Can snacking on mint when hungry help you lose weight?

Is this a sustainable or healthy approach to weight loss? Indianexpress.com spoke to Meenu Balaji, chief nutritionist at Pragmatic Nutrition, Chennai, to find out whether this method is effective.

“No, snacking on mint cannot help you lose weight. It can act as a mere distraction to munch something on, if you are habituated to snacking at certain times of the day. I would rather recommend options like air-popped popcorn, or roasted makhanas,” said Balaji.

According to her, snacking on mint is definitely not a healthy way to lose weight. “You might think mints are low in calories and a better alternative. But many of their ingredients, like carnauba wax and gum arabic, could negatively affect people with digestive issues or food sensitivities,” she said.

Are mints a healthy snacking option? (Source: Freepik)

Are there any health benefits at all?

“Not really. Other than being a mouth freshener, mints offer no real health benefits,” Balaji said.

She also pointed out that mints contain hidden sugars, even if the amount per piece is too small to be listed on the label. “A single mint may not harm you, but since we don’t know how much sugar and dextrose a whole box contains, regular consumption could add up. These additives might also cause bloating if eaten in excess,” she said.

From the homepage

US presses G7 countries to target India, China for ending Ukraine war

‘Guests will be sent to god’: Bomb threat sent to Delhi’s Taj Palace hotel; two hospitals get similar emails

Rape of Sikh woman in UK sparks outrage; ‘racially aggravated attack,’ say police