For about 10,000 years, chewing gum has existed side by side with the human race. It helps us to take care of our teeth today and to even lose some weight! Don’t rush to eat a whole bag of gum in one sitting, though.
We are sure restraint is a key factor because when used unwisely, even the healthiest items can do more harm than good. So, let’s chew on the stuff we have to hold in mind. You will find bonus tips on how to rationally chew gum at the end of the post.
Your jaw muscles can be swollen by prolonged chewing.
Specialists warn that if you chew gum too much, this habit will alter your facial features unpredictably. Someone can end up with a square jawline, for example! Moreover, the excessive use of chewing muscles, especially among teenagers, can overstrain them and cause headaches.
Minty gum can urge you to eat junk food.
If you chew minty gum daily before a snack, then you’d probably prefer to eat fast food afterward. This is at least what a report conducted in 2013 has shown. This is because menthol in chewing gum adds bitterness to fruity tastes, and with unhealthy and easily available substitutes, such as hamburgers or chips, some individuals can try to suppress the gum’s aftertaste.
Sugar-free chewing gum can cause bloating.
There are 2 potential explanations why this could occur. First of all, you even swallow air that will inflate your belly as you chew. The second explanation lies in the sugar alcohols that are widely used in the manufacture of sugarless chewing gum. While such sweeteners are indigestible, after being fermented into a gas by bacteria that inhabit the intestinal tract, they will not remain in your belly forever, and in turn, can form into a bubble.
Artificial sweeteners may change your gut flora.
Among people who aspire to stay fit, sugar-free gums are very common. Some research, however, suggests that if such gum contains artificial sweeteners, its repeated intake can potentially contribute to dysbiosis and give a boost to obesity-responsible bacteria. Although researchers point out that these implications are individual and can differ from case to case, they encourage us to go with our guts.
Bonus: Chew wisely!
Actually, sugar-sweetened gum is a snack that often leads to obesity, so don’t use it as a way to stop cavities.
Chew the sugar-free gum for up to 20 minutes after a meal.
Think of balance; chew no more than 14 sorbitol-containing gum sticks a day.
Preview photo credit Shutterstock.com
