People carrying mints to training
A separate tube or roll can go in a work bag, gym bag or lunchbox when the aim is mint flavour before a session. Choose the format and recipe you prefer; take food and water separately when you need them.
Who is choosing mints for before training?
Shoppers looking to reduce sugar
A sugar-free multipack may fit that preference. Check which sweeteners the current pack contains, rather than treating “sugar-free” as a description of its suitability as a pre-workout snack.
People taking insulin or sulphonylureas
Mint choice is separate from planning food and blood-glucose checks around exercise. Cambridge University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust advises people taking these medicines to be aware of exercise’s effects on blood glucose and to check their level before an exercise class; follow your diabetes team’s individual advice.
What should you check before buying?
Decide whether you need food before exercise or simply want mints to carry. Then compare the mint recipe, individual packs and current label.
| Priority | What to check | Your needs |
|---|---|---|
| Food before exercise | If you need a snack 60–90 minutes before exercise, look for carbohydrate and protein with minimal fat, as advised by University College London Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust. Keep that choice separate from mints. | If I need food before training, a tube of mints is not my planned snack. |
| Sugar preference | Check whether the pack is sugar-free or contains sugar, and compare the nutrition panel using the same basis, such as per 100g or per serving. Tesco describes Polo Sugar Free as mints with sweetener. | I may prefer a sugar-free mint to reduce sugar intake, or a conventional peppermint sweet. Neither choice replaces food when I need a snack. |
| Pack format | Check the number of separate tubes or rolls and the stated pack weight. Polo and Trebor have four-pack examples; individual packs can be divided between bags. | Separate rolls would let me carry one to training without taking the whole multipack. |
| Ingredients | Read the current physical pack for sweeteners, allergens and dietary requirements. The NHS says aspartame is unsuitable for people with phenylketonuria (PKU), and some polyols can have a laxative effect in large amounts. | If an ingredient affects what I can eat, I need to check this particular recipe before using it. |
What is easy to overlook?
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Using a mint tube in place of a snack
Mints chosen for breath freshness do not meet University College London Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust’s carbohydrate-and-protein guidance for a snack needed before exercise.
Decide whether you need food first. If you do, plan a suitable snack separately and carry mints only if you also want them.
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Assuming sugar-free means unlimited use
Sugar-free recipes differ. The NHS notes that some polyols can have a laxative effect when consumed in large amounts; aspartame is unsuitable for people with PKU.
Read the sweetener list on the pack and consider how many mints you intend to have, particularly just before exercise.
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Comparing pack count but not the portion
Four tubes tell you how the mints are divided, not how much sugar is in the amount you eat. Sainsbury’s lists 4.3g sugars per three Polo Original mints, while Tesco lists 4.8g per two Tesco Mint Imperials.
Compare the stated serving sizes alongside the per-100g figures; those two-mint and three-mint amounts are not like-for-like portions.
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Relying on an old ingredient description
Tesco and Waitrose caution that recipes and product information can change. That matters when an allergen, sweetener or other ingredient determines whether a mint suits you.
Check the label on the pack you receive before eating it, especially if you have an allergy or a specific dietary requirement.
Which brand formats are relevant?
These are examples of mint formats, not a judgement about every product made by each brand or a list of what Joybuy sells.
Polo
Polo has individually tubed Original and Sugar Free four-pack examples listed by UK retailers.
- Tesco describes its listed Sugar Free four-pack as pressed mints with sweetener.
- Sainsbury’s lists 4.3g sugars and less than 0.5g protein per three Original mints; that serving does not match the cited pre-workout snack guidance.
Trebor
Trebor Extra Strong Peppermint is listed in separate-roll multipacks, including a four-roll 145.6g format on Joybuy.
- Separate rolls offer a way to carry part of the multipack.
- Joybuy lists 94g sugars per 100g for that four-roll product; choose food separately if you need a pre-workout snack.
Tesco
Tesco Mint Imperials provide a bagged alternative to individually tubed mints.
