Chewing gum chewing does not help you lose weight

Chewing chewing gum does not reduce the weight

03/18/2013

Dieticians often advise chewing gum to support a diet. These would, for example, slow down cravings and pretend digestion to the body through the mastication process. That very assumption turned out to be a myth. Two studies have shown that chewing gum chewing does not help with weight loss and can even be counterproductive.

Two scientific studies have shown that chewing gum chewing can reduce the number of total meals per day, but remains nearly the same for total calories. Thus, the chewing gum even unfold a tangible negative effect: „Chewing gums reduce the consumption of fruit“, as the researchers of the University Buffalo in the science magazine „Eating Behaviors“ summarize.

The researchers conducted a review study to investigate the short and long effects of chewing gum chewing. During the study, 44 male and female volunteers chewed chewing gum with different flavors in the lab. A second group took the meals as a review group without chewing gum.

Calorie intake always remained the same
Total caloric intake remained the same in all subjects compared to meal times without previous chewing gum chewing. It also turned out, „that the flavors had no impact on the diet of high-calorie foods“. As a result, mini chewing gums significantly reduced the amount of fruit consumption. „It could be that the mint bittert bitter ingredients or sweeter tastes weaker“, so the research team.

In a second study, a total of 54 subjects took chewing gum two times a week before each meal. The study participants were able to choose between two types of chewing gum. The size of the meal did not matter. The first variety contained guarana and green tea extracts. The second chewing gum variety looked just the same, but contained no significant ingredients. However, both chewing gum varieties were sugarless and spearmint flavored and sugar substitutes added. Also turned out, „Overall calorie intake did not decrease, but fruit intake fell for most participants“.

Chewing gum did not eat much fruit
For comparison, all participants took two chewing gum-free weeks, each lying between the chewing gum weeks. It was noticeable, however, that during the chewing gum weeks the participants consumed fewer snacks, but made up for the loss of calories during the main meals. It turned out that the calorie intake was about the same as in the chewing gum-free weeks. „In no test week, the participants have lost weight. Chewing gums are very likely to be inappropriate for a diet.“ In addition, chewing gum chewing also has a negative impact on a healthy diet. The subjects ate less fruit altogether. Both studies are published in Eating Behaviors. (Sb)

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Overweight: No quick success through diet
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Fruits and vegetables prevent heart attack
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Chewing gum chewing for healthy teeth in old age

Picture: Rike