Unexpected Benefits of Chewing Gum!

Do you know that chewing real gum can be beneficial for the health of the body?

Chewing gum, which is also called bubble gum or chewing gum has a sweet taste so it is widely liked, especially by children.

You need to know, that real gum has been around since ancient times.

At that time, the Greeks took sap from the mastic tree and chewed it. Meanwhile, today, chewing gum is made synthetically and packaged for mass sale.

Read: Risks of Chewing Gum Too Often

Ingredients of Chewing Gum

Paraphrase Healthline, chewing gum is a soft, chewy substance designed to be chewed but not swallowed.

The composition of bubble gum may vary, depending on the brand, but all gums have the following basic ingredients:

• Gum: An indigestible rubber base used to give chewy qualities to chewing gum.

• Resin: It is usually added to strengthen the gum and hold it together.

• Fillers: Fillers, such as calcium carbonate or talcum powder, are used to give texture to the gum.

• Preservative: It is added to extend the shelf life. The most popular preservative option is an organic compound called butylated hydroxytoluene (BHT).

• Softener: It is used to retain moisture and prevent the gum from hardening. The softening materials used may include wax, such as paraffin or vegetable oil.

• Sweeteners: The most popular are cane sugar, beet sugar, and corn syrup. Meanwhile, sugar-free gum usually uses sugar alcohol, such as xylitol, or artificial sweeteners such as aspartame.

• Flavoring: Added to give the desired flavor, it can be in natural or synthetic form.

All ingredients used in the processing of chewing gum must be "food grade" and classified as suitable for human consumption. So, stay safe when chewed.

Benefits of Chewing Gum

After knowing the composition of bubble gum in general, there are health benefits that you can get when chewing it. Here are the benefits of chewing gum that you need to know:

1. Improves Memory

The first benefit of chewing gum is to improve your memory. Various studies have mentioned that chewing gum while performing tasks can improve various aspects of brain function, including alertness, memory, comprehension, and decision-making.

Another study published by the U.S. National Library of Medicine also stated that people who chewed gum during the test performed 24% better in short-term memory tests and 36% better in long-term memory tests.

Meanwhile, the journal Appetite found that chewing bubble gum during a task can cause a slight distraction at the beginning, but this can help a person focus for a longer time.

No theory can explain why that could have happened.

However, there is a theory that chewing gum can increase blood flow to the brain which in turn can make a person more focused.

2. Reduce Stress

The second benefit of chewing gum is to reduce stress. Chewing bubble gum is also known to be able to reduce stress, you know.

A study published in the journal Science Direct and conducted on students showed that chewing gum for 2 weeks can reduce feelings of stress, especially with regard to academic workload.

This could be because chewing has been linked to decreased levels of stress hormones, such as the hormone cortisol.

You may be able to chew gum when stressed out to prove this claim.

3. Relieve symptoms of stomach acid

Relieve symptoms of stomach acid is the next benefit of chewing gum. If you have stomach acid problems, maybe you can solve them by chewing bubble gum. Because chewing gum can clean the food canal and neutralize the acid to relieve it.

In the Journal of Dental Research, it is mentioned that chewing gum is able to clean the esophagus by increasing the swallowing reflex and neutralizing acids by making saliva more alkaline.

This means that acid reflux will be reduced, giving Moms a calming relief effect while reducing inflammation.

4. Overcoming Nausea

The last benefit of chewing gum is overcoming nausea. Another positive effect that moms can get when chewing bubble gum, is being able to overcome nausea.

If you are prone to motion sickness or are suffering from morning sickness due to pregnancy, chewing gum can be a solution.

Even better, if you choose a brand of candy that contains herbal ingredients.

With its benefits, this one makes bubble gum often prescribed to patients after undergoing colon surgery by surgeons to help stimulate the digestive system. 

That’s the information about the benefits of chewing gum, hope this is useful. Happy healthy!