Can This Food Really Help You Lose Weight?

Maybe you’ve heard it from a friend, or saw it on Oprah. Or, perhaps you read in a fitness magazine that adding this food to your daily routine can help you burn more calories each day and curb your appetite. But it is true?

What food am I talking about here?

It’s gum.

Yes, tasty chewing gum. The kind that now comes in all flavors imaginable and can be found in almost any store or vending machine wherever you go. And, technically, gum really isn’t a food because you’re not supposed to swallow it (mother was right).

But, can chewing gum, whether or not it’s a food, really help you lose weight? Are these claims true?

Let’s look at the facts:

It Keeps Your Mouth Busy

One beneficial aspect of gum chewing is that it prevents you from eating something when you’re not really hungry. Because your mouth is busy, you can’t easily shove food in there without thinking about it, especially when you don’t need it.

This has its advantages when making dinner, when sitting at your desk, and when at a party where tempting (but disastrous) appetizers are calling your name.

Some people can take in up to 200 unwanted calories while making dinner by taking tastes, licks, and bites of the meal they’re preparing. Or, while you’re at your desk, you could be eating hundreds of calories mindlessly, and then wonder why you can’t lose those stubborn pounds! Even at a party, when the main point of socializing is talking, you’re stuffing your face instead.

But, if you chew gum during these dangerous times, you can prevent unnecessary calories and reach your weight loss goals quicker! 

And the science supports this:

Researchers from the UK examined the effects of chewing gum on appetite and snack intake in 60 participants. In those who chewed gum before eating a snack, they had less desire to eat, consumed less total calories from the snack (an average of 36 kcals, with a range of 400 to -22 kcals) , and craved less sweets.

Overall, if you need to reduce your snack calorie intake and prevent sweet cravings, reach for a piece of gum instead of a snack.

It Helps You Eat Less Calories While Dieting

One of the hardest parts of cutting calories when trying to lose weight is that you’re constantly nagged by hunger.

If you eat a diet rich in protein, healthy fat, and fibrous green vegetables, hunger and cravings aren’t as severe, but they still taunt you to some degree.

But, researchers have shown that while dieting, gum chewing can really keep you on track.

The scientists call this Orosensory Stimulation; and it refers to the stimulation of oral factors in the mouth (without actually being ingested and providing little to no significant calories), and their ability to suppress or satisfy appetite.

They’ve shown that gum chewing can provide significant orosensory stimulation with just a few calories, which can satisfy appetite and help to suppress cravings for high energy snacks; and, while dieting this is the key to success.

This is known also as non-nutritive chewing and it’s something ingrained in our DNA.  Even primates chew for the sake of chewing as our mouths like to keep busy, but our bodies don’t require any extra food calories. Thus, chewing sticks, rocks… or in our case, gum, can satisfy a primal urge.

So, when you’re craving food or calories that your body needs to avoid to reach your fat loss goals, gum can be your favorite ally. It gives your tongue a little glimpse of calories, but won’t push you over the energy balance edge.

You Can Burn Extra Calories Just By Chewing

Most people don’t realize this, but it takes energy to chew, swallow, digest, and assimilate any food you put in your mouth, with some foods requiring a bigger energy demand than others.

With gum, though, there’s basically no energy return – just a loss (even if you swallow it, it doesn’t get absorbed). 

Scientific experiments have shown that chewing gum can help you burn at least an extra 11 calories per hour. Although this may not seem like a lot, it’s considered a non-exercise activity that, along with similar changes in lifestyle like standing instead of sitting, taking the stairs instead of the elevator, and doing your housework instead of hiring a maid, can make huge changes in how your body looks and feels for your whole life.

What Kind Of Gum Should You Chew?

There are lots of brands of gum out there, but not all are created equal. Some are much better than others for important reasons.

Look for a gum sweetened with a natural sweetener like xylitol, stevia, or cane sugar. Avoid gums, if you can, that are loaded with artificial sweeteners such as acesulfame-K or aspartame. The verdict on artificial sweeteners is that they can increase your cravings for sweet foods and may increase your risk for cancer.

Also, look for a gum flavored naturally with mint or cinnamon. Although all those neat artificial flavors like watermelon splash, or orange mint supreme, are nice to look at, they should stay far away from your mouth.

Many common gums are also loaded with artificial colors -  banned in some countries for their link to attention deficit disorders and behavioral problems in kids.

Some also contain preservatives like BHT, BHA, or propyl gallate, all of which have strong ties to tumor development. Avoid those at all costs.

So, when choosing a chewing gum, read labels carefully (as you should with all things you put in your mouth), and choose one that won’t ruin your other healthy choices.  Chewing gum can help you eat less, feel more full, and prevent unwanted cravings at times when you need it most.


NEXT: Another Way To Burn More Calories >>