Wanna piece of gum?
This is a question I get asked a lot and 99 out of 100 times I say NO!
Check out the candy aisle I visited in Singapore recently. No gum here…
Candy aisle at Target, pretty much all gum.
The reason I say no is because most people offer me gum with ingredients like this:
Wrigley’s Doublemint Gum – Artificial Colors, Artificial Flavors, Artificial GMO Sugars, Carcinogenic Sugars, Toxic Preservatives (Note – This gum has sugar + corn syrup + Aspartame)
INGREDIENTS: SUGAR , GUM BASE , DEXTROSE , CORN SYRUP , NATURAL AND ARTIFICIAL FLAVORS , LESS THAN 2% OF: GLYCEROL , ASPARTAME , GUM ARABIC , SOY LECITHIN , ACESULFAME K , COLOR , (TITANIUM DIOXIDE , BLUE 1 LAKE , BETA-CAROTENE) , BHT
Trident Gum Ingredients – Artificial Colors, Artificial Flavorings, GMOs, Carcinogenic Sugars, Toxic Preservatives (Note: This gum has Xylitol + 3 other sugars including Aspartame)
Bubble Yum Gum Ingredients – Artificial Colors, Artificial Flavorings, GMO Sugars, Toxic Preservatives
Orbit Gum Ingredients – Artificial Colors, Artificial Flavorings, Carcinogenic Sugars, Toxic Preservatives
Wrigley’s 5 Gum – Artificial Colors, Artificial Flavorings, Carcinogenic Sugars, Toxic Preservatives
I used to be addicted to gum. I would totally freak out if I didn’t have some in my purse or pantry after eating. But that’s before I figured out the ingredients in chewing gum were slowly sabotaging my health.
One of the reasons people chew gum is for weight loss. Chewing gum keeps your mouth occupied so you don’t reach for food, right? The main ingredient in all these gums is artificial sweeteners and consuming them will not work as long term strategy for weight loss. Artificial Sweeteners are proven to stimulate your appetite, increase carbohydrate cravings, and promote fat storage and weight gain.
Think about it – when someone consumes something that is sweet, but it has little to no calories – their brain receives a signal to want more calories because their body is not actually getting any energy (i.e. enough calories) to get satisfied. So that person keeps looking for gratification elsewhere and ends up craving more.
Furthermore, there are more dangerous side effects from artificial sweeteners, especially aspartame, which is considered one the most dangerous substances allowed in our food supply. Over 10,000 complaints have been filed with the FDA on this substance since 1980 and has actually never been proven to be safe before it was approved for use in our food supply. Aspartame is linked to diabetes, auto-immune disorders, depression (which can cause you to eat more – once again), birth defects, and several forms of cancer.
What upsets me the most is that Trident is now advertising its gum is made with Xylitol – but it still has Aspartame in it! Trident’s marketing is the best…It will fool even the smartest of people.
Another ingredient I should point out specifically that all of these gums have is BHT. It is used as an embalming fluid and in jet fuel. BHT is a banned substance in several countries and is linked to cancer in animal studies. What’s wrong with this picture?
And what’s up with the warning at the bottom of some of the ingredient lists for “Contains: Phenylalanine”? Does the average person even know what this means? Phenylalanine is added to the ingredient Aspartame and could seriously be dangerous if you have certain health conditions. Consuming this substance (if you have a condition that makes you sensitive to this additive) can cause mental retardation, brain seizures, sleep disorders and anxiety. All this from chewing a piece of gum. SCARY.
If I really want to chew gum, Spry is a “safer” brand, although it still isn’t health food or completely clean – It’s Non-GMO, has no artificial colors, artificial preservatives, GMO or carcinogenic sugars, or artificial flavors and it is made with Xylitol. Xylitol is a safer sugar alcohol and commonly used in nasal sprays as a natural remedy for allergies and congestion. Spry’s label isn’t lying to you to you either. I love the fact that it tells you which actual “natural flavor” it has in it – peppermint oil.