- Tesco lists the Mint Imperials in a 200g bag, which may suit someone intending to portion mints themselves.
- Tesco lists 4.8g sugars per two mints. A single bag also does not offer the separate tubes of a multipack.
How do these mint formats compare?
These three retailer-listed formats are ordered by buying route: sugar-free mints, conventional Polo mints, then stronger Trebor peppermint. This is a format comparison, not a product-test or pre-workout nutrition ranking; University College London Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust’s snack guidance remains a separate consideration.
| No. | Mint multipack | Main specifications | Why consider it | Platform |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Polo Sugar Free Mint Tube Multipack, 33.4g, 4 pack | Four-pack; Tesco describes pressed sugar-free mints with sweetener. | Consider this Tesco-listed format if reducing sugar is the reason for choosing mints. Sugar-free mints do not replace a pre-workout snack. | Tesco |
| 2 | Polo Original Mints Roll Multipack, x4, 34g | Four tubes; Sainsbury’s lists 4.3g sugars and less than 0.5g protein per three mints. | Consider the Sainsbury’s-listed format for separate tubes of conventional peppermint mints. Compare the sugar figure using its stated three-mint serving. | Sainsbury’s |
| 3 | Trebor Extra Strong Peppermint, 4 rolls, 145.6g | Four rolls; Joybuy lists 94g sugars per 100g. | Consider this Joybuy-listed format if you prefer its stronger peppermint flavour and separate rolls, rather than a sugar-free mint. It is not a substitute for a needed pre-workout snack. | Joybuy |
Mint multipacks on Joybuy
These mint packs offer separate portions to carry or keep in more than one place before training. Choose among them for mint preference and pack format, while planning food separately if you need a pre-workout snack.
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Tic Tac Mint 4 Pack 72g
A four-pack to consider if you want to take one pack along rather than carry them all. The stated total is 72g; check the current label for ingredients that affect your choice.
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Trebor Extra Strong Peppermint 4 Rolls 145.6g
Four separate rolls suit someone who prefers this stronger peppermint variety. Joybuy lists 94g sugars per 100g and gelatine among the ingredients; check the current pack if gelatine affects your dietary choice.
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Polo Original Mints 4 Pack
This four-pack is an option if you want conventional Polo mints in separate packs for a bag or desk. Check the current pack’s ingredients and serving information when comparing it with other recipes.
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Colombina Jumbo Mint Balls Original 16 x 120s
Consider this 16-roll format if you want to divide a larger supply between places; you would only need to carry a roll to training. Check the pack’s ingredients and serving details before use.
Common questions
Can mints be my pre-workout snack?
Do not use a mint multipack in place of food when you need a pre-workout snack. University College London Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust advises carbohydrate and protein with minimal fat for a snack taken 60–90 minutes before exercise. Choose food for that purpose and mints separately for their flavour.
Should I choose sugar-free mints before the gym?
Choose sugar-free mints if reducing sugar is your reason for buying them, not because they provide pre-workout food. The NHS says lower- or no-calorie sweeteners can help reduce sugar intake but do not necessarily make a food healthy; check the particular pack’s ingredients.
Can sweeteners in mints affect me before training?
The ingredient and amount matter. The NHS says some polyols can have a laxative effect in large amounts and that aspartame is unsuitable for people with PKU. Check the current ingredient list rather than assuming every sugar-free mint uses the same sweeteners.
What if I take insulin or sulphonylureas?
Do not use an ordinary mint choice as your exercise blood-glucose plan. Cambridge University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust advises people taking these medicines to be aware of exercise’s effects on blood glucose and to check their level before an exercise class. Follow your diabetes team’s individual advice about food, medication and hypo treatment.
Which label should I use to check ingredients and allergens?
Check the current physical pack before eating the mints, particularly if you have an allergy or another ingredient-related requirement. Tesco and Waitrose caution that recipes and the product information shown by retailers can change.