Chew gum no more..
Confuzzled4ever
Posts: 2,860 Member
(ETA: I didn't conduct this study... obviously lol)
Is Chewing Gum the Most Toxic Substance in the Supermarket?
Recently, I asked about thirty women, whose ages were mostly under the age of forty, if they carrie...d chewing gum with them. Twenty seven of the thirty were able to pull out a pack of gum, some even going as far as telling me why they loved a particular brand/flavor of gum.
While this demographic is not representative of all women, 90% of them chewed gum on a daily basis, some consuming more than one stick per day. As with many things that we expose our bodies to on a daily basis, let’s take a moment and analyze the ingredients of chewing gum and ask some important questions that pertain to whether it contributes to good health. How many of us have looked at the ingredients on a pack of gum?
If you have, do you know what each one of the substances is? Is a stick of chewing gum more of a “cancer stick” than a cigarette? As you will see below, commercial gum products are some of the most toxic substances that you can expose your body too and literally can lead to some of the worst diseases on the planet.
Here is a list of the most common ingredients in the most popular chewing gum products on the market:
Sorbitol, Xylitol, Mannitol, Maltitol
Gum Base
Glycerol
Natural and Artificial Flavors
Hydrogenated Coconut Oil and Starch
Aspartame –Acesulfame
Soy Lecithin
Colors (titanium oxide, blue 2 lake, red 40)
BHT
Malic Acid, Citric Acid
Ingredient #1: Gum Base. Imagine if someone came up to you and said, “Hey, would you like to chew on some tire rubber and plastic?” You probably would politely decline and want to report this person to a doctor for a psychological evaluation. “Gum base” is a blend of elastomers, plasticizers, fillers, and resin. Some of the other ingredients that go into this mix are polyvinyl acetate, which is frequently referred to as “carpenter glue” or “white glue”. Paraffin wax is another ingredient that is a byproduct of refined petroleum. Is chewing plastic, petroleum and rubber safe? As you chew, these substances leach into the mouth and body. Yummy.
Ingredient #2: Aspartame. The controversy surrounding this substance is widespread. It is one of the most body toxic substances we can consume. The political corruption and money trail behind this agent of disease is a mile long. Aspartame has been linked to all of the major brain diseases including Alzheimer’s and ALS. It is also considered a prime contributor to many other diseases such as diabetes, multiple sclerosis, asthma, obesity, and many others. It is in many diet products on the market today, but in the long run actually contributes to obesity due to his extreme acidity. Aspartame is an excitotoxin, which over excites neurons in the brain until they burn out and die. Dr. Russell Blaylock is the leading expert on Aspartame and other excitotoxins and I would highly encourage you to see the documentary entitled “Sweet Misery: A Poisoned World”.
Ingredient #3: Hydrogenated Coconut Oil and Starch. Hydrogenation is chemical process that adds hydrogen across a double bonded carbon. This is done to increase the shelf life of a product, turning oil into a more plastic like substance. This process also creates Trans fats, which are now known to be very harmful to health.
Ingredient #4: Colors (titanium dioxide, blue 2 lake, red 40). Titanium dioxide is a nanoparticle that is very common in sunscreen and many other health products, including synthetic nutritional supplements. New evidence is leading in the direction of this substance being carcinogenic, leading to cancer. We as humans are drawn to things that are colorful. Artificial food colorings, such as red 40, are made from petroleum and are dangerous to our health. Many people have extreme allergies to these substances and they have been implicated in contributing to ADD and other disorders and diseases.
Ingredient #5: Sorbitol, Xylitol, Mannitol, Maltitol. These sugar alcohols are originally made from sugar, but are altered so much that they are considered sugar free. As a general rule, when nature is altered and changed to make a “better” product, more often than not, the result is something that is not healthy. Some even go so far as to say that these products are far worse than sugar and can stimulate weight gain. Other side effects can include abdominal pain and diarrhea. Is sugar alcohol better than sugar? Neither are good substances, so comparing the two is somewhat pointless.
Chewing Gum and Digestion
Every time you chew gum, your brain is tricked into thinking that you are eating food. Therefore, it sends signals to your stomach, pancreas and other organs involved in digestion to prepare for this “food”. Your salivary glands and pancreas will begin to emit enzymes, which are necessary to digest food and absorb nutrients from food. Constant emission of enzymes over time will deplete enzymes and over time this process can slow down. If you are not breaking down and absorbing food properly over time, you will get disease because the body needs nutrients to rebuild and thrive.
