Thursday, 04 February 2010
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On the Benefits of Chewing Gum
A reader messaged me the following question:
"Could snacking too much be replaced by chewing gum? Like how nicotine gum can help smokers smoke less, would gum be a good alternative to eating too many little candies and snacks?"The biggest thing to remember is that there is a large difference between these two:
Vs. 
Some gums like the candy balls in the right-side picture are full of sugar and there is no difference between this and candy. However, sugarless gums (like Excel, Trident, Stride, etc.) are low in calories (about 5 calories per piece) because they use artificial sweeteners.
Snacking can be a great thing if you are careful with portion-sizes. Eating every 3-4 hours keeps your metabolism high and prevents you from having low blood sugar and low energy. But I understand that on some days you just can't stop nibbling though! And those calories can really add up and lead to weight gain, especially if they are unhealthy snacks with just empty calories (aka: no nutrients).
If this is your kind of situation, where you are mindlessly eating, then yes chewing sugarless gum is a great alternative! It can serve as a distraction to some people. For others, they may just like that chewing feeling.
Other benefits of chewing gum:
Linked to better school performance - It might be because chewing gum can help release stress and anxiety.
(Source: Reader's Digest, August 2009)Less cavities - I recall reading a brochure in my dentist's office that talked about how chewing sugarless gum increases the amount of saliva in your mouth. Cavities are caused by bacteria that thrive on sugar and dry environments. Increasing the saliva in your mouth can decrease the chances of getting cavities. You still need to brush and floss every day though!
Chewing gum is also promoted on The Biggest Loser. They promote the brand Extra. It makes me laugh because their endorsements are SO obvious!
So in the end, just make sure that you are chewing a sugarless gum and you are well on your way! Writing this entry made me get out a piece of gum and start chewing it myself!
For more posts answering reader questions, click here.
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Comments (15)
I never thought chewing gum had benefits or that dentists recommend them. x_x
1. Chewing gum can lead to jaw problems. People with TMJ issues should not chew gum, it wears down the joint even more.
2. Sorbitol, the main artificial sweetener used in chewing gum, is also a laxative. So chewing too much sugarless gum could cause gasiness or diarrhea.
IT HURTS!
D';
I quit gum because of TMJ problems. It's been about 2 years... mints are better.
I'm not usually crazy about gum, but it does keep me from snacking too much on those days that I just keep mindlessly eating. I love 5 gum :) and trident.
I chew gum and do sugar-free hard candy. Keeps my mouth busy enough.
I love my gum on occasion, so it's good to know it's not totally bad for me =)
@Imnotcrazyjustinsane - Thanks for the info about potential jaw problems. I had no idea! I have heard of the sorbitol and diarrhea issue, but only in extreme cases.
I always chew gum.
The gum thing is good for me in helping to control the sweet tooth when I feel like snacking on something sweet; pop in some gum, and the craving is usually sated at a much lower caloric cost (in fact, negative calories even).
It actually makes me a bit more hungry from chewing. Might be cause stomach thinks I'm actually chewing...
try sugarless gum that's sweetened using xylitol only, instead of other sweeteners which aren't as healthy. xylitol is a naturally occurring sugar that bacteria can't use like regular sugars, so it's used to sweeten a lot of toothpastes and mouth rinses now!
Haha I am totally allergic to asparatame or any artificial sweeteners for that matter :(. I better not have diabetes...ever.
Anyways, just wanted to know if you got my e-mail Wasn't sure if you check xanga more often than school email. It's regarding the Inside Ride and if you wanted to become our 6th team member. Please e-mail me back asap! :)
A
chewing too much gum that contains sugar alcohols (example sorbitol) can lead to weight loss
careful with 'sugarless' stuff because they use aspartame which are ketonurinics...