Chewing gum and calories

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Spiderkeys
Spiderkeys Posts: 338 Member
in Health and Weight Loss
I've been chewing a lot of Extra mint chewing gum lately to help with hunger pains, and didn't reliease it had calories in, Ive been chewing/eating 10 Sticks a day and just discovered it adds up to 50 extra calories a day, I didn't even know about.

Question is, I rarely swallow gum, so does the calories still count if I discard and don't swallow the gum?

Replies

  • mag131
    mag131 Posts: 542 Member
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    The calories still count, but there's a good chance you're burning off the calories the gum contains just by chewing it.
  • iheartbiology
    iheartbiology Posts: 104 Member
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    I'm not sure I'd sweat over 50 calories, but seeing as the calories are in the sugar/sugar substitute that is released into your saliva (and then swallowed), technically yes, you'd are consuming those calories without swallowing the gum.
  • elyelyse
    elyelyse Posts: 1,454 Member
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    Gum isn't meant to be swallowed, so I'd have to assume the calories are based on the sugar released when you chew it.

    For me, chewing gum satisfied my urge to taste and chew...but made my stomach rumble and feel hungrier, because my body went into "I'm eating" mode without any food going in...so then I want food. But if it works for you, that 50 calories is probably a lot less than the food you'd eat instead.
  • Spiderkeys
    Spiderkeys Posts: 338 Member
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    Thanks for all your answers, 50 calories isn't much but Ill now go easy on it.
  • chezzamanezza
    chezzamanezza Posts: 48
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    Chewing gum to strive off hunger prangs is not a good idea. When we chew our stomachs expect food and produces stomach acid to aid digestion. Prolonged periods of no food to digest will eventually damage the lining of your stomach.
    Why not try drinking water to ward off hunger pangs as most of the time thirst is disguised as hunger. If it doesn't go away then eat something.

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