So is chewing a gum like Spry ok on a regular basis? Well no, not really.
Chewing gum messes with your body’s ability to produce digestive enzymes, a critical substance that helps you get all the nutrition from food you need into your bloodstream.
Every time you chew a piece of gum, you send signals to your brain that you are chewing actual food. Your digestive organs – the stomach and pancreas get ready to digest food by creating digestive enzymes your brain thinks you need. Now imagine doing this all time and every day by chewing gum that isn’t real food. You’re tricking your pancreas and stomach to produce digestive enzymes when they don’t really need to use them. Over time the digestive organs become overtaxed and stop producing the amount of enzymes they once did.
This is certainly bad enough, but as you age, you lose 1/3 of your body’s ability to produce digestive enzymes too. This is why taking a digestive enzyme supplement in your older years may improve your overall health. (That’s another topic for another time…)
Regardless, some benefits to “chewing” gum were just released in a new study that saw improved test scores in students that chewed gum 5 minutes before a test. Increasing your physical activity even as minor as chewing gum could benefit cognitive function in the brain. Studies like these are pretty fascinating, I wonder if they are conducted just to get people to buy more gum, considering most studies are funded by an interested party in the industry. This doesn’t mean you have to resort to chewing gum to get this benefit, however…
What if you could chew something just as effective that was GOOD for you, freshened your breath and helped you digest food without the threat of reducing your natural digestive enzymes?
Enter…Fennel Seed.
It’s amazing what chewing on a little seed can do. I purchased this bottle of fennel seed from the new spice shop that just opened in town called Savory. I’ve kept a bottle like this in my purse at all times for years.
Chewing on fennel seed as an after dinner digestive is no secret. It has been used for many years in Asia for medicinal purposes. Fennel seed is proven to prevent gas, heart burn, bloating and upset stomach, freshen your breath, improve eyesight, relieve hypertension, and help coughs and bronchitis.
I always chew some after a big meal and especially after my fair share of dessert. Fennel seeds smell like licorice and taste a little bit like it too. I chew about a ½ tsp and it’s just enough to get my mouth instantly fresh and clean. By the way, you don’t spit these seeds like you would gum. You swallow them because they are food.
Fennel seeds can be your savior when you might be eating more than you would like or foods that you aren’t used to. You can find Organic Fennel Seed here.
So, the next time someone asks you if you’d like a piece of gum, what are you going to say?
If you find this article interesting and think it could benefit someone in your life, please share it – especially with those who are always asking you that question.
Happy Chewing!
Food Babe
P.S. I tried forever to blow a bubble with my Spry Gum…my bubbles were pitiful. I guess that’s one of the downsides of chewing less toxic substances. I’ll take that any day over the alternative 🙂
Really bummed about the lack of big bubble making…
I have seen a couple of mentions of Glee Gum, and I would like to give them a shout out. Granted “all natural” doesn’t usually mean much when it comes to food, but in the case of chewing gum, it’s about as good as you can find. Also, the gum base is made from the sap of the sapodilla tree, which grows in the rainforests of Central America; the six classic flavors are all Fair Trade certified; and you can buy in bulk. They used to use organic sugar, but I can’t confirm that they still do. Otherwise, I think this is one of the best, if not the best, gum option available.
Someone may have already mentioned it, as I have not read every reply, but I just wanted to post this here somewhere, because I am an animal lover. The Gum you mentioned here, SPRY, which contains Xylitol, is very toxic to dogs … please be careful having it in the house with your pets.
