Myth or Fact: Chewing More Makes You Slimmer
Picture this: You’re beat and after countless months of dieting, exercising and resisting temptations of food galores, you hear about a neat trick to keep the snacking at bay, CHEWING MORE! This includes benefits such as helping you consume fewer calories daily, suppress food cravings and promote fullness.
While there are a few theories on how chewing your food more and a healthy gum-chewing practice may assist in shedding some weight, the evidence on this isn’t very solid. Nevertheless, some published articles lean towards the positive effects of this eating behavior. Here’s the lowdown on what we’ve gathered1,2:
- 2011 article – men consumed about 12% fewer calories with 40 chews of their food than compared to 15 chews3
- 2011 study – chewing gum reduced snacking by ~10% compared to no gum
- 2014 study – chewing longer burns more calories during digestion: about 10 extra calories for a 300-calorie meal4
- 2015 study – gum chewers could feel fuller than non-gum-chewers after a meal
- 2015 review of 15 papers – gum-chewing stimulates gut hormones to promote satiety
Ever since the emergence of the first infections in Wuhan China all the way back in December 2019, the COVID-19 pandemic has drastically changed everyday life for people all around the globe.
Contestants on The Biggest Loser chew gum regularly to help control cravings, manage hunger, and promote weight loss2
These small studies are motivating enough for anyone to begin employing this new eating practice in their weight loss journey but it’s not all sunshine and rainbows. If you’re thinking of going ham, like Brown, The Chewing Character, then think again because too much of a good thing is BAD!
Don’t over do it:
- Too much chewing gum may upset your digestive tract from all the excessive artificial sweeteners and food additives.
- Bloating is another common issue with too much chewing from excess air being swallowed
- Chewing gum may not replace an afternoon snack like a handful of nuts or greek yogurt that also supplies energy
Now, here’s how you can adopt this new practice in your life:
- Chew your food well for a longer time
- Chew sugar-free gum after a meal for a duration that is long enough to kick off that post-meal snacking habit. It’s a good substitute for people who need something sweet after a meal to signal that the meal is over2
- Keep a packet of chewing gum with you wherever you go
- Limit your gum-chewing to about 2-6 pieces in a day but keep an eye out for any digestional discomfort
Chewing more doesn’t magically melt away the excess weight but research has some evidence that chewing more may be a helpful weight loss technique. Of course, don’t expect miraculous weight loss unless it’s accompanied by a healthy diet and exercise.
Everyone has little practices that can help them on their weight loss journey, and a little bit extra chewing a day may just be the speed bump you need for an unnecessary snack. For more tips and tricks on ways to trim down, do visit your nearest CARiNG Pharmacy.
References:
- Does Chewing Gum Help You Lose Weight? Healthline. (Web accessed December 2022). Web link: https://www.healthline.com/nutrition/chewing-gum-for-weight-loss
- Does chewing gum help you lose weight? L Drayer, CNN Health. (Web accessed December 2022). Web link: https://edition.cnn.com/2019/05/08/health/chewing-gum-weight-loss-diet-food-drayer/index.html#:~:text=Here%27s%20the%20lowdown%3A%20Chewing%20a,meal%20or%20a%20Thanksgiving%20feast
- Improvement in chewing activity reduces energy intake in one meal and modulates plasma gut hormone concentrations in obese and lean young Chinese men. J Li et. al. (2011). The American Journal of Clinical Nutrition.
- The number of chews and meal duration affect diet-induced thermogenesis and splanchnic circulation. Y Hamada, H Kashima, N Hayashi. (2014). Obesity.
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