Chewing gum is often recommended for people who want to eat less and control their appetites, but does it really work? Can chewing gum really help you lose weight? Yes, and no. It depends. That clears things up, right?
Seriously, there are a few things you should keep in mind if you want to chew gum to lose weight:
- Chewing gum does keep your mouth busy.
The great thing about chewing gum is that it keeps your mouth busy so you aren’t tempted to eat. That’s a good thing.
- Chewing gum offers a sweet taste for few calories.
Another benefit of chewing gum is that you get a nice sweet flavor for only a few calories. Sugary gum has 15-25 calories a piece, while the sugarless variety has about 5 calories. That’s a lot better than a slice of cake or a candy bar. Some gum manufacturers are even producing interesting dessert flavored gum like strawberry shortcake and mint chocolate. Yum!
- Chewing gum contains sugar or artificial sweeteners.
The bad thing about gum is that it does contain sugar or artificial sweeteners, which some experts claim can increase your appetite rather than suppress it. Some even argue that the very taste of anything sweet can trick your body into releasing a flood of insulin, and excess insulin in the blood is known to promote weight gain. It’s not clear whether chewing the occasional piece of gum would be enough to trigger this response, but chewing too much of it might not be a good idea.
- Side effects of artificial sweeteners.
Sugar free gum contains sugar alcohols for sweeteners, which can create some unpleasant gastrointestinal side effects (gas, diarrhea) if you ingest too much of it.
There are both positive and negative consequences for chewing gum to lose weight. The best way to know if it will work for you is to try it. It might be a good idea to ease into it if you think it might be a good practice for you. Perhaps start chewing just one or two pieces of gum during times when you are usually tempted to eat foods you shouldn’t. If you don’t experience any adverse side effects, chew away!