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What is chewing gum? -

Chewing gum is a soft chewy substance that contains a number of different ingredients. The rubbery, elastic substance is meant to be chewed but not swallowed.

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What is it made of? -

Gum is the base of all chewing gums. This is what gives it its chewy consistency. Gum is usually made of polymers, plasticizers, and resins. Let’s take a look at some of the ingredients used in chewing gum.

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Texture -

Chewing gum needs texture, so fillers, such as calcium carbonate or talc, are often added for that purpose. Resin is also added to gum to hold it together and make it stronger.

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Preservatives -

Preservatives are also present in chewing gum. An organic compound known as butylated hydroxytoluene (BHT) is the most popular one used to extend shelf life.

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Softeners -

Softeners are used to prevent gum from becoming hard. Waxes such as paraffin or vegetable oils retain moisture and keep gums soft.

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Sweeteners -

Chewing gum is sweetened in different ways, namely with sugars such as corn syrup, cane sugar, and beet sugar, among others.

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Sweeteners -

Sugar-free chewing gums often contain artificial sugars such as aspartame or sugar alcohols such as xylitol.

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Flavorings -

Natural or synthetic flavorings are added to chewing gums to achieve the desired flavor.

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Are the ingredients in chewing gum safe? -

All ingredients in chewing gum must be fit for human consumption, so in short, yes. However, some gums may contain small amounts of controversial ingredients. The quantities shouldn't be high enough to cause harm, but they cause debate nonetheless. Let’s take a look.

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Butylated hydroxytoluene (BHT) -

BHT is an antioxidant that is used as a food preservative. It's a rather controversial ingredient because, in some animal studies, high doses of it were found to cause cancer. The results are, however, not consistent among all studies.

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Butylated hydroxytoluene (BHT) -

BHT tests on humans are scarce, but one Dutch study found that there was no link between the consumption of BHT and stomach cancer. BHT is deemed safe in both the US (FDA) and Europe (EFSA) in dosages under 0.11 mg per pound of body weight (0.25 mg per kg). On average, people consume a lot less than this per day.

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Titanium dioxide -

Titanium dioxide gives foods a smooth texture and whitens them, so it works great in chewing gums, but some studies in rats found that very high doses of it lead to nervous system and organ damage. Other studies also linked titanium dioxide to inflammation and cancer.

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Titanium dioxide -

So far, research on humans is limited and the amount of titanium dioxide that might be harmful in humans is yet to be determined. For this reason, Europe banned its use.

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Aspartame -

Aspartame is a popular artificial sweetener that has been around for a long time. For years, it has been linked to a number of health problems, but results are mixed.

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Aspartame -

Aspartame has been found to be a carcinogen for rodents, but it has been deemed safe for humans, and it's included in many sugar-free foods, including chewing gums.

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Color additives -

Some synthetic color additives used in chewing gums have been linked to a number of health problems. They include Red Dye 40, Yellow 5, Yellow 6, and Blue 1.

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Color additives -

Still, these dyes have been approved by many food safety agencies (such as the FDA) as being safe for human consumption. But this isn't the case for all color additives in every part of the world. For instance, Red 3 and Green 3 are used in the US (for now) but have already been banned in Europe.

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Chewing gum can be good for your brain -

There are several studies that looked at the brain function of people performing tasks while chewing gum. The results have consistently shown that doing so can increase several aspects of brain function, such as understanding and memory.

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Chewing gum can be good for your brain -

Alertness, understanding, and decision-making have also been found to improve by chewing gum.

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It works for students -

A randomized controlled trial revealed that students who chewed gum for over seven or 19 days experienced lower levels of stress, anxiety, and depression, compared to those who didn't chew gum. In addition, the gum-chewing group showed better academic results.

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A distraction? -

Interestingly, there are mixed results with regards to the effects of chewing gum on performing tasks. One study found it was a distraction at first, but it helped focus during longer periods.

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Time-sensitive -

Another study, however, only found a benefit of chewing gum during the first 15–20 minutes of performing a task.

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Stress relief -

A number of studies have also found that chewing gum may help reduce stress and increase alertness.

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Impact in the brain -

The way chewing gum affects brain function is not totally understood. Chewing has been shown to reduce the levels of stress hormones such as cortisol, so this may play a role.

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Impact on the brain -

Chewing may also increase blood flow to the brain, which may help with memory.

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Chewing gum may assist in weight loss -

Chewing gum is sweet, and sugar-free ones have no calories. Some studies have found it can reduce appetite as well.

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Chewing gum may assist in weight loss -

Chewing gum has also been linked to an increase in metabolic rate, but results are still inconclusive.

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Chewing gum can be good for your teeth -

Sugar-free chewing gum, especially those containing the sugar alcohol xylitol, can help protect your teeth from cavities and bad breath. This is because xylitol prevents the growth of bad bacteria.

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Chewing gum can be good for your teeth -

It's not just xylitol-sweetened gum that reduces the amount of bad bacteria in the mouth, the act of chewing gum produces more saliva. This increase in saliva flow can help wash away harmful elements.

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Side effects -

There may be some side effects to chewing gum. Those with sugar may increase the risk of cavities and other sugar-related issues. On the other hand, those with sugar alcohols can actually have a laxative effect.

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Side effects -

Chewing often, for long periods of time, can potentially lead to a painful jaw condition called temporomandibular disorder (TMD). Some people also report headaches linked to chewing gum.

Sources: (Healthline) (WebMD)

See also: The most common doubts about oral hygiene (and their answers)

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