Um… Pretty much all sugar free gum can cause a trip to the vet OR. So can dark chocolate, chicken bones, grapes, rasins, avocados, onions, garlic, large amounts of caffeine, dairy, macadamia nuts, peaches, plums, persimmons. I could keep going and going. But yeah, don’t forget the gum thing and you’re dog probably doesn’t need to go to the vet if it eats a milk chocolate bar either because they’re is basically no chocolate in it. Also, we’ve been talking and we think you’re responsible enough to own a pet. kthxbai
Thank you for mentioning Glee Gum. To be honest I have not purchased it as I have been trying to find it in the store. I think I will be ordering it online. I have been successful in getting my family to stop chewing gum. So, now they are waiting for me to buy it as I promised them. 😉 This is really much better than any other gum. You can also read what the company does for the environment. 🙂 It’s a good thing! http://www.gleegum.com/natural-glee-gum.htm?c1=GAW_SE_NW&source=BRND&kw=glee_gum_exm&cr5=18261532088&gclid=COOVguqb_bcCFY9eQgodYHoA1g
Rosa, Whole Foods carries Glee Glum. Not sure if you have one close to you, but thought I would let you know.
first off I have to say that you are so funny when comes to stuff like this – trying to blow bubbles (this is chewing gum not bubble gum lol) 😉 noticed someone told you that 3 pieces of spry will get you a decent bubble but I just tried it and got notta!! lol I can suck in and make a pop but cannot blow out and get any bubbles or a pop 😉
we do not chew gum very often at all but when we do it is the Spry gum now – we used to buy Trident and one other one that I cannot think of the name now but about 3 yrs ago I started really paying attn to the ingredients to make sure we didn’t get any of them with aspartame in it and just stopped buying it all together since I couldn’t find one without it!! crazy!!
then I learned about the food coloring thing and all our food choices have changed as I found out it was having completely opposite effects on both of my children but both were equally bad – have one that has very hard time staying focused if she has any type of ‘food coloring’ and the other it literally makes him sick at his tummy – and we always thought it was because maybe he ate too much but yet didnt seem like he was eating enough to feed a bird sometimes – but once we took all artificial colors out of the diet they both are doing a great deal better!
love your spunk to get the info and for sharing it all with us – we need all the help we can get and it has made a huge difference in our eating habits and how we feel! 😉
Your article is informative, but the point about the absence of chewing gum in Singapore is a bit misleading. The absence of chewing gum in Singapore has nothing to do with health. It is a measure taken by the Singapore Government toward cleanliness in an attempt to curb the litter caused by used gum. In Singapore chewing gum can be acquired at the pharmacy or at the dentist but not at the supermarket.
http://www.singaporelawreview.org/2012/11/the-freedom-to-chew-gum/
My intention is not to be misleading, I had just taken a trip to Singapore and thought it was funny to include a picture of the candy aisle there that’s all. Nonetheless – thanks for pointing out the facts.
Vani;
You look realy FUNNY girl, trying to blow those bubbles!
That idea of chewing a few fennel seeds sounds GREAT though.
I suspect that chewing some xylitol gum right after eating would be ALMOST as good though. Stimulating the digestive tract right after eating only increases the EFFICIENCY and COMPLETENESS with which you degest your food, and it ALSO helps CLEAN your TEETH!
But the point is, it IS misleading…and you know it.
Rebecca, you beat me to it. I thought this was also misleading. The lack of gum in Singapore is related to littering issues and not health concerns. The way it is presented here makes it seem otherwise. Nice to see the promotion of fennel, though, which has many benefits.
I am a pediatric occupational therapist here in the Charlotte area. I felt the need to comment because chewing gum ABSOLUTELY improves focus and attention! As an OT who specializes in sensory processing, I am frequently reccomending oral input because of its ability to improve brain function. It provides some children (and adults) with much needed propriception and organization. A fennel seed will NOT provide that kind of organizing input to the brain. I completely agree with you on all the horrible stuff that is in most gums BUT had to chime in because it is a wonderful therapeutic tool for some individuals. Please don’t paint these studies in a negative light when you know little about sensory processing and the disorders some children are facing. In my 10+ years practicing, I have seen GUM chewing change test scores and grades for the better countless times!
