Chewing gum

WeeBushy

Well I've recently started back on a health regime. I'm not terribly unhealthy but used to be quite fit and in good shape. Let that slide over the last year or so as college work got more and more time consuming.

Anyway... I'm back on track, eating healthily and back in the gym.

My question is about chewing gum. One of the things I miss is the act of buying sweets in the shop and having something to graze on throughout the day (I liken it to smokers needing something in their hand when they quit :pac:) . I've been buying chewing gum (sugar free) which has helped stop my cravings as I have something in my mouth.

Does anyone know if chewing gum is unhealthy, or any disadvantages of it health wise?

susanroth

i wouldnt think its unhealthy as long as it is sugarfree. only thing with it is if you eat too much it acts as a laxative.. so maybe not great for your stomach if you chew too much:cool:

WeeBushy

susanroth wrote: »

i wouldnt think its unhealthy as long as it is sugarfree. only thing with it is if you eat too much it acts as a laxative.. so maybe not great for your stomach if you chew too much:cool:

That warning on the back of the pack does scare me

I'd have about three pieces a day maybe so I don't think I'm quite at that stage yet

susanroth

your grand so;)
I've developed a chewing gum addiction myself would easily go through a pack (youd swear i was talking bout cigarettes:rolleyes:) a day and havent suffered any nastiness from it:D thank god!!!

EileenG

Fine as long as you don't mainline them. Look for ones with xylitol, they are actually good for your teeth.

WeeBushy

EileenG wrote: »

Fine as long as you don't mainline them. Look for ones with xylitol, they are actually good for your teeth.

What do mean by mainline? As in the household names like wrigley's?

EileenG

I meant don't knock them back one after another. Like a junkie mainlining drugs.

WeeBushy

EileenG wrote: »

I meant don't knock them back one after another. Like a junkie mainlining drugs.

Ah

But... but.. but... I just need one more hit. It's the last one, I promise

El_Dangeroso

There are some sugar-free gums in the health shop called B-fresh gum. They are made with mostly xylitol, have no aspartame, contain 100% of your RDA of B12 bizarrely, and are vegan-friendly if you're into that sort of thing

rubadub

One disadvantage I heard is that the chewing motion mimics eating food, I think this can cause too much stomach acid to be produced. This is probably what causes the laxative effect. Conversely I expect it could aid digestion.

Some interesting stuff on wiki
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chewing_gum

Use in military

The United States military have regularly supplied soldiers with chewing gum since World War I because it helped both to improve the soldiers' concentration and to relieve stress.[5] As of 2005, the U.S. military is sponsoring development of a chewing gum formulation with an antibacterial agent that could replace conventional oral hygiene methods in the battlefield. This product is not expected to be available for use for some time to come.[6]

Recently, the U.S. armed forces have been providing troops with caffeinated gum to keep soldiers alert for extended periods of time without experiencing fatigue or drowsiness. Each stick of gum has approximately 100 mg of caffeine in it, about the same amount in an average cup of coffee.[7] Although chewing gum is provided in the U.S. military MREs, it is often strongly discouraged for a troop to be seen chewing gum while standing in formation.The military uses different brands of chewing gum filled with caffeine like "Stay Alert."

Recaldent chewing gum was introduced into New Zealand Defence Force ration packs in May 2007 by New Zealand Defence Dental Services to aid oral health care for service personnel in the field.
[edit] Effects on health
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Dental health

Sugar-free gum sweetened with xylitol has been shown to reduce cavities and plaque by starving microorganisms in the mouth. The same effect has not been shown for the sweetener sorbitol. The addition of calcium lactate has been shown to increase recalcification. Chewing gum sweetened with sugar can have a negative effect on oral health, because it can degrade the enamel on teeth.
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Possible carcinogens

Concern has arisen about the possible carcinogenicity of the vinyl acetate (acetic acid ethenyl ester) used by some manufacturers in their gum bases. The Canadian government has classified the ingredient as a "potentially high hazard substance."[8] Currently the ingredient can be hidden in the catch-all term "gum base".
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Swallowed gum

One old wives' tale says that swallowed gum will remain in a human's stomach for up to seven years, as it is not digestable. According to several medical opinions, there seems to be little truth behind the tale. In most cases, swallowed gum will pass through the system as fast as any other food, but can be a little slower.[9] There have been a few cases where swallowing gum has required medical attention, but these cases are more or less related to chronic gum swallowers. One young boy swallowed several pieces each day and had to be hospitalized,[10] and another little girl required medical attention when she swallowed her gum and four coins, which got stuck together in her esophagus.[9] As long as the mass of gum is small enough to pass out of the stomach, it will likely pass out of the body easily.