Wintergreen candy offers a uniquely refreshing flavor, often described as minty but distinct from peppermint or spearmint. This taste comes from methyl salicylate, a compound naturally found in the wintergreen plant, teaberry, and birch bark. A fascinating fact about wintergreen candies, especially hard ones like Life Savers Wint-O-Green mints, is their ability to produce blue sparks when bitten in the dark. This phenomenon, called triboluminescence, occurs because the sugar crystals emit light when crushed, and the methyl salicylate in wintergreen amplifies this light, making it visible. Beyond the dazzling light show, wintergreen has a long history of medicinal use, from treating coughs to muscle aches. Classic examples include the aforementioned Life Savers Wint-O-Green and old-fashioned pink wintergreen lozenges.
