# Peppermint or Spearmint? **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Tags:** food-cooking\ **Created:** [September 18, 2022, 4:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/peppermint-or-spearmint/971759 "2022-09-18T16:29:28Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Happy\_Lendervedder](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/happy_lendervedder/32/8488_2.png) [@Happy\_Lendervedder](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Happy_Lendervedder)\ **Post date:** [September 18, 2022, 4:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/peppermint-or-spearmint/971759/1 "2022-09-18T16:29:28Z")
I offer you a stick of gum. I’ve got peppermint and I’ve got spearmint. Which do you choose? (Note: If you opened this thread, you must choose one, or you WILL be murdered in your sleep by bears and wolves.) _Poll ([view on site](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/peppermint-or-spearmint/971759/1))_ ---
**Author:** ![bobot](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bobot/32/21622_2.png) [@bobot](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bobot)\ **Post date:** [September 18, 2022, 4:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/peppermint-or-spearmint/971759/2 "2022-09-18T16:30:50Z")
I chose spearmint because I _had_ to answer, but either is fine. Thanks for the gum. ---
**Author:** ![Grrr](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/grrr/32/146_2.png) [@Grrr](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Grrr)\ **Post date:** [September 18, 2022, 4:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/peppermint-or-spearmint/971759/3 "2022-09-18T16:33:13Z")
Spearmint. But I’m not sure I could tell the difference in a blind taste test. ---
**Author:** ![Happy\_Lendervedder](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/happy_lendervedder/32/8488_2.png) [@Happy\_Lendervedder](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Happy_Lendervedder)\ **Post date:** [September 18, 2022, 4:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/peppermint-or-spearmint/971759/4 "2022-09-18T16:33:39Z")
> [@bobot](#): > > Thanks for the gum My pleasure! ---
**Author:** ![running\_coach](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/running_coach/32/15836_2.png) [@running\_coach](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/running_coach)\ **Post date:** [September 18, 2022, 4:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/peppermint-or-spearmint/971759/5 "2022-09-18T16:38:54Z")
Why is there no “Bears and wolves” vote option? ---
**Author:** ![Bumbazine](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bumbazine/32/362_2.png) [@Bumbazine](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bumbazine)\ **Post date:** [September 18, 2022, 4:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/peppermint-or-spearmint/971759/6 "2022-09-18T16:48:29Z")
We’ve grown both in our yard for cooking purposes and I much prefer peppermint. ---
**Author:** ![Exapno\_Mapcase](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/exapno_mapcase/32/1051_2.png) [@Exapno\_Mapcase](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Exapno_Mapcase)\ **Post date:** [September 18, 2022, 5:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/peppermint-or-spearmint/971759/7 "2022-09-18T17:02:28Z")
Spearmint. Peppermint is actually a cross between spearmint and watermint, a fact I learned by taking the tour at the Hotchkiss Peppermint Museum in Lyons, NY. > **[Peppermint Museum offers tours for the summer season](https://www.fltimes.com/lifestyle/local_history/peppermint-museum-offers-tours-for-the-summer-season/article_9444051a-76b8-5906-bcd7-d6646efdb39c.html)** > > LYONS — The Peppermint Museum in Lyons at 95 Water St., will begin offering tours in June by appointment only and by calling (315) 946-4596. The 2021 Landmark Society Award The curator and tour guide is named Patricia. Guess what her nickname is. Just guess. ---
**Author:** ![ParallelLines](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/parallellines/32/3575_2.png) [@ParallelLines](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ParallelLines)\ **Post date:** [September 18, 2022, 5:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/peppermint-or-spearmint/971759/8 "2022-09-18T17:05:40Z")
Spearmint. While I don’t _hate_ peppermint, my brain associates it’s slightly different taste profile with those horrible ‘candy’ discs that I ate as a child, because to a child (any candy) \> (no candy). It isn’t actually a bad flavor in any way, but said mental conflict makes it hard to dispassionately evaluate it. ---
**Author:** ![Chronos](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/chronos/32/134_2.png) [@Chronos](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chronos)\ **Post date:** [September 18, 2022, 5:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/peppermint-or-spearmint/971759/9 "2022-09-18T17:11:39Z")
I replied before I noticed that the question was specifically about gum. Spearmint is better in gum, but I don’t much like gum, and peppermint is better in everything else, so I answered peppermint. ---
**Author:** ![Thudlow\_Boink](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/thudlow_boink/32/320_2.png) [@Thudlow\_Boink](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Thudlow_Boink)\ **Post date:** [September 18, 2022, 5:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/peppermint-or-spearmint/971759/10 "2022-09-18T17:15:04Z")
> [@bobot](#): > > I chose spearmint because I _had_ to answer, but either is fine. Thanks for the gum. I chose peppermint because I _had_ to answer, and now that I see this, perhaps it’s just as well that @bobot and I balanced each other out. ---