I do love your blog and what you are doing to help change our food industry.
As the mother of a child with learning disorder/processing disorder, my child needs the gum to help her do her work. I have been giving her Spry gum for a year now and we both love it. Used to give her Glee gum but found the sugar coating to be too sugary and knew it wasn’t good for teeth. I always throw out the aspartame laden gum she comes home with, sorry kid but your mom loves you. Spry tastes good and the flavor lasts as well. Whole Foods sells it. Now I just need to get digestive enzymes.
Yes, chewing does improve concentration. As a child I chewed my pencils to bits every time I sat down to do an assignment, so I switched to pens and chewed them to bits as well. Gum would have solved that issue for me. Now my 10 year old is going through the same thing…gum to the rescue!
Glee gum has a a few sugar free flavors with xylitol.
Btw: thanks Jill. I agree with you and thank you for helping special kids!
Aaaah specialists!!! They always come to contradict and give us their scores and proofs to say it’s not true!
So it’s more important to have scores than to have a better health?
So those kids are gonna think it’s better to chew shitty dangerous gum because of better attention/scores? I’m shocked!!!
If they have a disorder, try to find out what they are eating instead…;I’m sure what they eat is not healthy at all!!!
Jill
on April 9, 2013 at 2:46 pm said:
Actually “Gotya” I DO look at what they eat….since nutrition is so closely related to sensory processing! My FIRST action is to help clean up a childs diet that could be contributing to their symptoms. If you knew anything about the way the brain functions, than you would already know that it requires proprioception to function properly. Gum helps give some special needs children much needed input to help them be successful (in case you didn’t realize, attention and focus are REQUIRED for learning) I never ever EVER recommend the poison which is in most gums. I always give parents a list of what to avoid. For you to make a comment downplaying the struggles that special needs children go through is ignorant and cruel. Gum chewing is an important and helpful strategy for thousands of children and if the right gum is chosen, IT IS NOT DETRIMENTAL to their health (which what the post is suggesting)!!!!!! That was my point! Aspartame is poison, I agree and never did I suggest otherwise!
Not only did your comment not make any accurate points, it offends me as a professional who works so hard helping children cope with these processing disorders. Get your facts straight before you speak ignorance!!!
Reply ↓
Yes, how terrible for a specialist to provide rational points, expertise and their educated opinion. How sad is it for someone to be personally attacked for providing their point of view and opinion, particularly when they didn’t even disagree with the point they are being attacked for.
Just to add to what Jill has so kindly contributed to this conversation (which should have never been made into an argument), it is not just about “test scores”, or even learning- it IS about health and well-being. Many children will chew inedible (potentially toxic) objects, or even their own skin, to get the same sensory input as gum can provide. Yes, clearly gum can be unhealthy, and even those that are “better” may have their own issues, but, to come back to Jill’s original point, there are also benefits- and sometimes that immense benefit may outweigh some of the issues, at least in certain situations, for certain children. Therefore, this is simply something to be aware of, and respectful of, before we write off all gum as completely horrible and evil.
And, how wonderful, informative and important that we have a wonderful platform and opportunity to share these different insights from different perspectives in an open and respectful way, that may help individuals weigh their options and make informed decisions so they are able to decide for themselves what is best for them and their children/families.
Aaaaah specialists!! They always come and tell you you’re wrong, they contradict you showing their scores and results!
What’s best? To have a kid in good health or to let him eat crap and have him get attention?
Did you even try to check what these kids are eating?? I bet they eat crap all the time!!!
She said fennel get her have a better breath and also helps digestion!!!
Aspartame is dangerous!!! End of quote!!!
