth, used for the grape flavored mints was believed to have a suspected carcinogen in it. In 2014, Tic Tac re-released grape and they are now safe to eat.

5. Other countries only sell white Tic Tacs.

tic tacs

GIF courtesy of gifhound.tumblr.com

Instead of different colored mints to help identify the flavor, other countries have different colored containers. That means your favorite orange mint is just plain white (which sadly also means no more orange tongue).

6. Pink Grapefruit is not just a flavor.

tic tacs

Photo courtesy of amazon.com

This Tic Tac was created to show the company’s support for breast cancer awareness. You can only find Pink Grapefruit mints from August through October. I don’t know about you, but this makes me love the flavor even more.

7. Tic Tacs are gluten free.

tic tacs

GIF courtesy of columbia-n-furter.tumblr.com

Rejoice, my gluten free friends. That’s right, these tiny mints are sans gluten and that means you can eat as many as you’d like without having to worry.

While growing up in the kitchen alongside her mom, Dorothy learned how to twist a pretzel perfectly before she even learned how to tie her shoes. She absolutely loves dark chocolate, especially Cadbury's Bournville bar. And she often enjoys long walks down the Trader Joe's frozen aisle looking at the different cookies and chocolates.