Does chewing gum make you fat?
France is the second largest consumer of chewing gum in the world, behind the United States, with 490 grams per person per year. A small chewing gum which also maintains all the fantasies: it would in turn gain or lose weight, cause intestinal disorders or allow you to concentrate. So, chewing gum, source of extra pounds? Or on the contrary, would bubble gum make you lose weight?
Does chewing gum make you hungry?
Many people agree that chewing gum causes hunger : Constant chewing and increased saliva intake may cause stomach cramps, similar to those you feel when you’re hungry . Thus, our brain would be tricked and we would be more inclined to eat , to soothe the contractions of our stomach.
However, some studies contradict this belief :
- A study conducted in 2013 (1) concludes that chewing gum has no effect on feelings of hunger, on ghrelin concentrations , or on blood sugar.
- Another study from 2015 (2) , looking at the benefits of chewing, showed that chewing accelerated satiety and therefore had a positive influence on food intake.
- A final analysis (3) subjected a group of men, of normal weight and in good health, to a 12-hour fast. Then they chewed sugar-free gum for 30 minutes. The results show reduced hunger, faster satiety , and no impact on insulin or blood sugar.
Also, it would seem that chewing gum does not cause increased feelings of hunger and even accelerates the feeling of satiety . Therefore, it would not make you fat.
Does chewing gum influence food choices?
The observation on chewing gum is nevertheless more complex. Indeed, a study (4) published in Eating Behaviors concluded that chewing gum, whether minty or fruity, had a bad influence on food choices .
- Volunteers who chewed mint-flavored gum tended to opt for unhealthy foods (junk food, crisps , or cookies) and reject fruit .
- Volunteers who chewed fruit-flavored gum also neglected fruit, but to a lesser extent.
The author of the study explains this phenomenon very simply: eating fruit after chewing gum would leave a bitter taste in the mouth, so that we would rather be attracted to other food groups.
Additionally, the study found that people who chewed gum before each meal tended to eat fewer meals, but the meals they did eat were higher in calories . In question: less informed food choices, which give pride of place to fatty , salty or sweet foods .
Does chewing gum make you lose weight?
The debate on chewing gum and its possible effects on weight is therefore in full swing. Japanese researchers (5) have studied the repercussions of chewing coupled with physical activity . They subjected male and female volunteers, aged 21 to 69, to an unprecedented experience: walking for 15 minutes, at a normal pace, while chewing gum. The results are surprising:
- Men aged 40 and over tend to walk faster when they chew, which burns more calories .
- Conversely, in women, no repercussion of chewing gum on cardio-motor synchronization was observed.
Another study, less fanciful, from the University of Rhode Island (6) , however, confirms the slimming virtues of chewing gum: people who chewed sugar-free chewing gum, before eating, would consume an average of 68 calories less, without post-meal food compensation . In addition, “serial chewers” would burn on average 5% more calories than non-chewing gum enthusiasts.
However, other studies contradict these results: a 2011 analysis (7) concluded that chewing gum had no slimming effect on obese adults .
In conclusion…
It is therefore difficult to conclude on the possible slimming benefits of chewing gum, just as it is impossible to say that it makes you fat . Even today, the debates are open and studies and counter-studies are multiplying.
Moreover, chewing gum produces multiple effects on the body , sometimes very surprising:
- It helps to increase concentration and responsiveness
- It reduces stress
- It helps maintain good breath and good oral hygiene (effects of salivation), provided it is sugar-free
- It induces unnecessary absorption of air and hence, causes bloating and belching
Stephen Paul is the lead author and founder of My Health Sponsor. Holder of a diploma in health and well-being coaching with more than 200 articles in the field of health, he makes it a point of honor to offer advice based on reliable information, based on scientific research, and verified by health professionals.