Actually “Gotya” I DO look at what they eat….since nutrition is so closely related to sensory processing! My FIRST action is to help clean up a childs diet that could be contributing to their symptoms. If you knew anything about the way the brain functions, than you would already know that it requires proprioception to function properly. Gum helps give some special needs children much needed input to help them be successful (in case you didn’t realize, attention and focus are REQUIRED for learning) I never ever EVER recommend the poison which is in most gums. I always give parents a list of what to avoid. For you to make a comment downplaying the struggles that special needs children go through is ignorant and cruel. Gum chewing is an important and helpful strategy for thousands of children and if the right gum is chosen, IT IS NOT DETRIMENTAL to their health (which what the post is suggesting)!!!!!! That was my point! Aspartame is poison, I agree and never did I suggest otherwise!
Not only did your comment not make any accurate points, it offends me as a professional who works so hard helping children cope with these processing disorders. Get your facts straight before you speak ignorance!!!
Jill, I promise this is a genuine question, not any kind of attack. 🙂 Can you explain to me why chewing gum will help with attention, but chewing fennel seeds won’t? I think my kiddo could really benefit from the chewing-attention thing. Thanks so much for sharing!!
Thanks, Jill. I have two boys with sensory processing disorders. The oldest was in private therapy 1-2 times a week for three years and the younger one continues weekly private OT therapy. I, too, have seen the benefits of letting them chew gum. I may consider switching to a healthier alternative, but it has been great for my boys!
Is there any healthy chewing gum out there that is is not hard coated? My daughters OT tried chewing gum with her but she has trouble with the texture of the hard coating. I will not let her chew any gum that has anything artificial.
Thank you for this. I am going to send this to my boys. They are teenagers. Jacob is 15 and already doing a lot to improve his eating habits. I think he was 10 when he told his dad he would no longer eat anything from MacDonald’s. HIs dad doesn’t cook, and still goes there. Jacob just sits and watches his brother and dad eat, preferring to go hungry rather ingest toxic “food”. The only time my boys get real food is when they are with me, summers and vacations. This summer they will be really learning how to cook.
Interesting article.. The biggest thing that stood out to me was your issue with phenylalanine. This is an amino acid essential to our health as our body cannot make it (there are 9 essential amino acids which we require a certain amount of each day). It is found in many products that have protein – meats, seeds, nuts. It is only ever a health concern to consume if you have a rare disease called PKU (Phenylketonuria), which is diagnosed at birth and we are screened for it. Therefore, phenylalanine posses no risk affecting someone who does not have PKU. It feels to me that mentioning phenylalanine was a scare tactic in this post. I respect the fact that you have covered all the ingredients in common gums and I agree, we don’t need to be chewing gum. I do appreciate the healthier gum and alternatives given.
I was hoping someone would say this. Scare tactics at its best.
Um… She already SAID all that in the post & gave the warning way before you did.
Jenna:
Thanks for posting the information on phenylketonuria and phenylalanine. That was the most glaring error that I saw on food babe’s post. She implied that phenylalanine was some sort of a dangerous chemical. Anyone with even a rudimentary knowledge of biology understands that this is an essential amino acid and is present in protein from any food source, including plants. Food babe needs to work a little more on getting her facts straight and researching her “opinions”. I’ll need to research the dangers of chewing gum a little further, but when glaring errors like this show up in a post, it discredits all of the information whether true or not.
Thanks for the tip! I’m going to get some fennel seed!
Just a warning that Xylitol can be harmful to dogs. Be sure to keep your Spry gum out of reach of Rover!
Can KILL your dog.
Instructive and hilarious at the same time.
Thanks for everything, Food Babe!
I just did a blog post similar to this a few days ago! http://sheeatskale.blogspot.com/2013/03/can-you-be-addicted-to-chewing-gum.html I was addicted to chewing gum too, until I found out how bad it was for my health; way to spread the word!