A Great Alternative for Fresh Breath
A great alternative to chewing gum is to carry around a small bottle of organic food grade peppermint oil and when you would like fresh breath, just put one drop in your mouth and you will have achieved the same effect. You can find many food grade oils that are wonderful for helping you have fresh breath.
Nothing in chewing gum is natural. It is chemical goop that in no way contributes to health or is good for your teeth. Don’t be fooled by fancy advertising. The five ingredients that we reviewed above, in one form or another, contribute to disease and poor health. Is this really a risk that you want to expose yourself to all for the sake of fresh breath? In the future, perhaps we will see that chewing gum may be as much of a contributor to disease as are cigarettes.
Is Chewing Gum the Most Toxic Substance in the Supermarket?
Recently, I asked about thirty women, whose ages were mostly under the age of forty, if they carrie...d chewing gum with them. Twenty seven of the thirty were able to pull out a pack of gum, some even going as far as telling me why they loved a particular brand/flavor of gum.
While this demographic is not representative of all women, 90% of them chewed gum on a daily basis, some consuming more than one stick per day. As with many things that we expose our bodies to on a daily basis, let’s take a moment and analyze the ingredients of chewing gum and ask some important questions that pertain to whether it contributes to good health. How many of us have looked at the ingredients on a pack of gum?
If you have, do you know what each one of the substances is? Is a stick of chewing gum more of a “cancer stick” than a cigarette? As you will see below, commercial gum products are some of the most toxic substances that you can expose your body too and literally can lead to some of the worst diseases on the planet.
Here is a list of the most common ingredients in the most popular chewing gum products on the market:
Sorbitol, Xylitol, Mannitol, Maltitol
Gum Base
Glycerol
Natural and Artificial Flavors
Hydrogenated Coconut Oil and Starch
Aspartame –Acesulfame
Soy Lecithin
Colors (titanium oxide, blue 2 lake, red 40)
BHT
Malic Acid, Citric Acid
Ingredient #1: Gum Base. Imagine if someone came up to you and said, “Hey, would you like to chew on some tire rubber and plastic?” You probably would politely decline and want to report this person to a doctor for a psychological evaluation. “Gum base” is a blend of elastomers, plasticizers, fillers, and resin. Some of the other ingredients that go into this mix are polyvinyl acetate, which is frequently referred to as “carpenter glue” or “white glue”. Paraffin wax is another ingredient that is a byproduct of refined petroleum. Is chewing plastic, petroleum and rubber safe? As you chew, these substances leach into the mouth and body. Yummy.
Ingredient #2: Aspartame. The controversy surrounding this substance is widespread. It is one of the most body toxic substances we can consume. The political corruption and money trail behind this agent of disease is a mile long. Aspartame has been linked to all of the major brain diseases including Alzheimer’s and ALS. It is also considered a prime contributor to many other diseases such as diabetes, multiple sclerosis, asthma, obesity, and many others. It is in many diet products on the market today, but in the long run actually contributes to obesity due to his extreme acidity. Aspartame is an excitotoxin, which over excites neurons in the brain until they burn out and die. Dr. Russell Blaylock is the leading expert on Aspartame and other excitotoxins and I would highly encourage you to see the documentary entitled “Sweet Misery: A Poisoned World”.
Ingredient #3: Hydrogenated Coconut Oil and Starch. Hydrogenation is chemical process that adds hydrogen across a double bonded carbon. This is done to increase the shelf life of a product, turning oil into a more plastic like substance. This process also creates Trans fats, which are now known to be very harmful to health.
Ingredient #4: Colors (titanium dioxide, blue 2 lake, red 40). Titanium dioxide is a nanoparticle that is very common in sunscreen and many other health products, including synthetic nutritional supplements. New evidence is leading in the direction of this substance being carcinogenic, leading to cancer. We as humans are drawn to things that are colorful. Artificial food colorings, such as red 40, are made from petroleum and are dangerous to our health. Many people have extreme allergies to these substances and they have been implicated in contributing to ADD and other disorders and diseases.