**Author:** ![running\_coach](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/running_coach/32/15836_2.png) [@running\_coach](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/running_coach)\ **Post date:** [September 18, 2022, 5:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/peppermint-or-spearmint/971759/11 "2022-09-18T17:15:12Z")
> [@Exapno\_Mapcase](#): > > Spearmint. Peppermint is actually a cross between spearmint and watermint, a fact I learned by taking the tour at the Hotchkiss Peppermint Museum in Lyons, NY. > > [Peppermint Museum offers tours for the summer season](https://www.fltimes.com/lifestyle/local_history/peppermint-museum-offers-tours-for-the-summer-season/article_9444051a-76b8-5906-bcd7-d6646efdb39c.html) > > The curator and tour guide is named Patricia. Guess what her nickname is. Just guess. - Charlene Brown? ---
**Author:** ![Qadgop\_the\_Mercotan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/qadgop_the_mercotan/32/83_2.png) [@Qadgop\_the\_Mercotan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Qadgop_the_Mercotan)\ **Post date:** [September 18, 2022, 5:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/peppermint-or-spearmint/971759/12 "2022-09-18T17:27:29Z")
Both are fine, spearmint slightly finer due to its having less menthol. But wintergreen is my preferred ‘minty’ flavor ---
**Author:** ![kayaker](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kayaker/32/441_2.png) [@kayaker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kayaker)\ **Post date:** [September 18, 2022, 5:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/peppermint-or-spearmint/971759/13 "2022-09-18T17:30:21Z")
No Teaberry? Beemans? Blackjack? Clove? I mean, Spearmint is fine, I guess. ---
**Author:** ![Folly](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/folly/32/3219_2.png) [@Folly](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Folly)\ **Post date:** [September 18, 2022, 5:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/peppermint-or-spearmint/971759/14 "2022-09-18T17:39:04Z")
> [@Qadgop\_the\_Mercotan](#): > > But wintergreen is my preferred ‘minty’ flavor Same here. I chose spearmint. But wintergreen over both for gum/mints ---
**Author:** ![Bullitt](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bullitt/32/5725_2.png) [@Bullitt](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bullitt)\ **Post date:** [September 18, 2022, 5:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/peppermint-or-spearmint/971759/15 "2022-09-18T17:58:10Z")
Peppermint here. But I was thinking of Life Savers when I voted. ---
**Author:** ![Face\_Intentionally\_Left\_Blank](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/face_intentionally_left_blank/32/288_2.png) [@Face\_Intentionally\_Left\_Blank](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Face_Intentionally_Left_Blank)\ **Post date:** [September 18, 2022, 6:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/peppermint-or-spearmint/971759/16 "2022-09-18T18:10:41Z")
I answered spearmint, as I sipped from my spearmint iced-tea. All the things spearmint! ---
**Author:** ![SmartAleq](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/smartaleq/32/163_2.png) [@SmartAleq](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SmartAleq)\ **Post date:** [September 18, 2022, 6:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/peppermint-or-spearmint/971759/17 "2022-09-18T18:10:45Z")
And spearmint IS peppermint, just grown from seed rather than from runners off the original peppermint plant. Mint will basically do anything to keep on keeping on, as any gardener who inherited a house where some idiot planted mint but not in pots. ---
**Author:** ![Qadgop\_the\_Mercotan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/qadgop_the_mercotan/32/83_2.png) [@Qadgop\_the\_Mercotan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Qadgop_the_Mercotan)\ **Post date:** [September 18, 2022, 7:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/peppermint-or-spearmint/971759/18 "2022-09-18T19:09:37Z")
> [@SmartAleq](#): > > spearmint IS peppermint, just grown from seed rather than from runners off the original peppermint plant. Are you sure of that? My [source](https://www.sciencedirect.com/topics/agricultural-and-biological-sciences/mentha-piperita) says the following: “_Mentha piperita_ (Lamiaceae): Peppermint is a hybrid herbaceous plant, originally from the crossing between spearmint (_Mentha spicata)_ and water mint (_Mentha aquatica_).” ---
**Author:** ![susan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/susan/32/17537_2.png) [@susan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/susan)\ **Post date:** [September 18, 2022, 7:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/peppermint-or-spearmint/971759/19 "2022-09-18T19:18:38Z")
I don’t like spearmint. I do like peppermint. ---
**Author:** ![carrps](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/carrps/32/2957_2.png) [@carrps](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/carrps)\ **Post date:** [September 18, 2022, 7:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/peppermint-or-spearmint/971759/20 "2022-09-18T19:21:31Z")
Me, too. I can’t explain exactly why – just the taste. Spearmint is ever so slightly more herbaceous? [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/peppermint-or-spearmint/971759.md?page=2)