I stopped chewing regular gum in January and when I went to the dentist on Monday, I had a lot more plaque than normal – despite brushing and flossing after meals. I bought some Pur gum and can’t wait to get my hands on some Glee gum. Those both seem like good brands to me.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Aspartame_controversy
some research…
I agree with the article but I stopped chewing “Spry” gum because of the Soy. Glee does not contain soy and I don’t think the PUR brand has it either as well as the Bee Well gum. The weston A. Price foundation has alot to say about Soy and none of it is good. I also read an eye opening book called “the whole soy story” that gives the low down on Soy as well…It does not matter if it is GMO or Organic…It is a hormone disruptor and will overload the body with estrogen..and Soy has a link to estrogen driven cancers.
Check out B-Fresh gum. It’s ingredient list:
Xylitol, gum base, natural spearment flavor, vitamin B12, gum arabic, carnuba wax, calcium citrate (ph regulator), and calcium glauconite (ph regulator).
I chew it for the B12 and Calcium and it’s quite tasty!
I second the B-Fresh gum suggestion! Great gum…and very good BUBBLE GUM. 🙂 I can only eat a couple of pieces at a time, though, as I’m one of those weird people who has sensitivities to xylitol (and sorbitol, manitol, etc.).
And yes, xylitol can be toxic to dogs, so watch out where you keep it!
Gr8 article keep them coming ;0)
Thanks for the investigation, Food Babe! I really like the Fennel seed suggestion.
Interesting. Thank you for the information regarding gum chewing. As a newbie, following FoodBabe, I am learning daily. However, on the blogs re topics such as the harmful ingredients in gum, I wish those whom disagree with other posts would refrain from mud-slinging and the use of less than graceful language. Simply state your own views, and I take them into consideration. Thank You.
Hi Dody. Welcome to Food Babe!
Hi Food Babe! I love your articles… in this one I would like to add that I noted on the back of most gum, IN CAPITOL LETTERS as if to say, you had to have seen it, it was in caps. Or, note the poison here in CAPS. Sopposedly,… The genetic disorder phenylketonuria (PKU) is the inability to metabolize phenylalanine. Individuals with this disorder are known as “phenylketonurics” and must regulate their intake of phenylalanine. A (rare) “variant form” of phenylketonuria called hyperphenylalaninemia is caused by the inability to synthesize a coenzyme called biopterin, which can be supplemented. Pregnant women with hyperphenylalaninemia may show similar symptoms of the disorder (high levels of phenylalanine in blood) but these indicators will usually disappear at the end of gestation. Individuals who cannot metabolize phenylalanine must monitor their intake of protein to control the buildup of phenylalanine as their bodies convert protein into its component amino acids. This doesn’t sound like it applies to everyone, so why is it in EVERY PACK OF GUM, before it used to just be in SUGARLESS packs.
I have a SERIOUSLY terrible gum chewing habit. I chew 6 packs of Spearamint Orbit a day. It’s AWFUL I know, but it is my only vice and I honestly cannot stop! I am not chewing anything right now though! GO ME. lol – I typically chew after dinner and the pieces in my mouth (2 at a time) last like 10 minutes each. Ah! I think I just have an oral fixation problem.
You’re so cute, I have to try these seeds!
Please make sure you note this! Xylitol while being a great sugar substitute is terribly dangerous to dogs. Our 25 lb dog consumed 15 pieces of gum with xylitol after finding it on the floor of my daughter’s room while we all slept. Within a few hours she was already on her way to a certain death. We were so fortunate to have found a piece of the gum and the box beside some of her vomit, otherwise we would have no idea what happened and could not have gotten her the proper care to save her life. Research this! Know this, dog lovers! It’s so important and I hate that this disclaimer is not under every rack of xylitol gum in every store.
Savory on South Blvd in Charlotte, I love that place! Are you from Charlotte as well?
I don’t mean to be rude, but almost everything you say here is unsubstantiated when it comes to the extremely small levels of these chemicals present in gum. The dose makes the poison… Everything causes bodily disruption if you consume too much of it, that doesn’t mean it posses a health risk. Any studies showing a direct connection between gum and health issues?
what about Chicza?
organic and natural!
http://www.chicza.com/
Xylitol gum lasts about 1 min then taste aweful.