Ingredient #5: Sorbitol, Xylitol, Mannitol, Maltitol. These sugar alcohols are originally made from sugar, but are altered so much that they are considered sugar free. As a general rule, when nature is altered and changed to make a “better” product, more often than not, the result is something that is not healthy. Some even go so far as to say that these products are far worse than sugar and can stimulate weight gain. Other side effects can include abdominal pain and diarrhea. Is sugar alcohol better than sugar? Neither are good substances, so comparing the two is somewhat pointless.
Chewing Gum and Digestion
Every time you chew gum, your brain is tricked into thinking that you are eating food. Therefore, it sends signals to your stomach, pancreas and other organs involved in digestion to prepare for this “food”. Your salivary glands and pancreas will begin to emit enzymes, which are necessary to digest food and absorb nutrients from food. Constant emission of enzymes over time will deplete enzymes and over time this process can slow down. If you are not breaking down and absorbing food properly over time, you will get disease because the body needs nutrients to rebuild and thrive.
A Great Alternative for Fresh Breath
A great alternative to chewing gum is to carry around a small bottle of organic food grade peppermint oil and when you would like fresh breath, just put one drop in your mouth and you will have achieved the same effect. You can find many food grade oils that are wonderful for helping you have fresh breath.
Nothing in chewing gum is natural. It is chemical goop that in no way contributes to health or is good for your teeth. Don’t be fooled by fancy advertising. The five ingredients that we reviewed above, in one form or another, contribute to disease and poor health. Is this really a risk that you want to expose yourself to all for the sake of fresh breath? In the future, perhaps we will see that chewing gum may be as much of a contributor to disease as are cigarettes.
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Replies
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I chew gum to curb cravings. It works. I'm aware of the ingredients. It's not like I'm swallowing it.0
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Amen.
For me, gum is one of those foods/habits ive just never gotten into, I just find it a little pointless tbh plus i hate mint so ive never seen the appeal, when i found out it contained so many harmful chemicals , well as causing stomach ulcers if you chew it too much (build up of stomach acid) i was horrified.
thanks for the informative thread.0 -
Seriously. If I were to listen to every study done about every piece of food out there and the ingredients and what may or may not be toxic I would never eat anything. There will always be SOMETHING in your food that is "toxic" or "may cause cancer".
I don't chew gum on a regular basis but I do chew it.
In all honesty it's probably safer for me to chew a stick of gum then to take some of those meds out there where a "fatal event" is a side effect.0 -
The list of food and drink do's and don't is a mile long and ever-changing. If I listened every time someone struck fear into our hearts over a certain food item I'd be living on bread and distilled water (oh wait bread is the devil too).0
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I do chew gum,.... maybe 1 or 2 sticks a day (if that).
Most Sweets & Candies contain those iffy ingredients i would imagine, but shouldn't be too harmful if you don't consume too much of them.0 -
The list of food and drink do's and don't is a mile long and ever-changing. If I listened every time someone struck fear into our hearts over a certain food item I'd be living on bread and distilled water (oh wait bread is the devil too).
:flowerforyou:
I don't chew gum... but only because it gives me wind and makes my jaw ache.0 -
I somehow can't equate Bubblemint to my pack a day cigarette habit. It's just not happening.0
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I swallow gum. I don't even care.0
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Honestly if every "study" was true I'd be dead. I questioned 30 women and 27 of them believed they were taking "gullible" out of the dictionary :flowerforyou:0
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Chewing Gum and Digestion
Every time you chew gum, your brain is tricked into thinking that you are eating food. Therefore, it sends signals to your stomach, pancreas and other organs involved in digestion to prepare for this “food”. Your salivary glands and pancreas will begin to emit enzymes, which are necessary to digest food and absorb nutrients from food. Constant emission of enzymes over time will deplete enzymes and over time this process can slow down. If you are not breaking down and absorbing food properly over time, you will get disease because the body needs nutrients to rebuild and thrive.
Yep. Every time I pop in a piece of gum when I haven't eaten in a while my body releases insulin and I wind up on the floor in a twitching convulsive state from the insulin shock. So now I always eat a donut before I pop that gum. Doing that will save lives. True story.
Seriously?In the future, perhaps we will see that chewing gum may be as much of a contributor to disease as are cigarettes.0 -
I swallow gum. I don't even care.
