Surprisingly, the habit of chewing on gum can help improve your health. People have been chewing gum in different forms for thousands of years. While original gums were made of the sap of trees, most modern gums are made of various synthetic rubbers. Although most chewing gum manufacturers keep their exact recipes a secret, it doesn’t mean this product is harmful. All ingredients found in the processing of chewing gum are “food grade” and classified as fit for human consumption.
The good news for chewing gum lovers: chewing gum hasn’t been related to any serious health consequences. If used in moderation, chewing gums can actually be beneficial. Here are some surprising health benefits of chewing gum:
Chewing gum can help you cut your calorie count and reduce your appetite by acting as a “signal” that you don’t need to eat anymore. This will effectively tame your cravings and make you eat less.
According to various studies, the biggest benefit comes from people who reach for gum instead of reaching snacks between meals. A study from the University of Rhode Island found that people who chew gum, swallow 67 percent fewer calories at lunchtime than those who don’t chew gum.
Acid reflux is a condition in which the stomach acid gets congested in your esophagus resulting in a burning sensation in your chest. Chewing gum makes your saliva become more alkaline and increases your swallowing. This neutralizes the acid and lowers inflammation, effectively soothing your esophagus in the process.
Chewing gum can help fight ear pain caused by flying. The jaw movement and increased saliva production that’s caused by chewing gum efficiently normalize the pressure in your ears and thus help relieve ear pain, known as airplane ear.
Chewing sugarless gum has been shown to have a similar effect on teeth as fluoride-containing mouthwash and toothpaste. Chewing gum can kill 100 million bacteria in just ten minutes.
Chewing sugarless gum for 20 minutes after a meal can help prevent tooth decay and root canal procedure as well as improve gum health. The provoking of the flow of saliva helps wash away food particles and neutralize acids from drinks and foods. Plus, saliva contains calcium and phosphate that support the structure of the teeth.
According to recent studies, chewing gum can improve cognitive function and overall test performance. Researchers suggest that this valuable mental boost stems from the observed increase in heart rate and blood flow. This means that chewing gum improves the delivery of oxygen to the brain by as much as 25 to 40 percent.
If you’re one of those who suffer from chronic constipation, you can improve this problem by just using chewing gum. Chewing gum has been shown to stimulate bowel movements due to boosting the production of gastric juices without having to digest foods. Plus, chewing gum can help prevent the issues many people experience when they start eating or drinking too soon after surgery.
According to a 2011 study, people who chewed gum two times a day for two weeks rated their anxiety less than those who didn’t chew gum. They also reported higher moods and lower fatigue levels. This is due to the fact that chewing gum can significantly lower the production of stress hormone cortisol since the simple act of chewing is calming for most people.