I think it’s important to understand that so many people do not understand the concept of “moderation.” So while the amounts of toxins in chewing gum might be minimal, chewing multiple pieces of gum a day increases the amounts of those toxins you are ingesting. Regardless, one cannot ignore the fact that these toxins, such as aspartame, are being permitted in our food system in the first place. I do not care how small the dosage may be, I wouldn’t recommend that anyone ingest it.
All of the toxins that we consume daily add up and are detrimental to our health. I used to chew a lot of gum every single day, unknowing of all of the harmful ingredients prevalent in it. After seeing this post, I decided to give fennel seeds a try since they are a real food. They are surprisingly pleasant to chew on!
Thank you, Vani, for your continued effort to raise awareness and make a difference!
Love the post! Just felt I needed to point out that gum is illegal in Singapore not because they fear the health ramifications, but because people stick it everywhere. Tossing my gum now… In the trash 🙂
Spry sticks to my teeth. (Or was that the Glee gum?) I like Epic Xylitol. I chew way too much of it, though. I’ll try the Fennel seed.
But what about Titanium Dioxide in the Spry Gum? The American Cancer Society has listed Titanium Dioxide among the five most carcinogenic substances on the planet. It is considered a cause of Asthma, cancer, kidney disease, Alzheimer’s and fertility loss. There are many animal studies on the Internet linking this chemical to the above diseases.
– See more at: http://henrymakow.com/who-titanium-dioxide-in-our.html#sthash.vLvoiws5.dpuf
You should do some research on the foods that carry this substance.
I was wondering about the titanium dioxide also . . . .
I switched to Pur gum..
What are your thoughts ..
It’s the only gym that really seems like gum ..,
It says no aspartame no GMO no nuts and gluten free.. (Vegan)
Wow…that was a fascinating. I used to chew sugar-free gum like it was candy…as soon as the flavor was gone I’d get rid of that piece and start chewing another. I started getting horrid stomach aches and after doing some internet research, discovered that it was probably due to the Sorbitol.
A lot of people were experiencing the same problem and when they stopped using Sorbitol it went away. Voila! I stopped chewing sugar-free gum and using any product with Sorbitol and my problem completely disappeared.
Great post, Food Babe!
Ree
I love everything you post! It is all so informative and you have helped me become more choosy while grocery shopping. The only thing I don’t like about this article is that you bring Singapore into it. Gum is illegal there only because of how people dispose of it after it’s been chewed. But gum is one bad habit that will take me forever to quit!
I don’t get the Singapore reference, There’s no gum in Singapore, because chewing gum in Singapore is illegal, because they’re EFFING CRAZY. It’s not because of the health risks, it’s to cut down on littering. In 2004 Singapore outlawed all chewing gum that was not for therapeutic purposes because people were disposing of it improperly. So the Prime Minister said no more. I had to do a big report on it in my Political Science class in college. Weirdest damned thing I ever had to do a report on. The also have VERY VERY strict littering laws. 1st time offense is punishable with $1000 fine and community service. If you’re caught 3 times they make you wear a sign that says “I’m a litter lout.” They also levy fines for not flushing the toilet in public, walking around nude in your home. You can be thrown in jail for hugging in public without permission and heaven forbid you find a WiFi not locked down, they will throw you in jail for “Hacking” Crazy Crazy ass country.
It was just a picture from my recent travels that I wanted to share, that’s all.
I have also heard that most gum is made with plastic. Another reason not to chew most commercially made gum.
The most common of several substances officially approved as the “gum base” you see on Ingredients is in fact a polymer, like plastic. But it is actually closer to artificial rubber – very much like that in car tires.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chewing_gum
Hey food babe! I was wondering if you’ve ever tried PUR gum…and if its any good..(ingredients wise)
http://pur-gum.com/
Last time I checked Spry’s ingredients, there were artificial flavors in its fruit flavored gum. We’ve been chewing peppermint XyliChew for years because its health benefits are even greater than Sprys.