You rebel you. Livin' on the wild side!0 -
I'm a gum addict. I buy a few packs and have been known to chew 6 or more sticks a day. Trying to cut back but i doubt if i will stop chewing gum completely.0
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I swallow gum. I don't even care.
You rebel you. Livin' on the wild side!
Scuffs your insides out on the way out - detox!0 -
Honestly if every "study" was true I'd be dead. I questioned 30 women and 27 of them believed they were taking "gullible" out of the dictionary :flowerforyou:
LOL, I can't imagine walking up to 30 women and asking if they chew gum. Wonder why it was ONLY women. Men don't chew gum?you will have achieved the same effect. You can find many food grade oils that are wonderful for helping you have fresh breath.
Nothing in chewing gum is natural. It is chemical goop that in no way contributes to health or is good for your teeth. Don’t be fooled by fancy advertising. The five ingredients that we reviewed above, in one form or another, contribute to disease and poor health. Is this really a risk that you want to expose yourself to all for the sake of fresh breath? In the future, perhaps we will see that chewing gum may be as much of a contributor to disease as are cigarettes.
First off, they aren't "food grade oils" (lol). They are called "essential oils".
It is fine to chew gum, just choose a healthier kind of gum. I buy my gum from the health food store. Sweetened with Stevia, flavored with that oil she mentions to put on your tongue, it's all 100% natural. NO HARM!
I chew about five sticks a day at work. I am up close to people on the job and in their faces. It keeps me confident that my breath doesn't smell bad. It fights my sweet tooth cravings. And if you chew gum 8 hrs a day, 7 days a week for a year, you can lose 7 lbs. (lol). That is a true story, but I don't put it in my MFP diary
There are also something called, "chew sticks" which you can chew like gum, but not sure what those are yet. They are organic and 100% natural.
I don't know why people are saying that they swallow or don't swallow, lol. But if it is bc there is a rumor it stays in you for 7 yrs, I am pretty sure it is an old wive's tale. Swallow a stick and watch your elimination for a day or two, it will be there.
The only thing that may be bad about chewing gum is that it can bloat you. When you chew gum, you pump air into your stomach. There is only one way to get air out. ((you all know that "one way - and I am not talking about burping)).0 -
Your post sounds like alarmist garbage. Post links to "studies" and "facts" otherwise, don't bother.
Here's more worthless information about the chewing gum ingredient Xylitol:
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/21979369
http://www.npr.org/blogs/health/2011/11/10/142218078/chew-on-this-some-gum-may-ward-off-ear-infections0 -
I somehow can't equate Bubblemint to my pack a day cigarette habit. It's just not happening.
No.. cigarettes are worse i'm sure. i'm a total believer that food we eat and the things we put in and on our bodies is the cause and/or cure for 85% -90% of our diseases. Some of them we'd have anyway.. but I think we create them, simply by eating and/or inhaling or absorbing harmful things. It's not so much that we eat something chemical ladel, unhealthy, processed or fried occasionally, more that we as a society eat so much of it. And we get it from all over, places we don't even think we get it.. like gum. Do you *really* need to chew that pieice of near plastic? Our bodies can't even digest it.. that should tell you something!In all honesty it's probably safer for me to chew a stick of gum then to take some of those meds out there where a "fatal event" is a side effect.
I agree.. I'm temporary on vitamins, but I don't even want to be on those.. I take homeopathic medicines when i'm sick, if necessary and only resort ot anti-biotics if an extreme case, which luckily I rarely ever have to do. I think people are too dependent on medicine as a whole. Have a sniffle? There's a pill for that! BS! A sniffle is good for you.. it's your body doing it's own detox to heal itself. It's doing what it's supposed to.. so let it and just sniffle!0 -
The list of food and drink do's and don't is a mile long and ever-changing. If I listened every time someone struck fear into our hearts over a certain food item I'd be living on bread and distilled water (oh wait bread is the devil too).
Well.. really it's not about the food item.. rather the ingredient lists it contains.0 -
i can't chew gum because it severely upsets my stomach. if i do, i always know the consequences i'm getting myself into, and sometimes it's so bad, i can't work out. (the same goes for anything with guar gum, etc in it).
i think this post is great, too, btw! better to be knowledgeable of the ingredients than to turn your nose up at a study. then you can make your own decision based on the facts
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