News: Chewing gum is good for your health
Turns out that chewing gum is not the vice you mother always said it was. Find out why chewing gum can be good for you
By Lisa Hannam
New research from the University of Rhode Island found that chewing sugar-free gum for 20 minutes three times in the morning meant participants consumed 67 fewer calories at lunch—that’s seven pounds lost over a year. Experts have a variety of theories to explain this: Biting could signal to the brain that the stomach is getting food, or, because the gum tastes sweet, it may satisfy the desire for sweet snacks.
Gum may also help heartburn sufferers. The chewing motion creates extra saliva, which helps wash food or drink through the esophagus (but avoid peppermint flavour; it can worsen heartburn because it relaxes the lower esophageal sphincter and can allow acid backwash).
Even more research shows that gum is good. A study from Swinburne University in Melbourne, Australia, found that chewing gum reduces anxiety during stressful situations. “It may have something to do with increased blood flow to the brain,” says Andrew Scholey, a professor at Swinburne’s Brain Sciences Institute.
Interested in more surprising health news? Check out these links:
• 5 strange-but-true health cures
• 6 foods you thought were'nt healthy but are
• What's inside your colon?
This article was originally titled "Chewing gum is good for you," in the March/April 2010 issue of Best Health. Subscribe today to get the full Best Health experience—and never miss an issue!—and make sure to check out what's new in the latest issue of Best Health.
Best Health Magazine, March/April 2009
I use to chew alot of gum and it was very helpful for stress relief. (probably safer then smoking) The main disadvantages that I found was that chewing gum regularly for along time caused my jaw to actually wear and it became very painful. So if gum is to be chewed I would recommend to chew for no more then 1-2 hr a day and give your jaw a brake from chewing for at least two days a week. Also I haven't chewed gum much in recent years because my favorite gum companies have given up on the idea of using just natural sweeteners, including sugar. Artificial sweetener may or may not be safe, Long term use, especially in larger quantities haven't been fully understood. Sugars have been around forever and any risks have been understood for the most part already.