Chewing gum – good or bad?
Some gums are sweetened with sugar, which certainly is not the best for teeth, especially if brushing your teeth occurs hours later. Other gums are sweetened with alcohol sugars such as xylitol. Interestingly, xylitol is touted as beneficial for teeth by its action against plaque and thus the formation of caries, however too much can disrupt the microbial dance and cause cramping and/or diarrhea.
Like most things, gums are neither good nor bad.
Some people tend to enjoy chewing gum and others do not. Some find it helps them to concentrate and not so much for others. Chewing gum does cause salivation. This in turn will signal for the production of stomach acid. As for weight loss with chewing gum -resources seem to point in the positive; perhaps those who chew gum tend to chew their food longer? Another possibility may be that those eating are more prepared to eat than those who have not chewed gum. These ideas seem more probable than the magical reduction of appetite and, as such, scores a point for chewing for finding an attainable solution for overeating.
Other articles suggest that chewing gum enhances attractiveness. Flirtatious bubble-blowing contests might bring those with similar interests together. Chewing, gum or food, can help tone and build the muscles in your face. Do you find those who chew gum to be more attractive? Do you feel more attractive when chewing gum?
Medicated gums, those used for smoking cessation can be a relief for those weaning down nicotine consumption. Medicated or supplemented chewing gums may prove interesting in the future.
Then too, are the ingredients. Quality can quite vary, along with pricing. One gum found in natural health food stores is composed of organic sustainable chicle from the Mayan rainforest of Mexico. Conventional gum is made up of synthetic polymers that are not meant to be eaten, so do be vigilant about not swallowing your gum. Other artificial flavors and sweeteners may not be detrimental on a small scale but daily chewing of several gums can add up with every swallow.
Whether you choose to enjoy gumming it up, one thing is for sure; dispose of it properly. Gum under a table, spat on the sidewalk, or anywhere other than the garbage simply isn’t cool (unless you’ve an art installation made up of chewed gum).
