Sugar free gum

defattify

Lads I'm just wondering about sugar free gum. I don't usually chew gum but last week I bought one of those big packs with 60 pieces thinking that it might be good when I've got the munchies. Anyway that was last Monday and here I am today, just finishing off the last two :eek:

That's a lot of chewing gum in one week! Is it a harmless thing to take while trying to lose weight or do ye reckon I should steer clear? I've heard rumours about aspartame and blood sugar and don't want to be sabotaging myself. Thanks!

I polish off a pack of blue extra every day at work so I'd like to know as well ;s

EileenG

SF gum is fine in small amounts. Too much and it acts as laxitive!

I'd try to stick to a few pieces a day.

El_Dangeroso

There's a brand of SF gum they sell in healthfood shops called 'B-Fresh' that has the minimal of nasty ingredients (though with all SF gum we are talking tiny quantities of nasty stuff unless you're eating packets and packets.)

Frogdog

Now EileenG or Temple Grandin feel free to correct me here, but -

Does chewing gum not make you hungier? Once you chew something doesn't your brain tell your stomach that food is on the way, and in the case of chewing gum because you aren't ingesting any food then you become hungrier???

WetDaddy

Hi FrogDog,

Not sure if that holds true for the act of chewing, but it certainly does for ingesting artificial sweeteners. For example, Diet Coke has very few calories but is choc-full of aspartame (I believe) - after drinking that, your brain is expecting calories but gets none. As a result, you can be more prone to snacking afterward!

At least I *think* that's all true

El_Dangeroso

Frogdog wrote: »

Now EileenG or Temple Grandin feel free to correct me here, but -

Does chewing gum not make you hungier? Once you chew something doesn't your brain tell your stomach that food is on the way, and in the case of chewing gum because you aren't ingesting any food then you become hungrier???

Jeez, people will do studies on anything:

Short-term effects of chewing gum on snack intake and appetite

That study says in the hour after chewing gum that you become less likely to snack, I'd put that down to a minty taste in the mouth, I know brushing my teeth does the same to me. But I do always find if I'm chewing gum for more than an hour I'm ravenous a little sooner than normal. Just anecdotal, but it seems to be that way with other people too. Makes sense as you'd be chewing away and the tummy is thinking 'where the hell is the food?'

WetDaddy wrote: »

Hi FrogDog,

Not sure if that holds true for the act of chewing, but it certainly does for ingesting artificial sweeteners. For example, Diet Coke has very few calories but is choc-full of aspartame (I believe) - after drinking that, your brain is expecting calories but gets none. As a result, you can be more prone to snacking afterward!

At least I *think* that's all true

Definitely non-caloric sweeteners tend to mess with your blood sugar if you are a chronic consumer of them. Once in a while is probably not gonna be too bad.

EileenG

Frogdog wrote: »

Now EileenG or Temple Grandin feel free to correct me here, but -

Does chewing gum not make you hungier? Once you chew something doesn't your brain tell your stomach that food is on the way, and in the case of chewing gum because you aren't ingesting any food then you become hungrier???

If you are chewing because you are genuinely hungry, it might. But the reason most of us are fat is not because we're hungry, but because we eat when we are not hungry. If chewing a stick of gum stops you eating a bar of chocolate, then it's a win.