Spry gum contains soy lecithin which is why I won’t chew it. Sugar free GLEE gum is the only gum I’ve found without soy and it has xylitol instead of artificial sweeteners.
I keep fennel seeds in an old Tic Tac container. I don’t purchase gum or any type of breath mints. The Tic Tac container is a perfect container to keep in a purse or car.
Hurray! Thank you for this thorough piece. I miss the ritual/taste of chewing gum sometimes, but then I think about the ingredients and can easily say “no thanks!”. Great article!
i read an article recently about nanoparticles being found in gum too which is obviously very bad…
It is likely to be in the form of Titanium Dioxide (see ingredients shown above). Over 93% of titanium dioxide used in gum is in the form of nanoparticles.
This is not an estimate; it was found by actual lab testing:
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/23065899
Omgosh, so thankful for this post!! I chew gum before & during a test. It really does help!! I also chew gum when I’m anxious-it helps keep me calm. But I have been looking for a gum that does not contain aspartame for a long time and could not find any. Little did I know gum could contain gmo’s-aah more reason to find a safer gum. Thank you, thank you for doing the research and letting us know of a “safer” gum. I’ll be lookking into that gum and the many others that people posted about in the comments. Also, good to know how gum affects enzymes. I’ll still be chewing gum but much less now knowing how it affects enzymes. Looking forward to trying the
I agree gum is bad for you, and all that jazz. But I haven’t been able to shift my attention on anything besides what is going on with the duck on the Bubble Yum packaging.
1 – Why a duck? 2 – Why a punk duck? 3 – Why does the punk duck implying that one doesn’t normally blow their own bubbles?
So many questions, I fear, I will never get the answer to.
As a former gum addict I was devastated when I realized toxic chemicals where “hiding” in gum! I haven’t chewed gum in years now! Thanks for the fab tip of the fennel seed! LOVE! 🙂
*were
Just want to mention here that phenylaline is an enzyme that certain individuals with a genetic disorder have that renders their body unable to process the amino acid phenylalanine. Since it is tested for in newborn screenings, the chances of an individual NOT knowing they have phenylketonuria are small. Hence the label. Most people process phenylalanine just fine.
Which really further underscores the fact that labels save lives.
spry gum looks to be alot better for sure…but look down at the bottom! it contains raw materials from china! how much toxic stuff has been imported here for our or our animals consumption, not to mention poison kids toys. NEVER eat anything from china!
I sell tons of fennel and ceylon cinnamon. Just chewing a small piece of cinnamon leaves your mouth feeling fresh and its good for you.
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Don’t know if this post is still active…just stumbled on it looking for info on Trident gum. I used to chey Spry Cinnamon until I found out it contains Titaniom Dioxide…also very toxic…so thought I would pass that along.
PUR GUM is much MUCH better than Spry not only is it Aspartame free, NON GMO, Gluten free, SOY Free, NUT free, Dairy FREE, VEGAN and Diabetic Friendly BUT it also doesn’t contain Titanium Dioxide which Spry calls a (colouring agent) but what it actually is… is a SOLVENT… a chemical that is used in paint as a whitener. EW I don’t know about you but I’d rather go with PUR GUM. Also the packaging for PUR GUM is much more appealing than the packaging for SPRY.
Titanium di oxide is not a solvent. It is a solid.
7 days ago, I quit chewing Mentos sugar free gum, which uses Xylitol as its main sweetener, and has some aspartame. I was chewing at least 10 pieces a day, a lot of it. I lost 5 pounds without even thinking about it. It’s the only change in my diet (which is basically Paleo without the root vegetables and honey). I’m not what people would call overweight, so I was surprised. I miss it and crave it, but I’m determined to never chew it again.