Does Chewing Gum Make You Less Hungry?

The lockdown caused more people to get into cooking and baking. This resulted in a new term to be heard and seen especially in social media sites— “quarantine body.” Although it is perfectly fine to gain weight, more and more people have started to venture into different lifestyle changes and even health fads. In the pursuit of finding ways on how to easily lose weight, one unlikely solution was brought up. Recent speculations shed light on chewing gum and its alleged ability to suppress hunger, resulting in possible weight loss. This brings us to question, does it really work? Does chewing gum make you less hungry? 

Does chewing gum make you less hungry?

Recent studies claim that chewing gum may aid in weight loss by affecting appetite sensations and subsequent energy intake. Does chewing gum make you less hungry? Yes, it does. Additionally, results of previously conducted research tell us how chewing gum facilitate weight loss: 

• It was discovered that chewing gum for 15 minutes hourly after lunch reduced appetite, particularly for sweets, and resulted in a 36 kcal (8.2%) reduction in energy intake from the subsequent snack
• Chewing gum has also been linked to a reduction in stress perception, which could lead to a reduction in energy intake from stress-induced eating. When participants didn’t chew gum, they felt more tense and less relaxed, whereas when they chewed gum, they felt less tense and more calm. Chewing gum was linked to significantly lower anxiety and stress during difficult multitasking activities in another investigation.
• After 8 weeks, participants who chewed gum had a statistically significant reduction in waist circumference and systolic and diastolic blood pressure compared to those who didn’t.
• Chewing gum is a relatively cheaper alternative to other sweets which may be consumed for dessert. Therefore, some may opt to chew gum instead of buying more expensive sweets which indisputably have much less caloric content compared to gum. 

Sorry to burst your bubble 

Does chewing gum make you less hungry? Despite results in some studies showing positive effects of chewing gum in terms of weight loss, others beg to differ. Not only do some research demonstrate that a regular schedule of gum chewing and the provision of nutrition information did not result in significant differential changes in body weight, disadvantages of chewing gum were also found.

The following were found to be the cons of chewing gum: 

Migraines

In a recent study, chewing gum on a daily basis was connected to headaches in a group of teenagers. Half of the test volunteers who gave up chewing gum for a month saw a significant reduction in the amount and severity of their headaches. Their headaches returned when they resumed chewing gum.

Junk Food Intake

Chewing gum is a popular way for people to avoid nibbling on harmful foods. The effect, on the other hand, is the polar opposite. People who chew gum have a lower motivation to eat, yet the foods they do eat are less healthful. Gum chewers are more prone than fruit and vegetable eaters to go for junk food once they finish chewing. This could be due to the gum’s minty smell, which helps fruits and veggies taste bitter.

Increase Chances of TMJ

Chewing gum causes excessive stress on your jaw, which can contribute to TMJ. TMJ (temporomandibular joint disease) is a painful ailment caused by misuse of particular jaw muscles. It can cause headaches, neck discomfort, earaches, and a variety of other issues.

Tooth Damage

When you chew gum, the sugar coats your teeth while you chew. Plaque buildup and tooth decay might result as a result of this. Even sugar-free gum can be harmful to your teeth since it may contain artificial flavors and preservatives that cause your teeth to deteriorate over time. More so, chewing gum can cause the neurotoxin mercury to be released into your body if you have mercury fillings.

Stomach Problems

Gum chewing causes tension in the stomach and intestines. The stomach requires time to digest food. But if you chew gum all the time, you swallow an excessive amount of spit, which prevents your body from digesting properly. Chewing also alerts the body that food is about to be swallowed, causing the enzymes and acids that your body employs to break down food to become active, triggering a slew of issues. When you don’t eat, your body can become bloated, overproduce stomach acid, and reduce your capacity to digest meals. Furthermore, the gum’s artificial sweeteners can potentially induce diarrhea and other gastrointestinal issues.

Things to consider when chewing gum for weight loss

We’re getting more clarity on the question of – “Does chewing gum make you less hungry?” So let’s see how you can maximize some supposed benefits.

Chewing gums with caffeine

Caffeine, a stimulant often found in coffee and tea, may aid weight loss by boosting the quantity of calories and fat burned by your body. Caffeine has been shown in studies to help people burn more fat while resting and exercising. As a result, chewing gums with caffeine may aid in weight loss. However, this does not mean it can help you lose weight in the long run.

Caffeine’s effects may be diminished over time as your body becomes accustomed to it. More importantly, even chewing a few pieces each day may cause you to surpass the 400 mg daily caffeine limit, especially if you consume additional caffeine-containing meals or beverages. Caffeine overdose might make you jittery and make it difficult to sleep. It can also cause nausea, vomiting, an extremely fast heart rate, and even seizures in very large dosages. As a result, excessive caffeine use should be avoided.

Sugar-free gum

Sugar-free gum has been related to higher levels of satisfaction, reducing food cravings. More so, sugar-free gums are manufactured with sugar alcohols rather than sugar, which have far fewer calories than conventional sugar. Each piece of sugarless gum typically contains less than 5 calories. Regular gum, on the other hand, might contain anything from 10 to 25 calories.

Despite this, it is important to remember that sugar-free gum should still be consumed in moderation. This is because artificial sweeteners like aspartame and sucralose, which have been associated with poor gut health, type 2 diabetes, cardiovascular disease, and obesity, are commonly found in these gums.

Chew gum in moderation

Does chewing gum make you less hungry? Not really, and they may cause other symptoms too.  Sugar alcohols like sorbitol, which are included in chewing gum, are known to produce cramps, gas, bloating, and diarrhea, especially when ingested in levels greater than 5–20 grams per day. Even though gum has relatively little sugar and caloric content, they still have some. Therefore, excessively chewing gums can still cause health problems in the long run. 

Chewing gum is only a band-aid solution

While chewing gum may help in weight loss, it does not have the ability to burn body fats and it certainly does not provide a long-term weight loss plan. It is still best to consult your doctor or other professionals in order to have a healthy and safe diet plan. 

Key Takeaways

Does chewing gum make you less hungry? Yes, it does. It has the ability to suppress appetite and lessen craving for sweet treats. However, it also poses a threat to our health. Stomach problems and tooth damage are just some of the disadvantages of chewing gum. It also does not provide a long-term plan for weight loss and is only a band-aid solution. 

Learn other Nutrition Facts here.