# Why are wintergreen lifesavers so addicting????? **URL:** \ **Category:** Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share\ **Created:** [February 8, 2006, 8:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-are-wintergreen-lifesavers-so-addicting/343583 "2006-02-08T20:00:23Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 9\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Jules2](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/f475e1/32.png) [@Jules2](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jules2)\ **Post date:** [February 8, 2006, 8:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-are-wintergreen-lifesavers-so-addicting/343583/1 "2006-02-08T20:00:23Z")
🙂 Can anyone tell me why these things are so addicting? I cannot stop eating them. I buy huge bags at Target and it seems like I can never get enough of them. ANyone else out there feel the same? If so email me… ---
**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:** [February 8, 2006, 8:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-are-wintergreen-lifesavers-so-addicting/343583/2 "2006-02-08T20:03:33Z")
> [@Jules2](#): > > 🙂 Can anyone tell me why these things are so addicting? I cannot stop eating them. I buy huge bags at Target and it seems like I can never get enough of them. ANyone else out there feel the same? If so email me… So, you work for Target? Lifesavers? ---
**Author:** ![TubaDiva](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tubadiva/32/507_2.png) [@TubaDiva](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TubaDiva)\ **Post date:** [February 8, 2006, 8:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-are-wintergreen-lifesavers-so-addicting/343583/3 "2006-02-08T20:25:24Z")
Giving the benefit of the doubt here. Moving to MPSIMS. TubaDiva ---
**Author:** ![Hal\_Briston](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/a9a28c/32.png) [@Hal\_Briston](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hal_Briston)\ **Post date:** [February 8, 2006, 8:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-are-wintergreen-lifesavers-so-addicting/343583/4 "2006-02-08T20:50:24Z")
Yeah, I used to pop those things like they were…errrr…candy. But if you think _they’re_ addicting, then whatever you do, don’t try the wintergreen Breath Savers. Costco has me up to an $8-a-week habit now. ---
**Author:** ![Amazon\_Floozy\_Goddess](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/779978/32.png) [@Amazon\_Floozy\_Goddess](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Amazon_Floozy_Goddess)\ **Post date:** [February 8, 2006, 9:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-are-wintergreen-lifesavers-so-addicting/343583/5 "2006-02-08T21:31:26Z")
Well, “Wintergreen Lifesavers” anagrams to “Rat wifeliness revenger.” Basically, at some point you mocked a rat’s wife, so he took revenge by creating Wintergreen Lifesavers so you will suffer horrible addiction to them for the rest of your life. Or something like that. ---
**Author:** ![Anastasaeon](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/73ab20/32.png) [@Anastasaeon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Anastasaeon)\ **Post date:** [February 8, 2006, 9:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-are-wintergreen-lifesavers-so-addicting/343583/6 "2006-02-08T21:47:19Z")
> [@Amazon Floozy Goddess](#): > > Well, “Wintergreen Lifesavers” anagrams to “Rat wifeliness revenger.” Basically, at some point you mocked a rat’s wife, so he took revenge by creating Wintergreen Lifesavers so you will suffer horrible addiction to them for the rest of your life. Or something like that. This sounds 100% correct to _me_. ---
**Author:** ![DfrntBreign](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/f6c823/32.png) [@DfrntBreign](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DfrntBreign)\ **Post date:** [February 8, 2006, 9:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-are-wintergreen-lifesavers-so-addicting/343583/7 "2006-02-08T21:53:25Z")
It’s because if you look in a mirror while chomping down on them in a dark room, you see sparks. ---
**Author:** ![Rico](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/rico/32/3582_2.png) [@Rico](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rico)\ **Post date:** [February 9, 2006, 12:30am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-are-wintergreen-lifesavers-so-addicting/343583/8 "2006-02-09T00:30:03Z")
Wintergreen Lifesavers helped me quit smoking. Now I’m hooked, as well. At least they’re healthier than tobacco smoke. ---
**Author:** ![Fear\_Itself](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/fear_itself/32/19637_2.png) [@Fear\_Itself](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Fear_Itself)\ **Post date:** [February 10, 2006, 1:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-are-wintergreen-lifesavers-so-addicting/343583/9 "2006-02-10T13:53:31Z")
Perhaps it’s the [methyl salicylate](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Methyl_salicylate) (oil of wintergreen) that is used for the [wintergreen flavor](http://www.straightdope.com/classics/a1_129). It is toxic in relatively small amounts, though not much is needed to flavor candy.