Did you know gum makes you hungry?

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FitCoachShawn
FitCoachShawn Posts: 230 Member
in Health and Weight Loss
Found this on Ask.com

Chewing gum will definitely make you hungry. This is because as the first step in digestion, chewing causes the salivary glands to begin to produce saliva because they are trying to break down the 'food' in this case the gum. This in turn triggers your stomach to create more acid in preparation to break down the 'food' and your stomach expands, giving more space for the 'food' hence and as the body prepares for digestion, you will feel hungry.

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  • onwarddownward
    onwarddownward Posts: 1,683 Member
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    Not true in my case. It keeps me from being hungry. I chew Xtra sugarless spearmint gum when I am out and can't eat until I get home. It works every time.

    It also helps me end a meal. I'm still not "full" but I know I have eaten a full meal, so I chew gum and it ends the meal.
  • 2013sk
    2013sk Posts: 1,318 Member
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    Not true in my case. It keeps me from being hungry. I chew Xtra sugarless spearmint gum when I am out and can't eat until I get home. It works every time.

    It also helps me end a meal. I'm still not "full" but I know I have eaten a full meal, so I chew gum and it ends the meal.

    I'm the same......have loads of sugar free gum in my car!!!
  • Brenda4105
    Brenda4105 Posts: 117 Member
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    Doesn't make me hungry. I tend to eat out of boredom, so I stick gum in my mouth for something to do. I also chew gum when I know I am not hungry and just "want" something. It is the best go to thing I have. Oh and I chew the Xtra sugarless also.
  • jess_1993
    jess_1993 Posts: 151 Member
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    Doesn't make me hungry. I tend to eat out of boredom, so I stick gum in my mouth for something to do. I also chew gum when I know I am not hungry and just "want" something. It is the best go to thing I have. Oh and I chew the Xtra sugarless also.

    I agree! Sometimes I just eat out of boredom so chewing gum definetly keeps my mouth busy!
  • mistesh
    mistesh Posts: 243 Member
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    Digestion doesn't make you hungry. In the case of processed food, you may experience withdrawal, which is often mistaken for hunger.

    But "Chewing stimulates the salivary glands production of ptyalin, a digestive enzyme, which can overwork the pancreas"

    Warning! Chewing Gum Can Be Hazardous to Your Health
    http://students.adelphi.edu/delphian/2003.12.10/articles/q.shtml

    An overworked pancreas can bring about diabetes. Ouch.

    That aside, gum chewers by many are perceived to belong up there with page flippers and restless leggers. A mindless activity that's annoyingly distracting to others. A problem that was created as an band-aid to an underlying problem. Nervousness made worse.

    Of course overdoing the MFP forums too can make you addictively nervous and constantly aware of food when you need it the least, lol.
  • onwarddownward
    onwarddownward Posts: 1,683 Member
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    Chewing gum also eventually makes me thirsty, which reminds me to drink a honking big glass of ice water. So, that's a win, too.

    Go gum!
  • thisismeraw
    thisismeraw Posts: 1,264 Member
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    Maybe it does for some people but chewing gum doesn't make everyone hungry.

    I chew gum frequently. It actually keeps me from eating sometimes. I've never felt hungry due to chewing gum and actually snack less when I have gum.
  • ayankeefan51
    ayankeefan51 Posts: 135 Member
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    Doesn't make me hungry. I tend to eat out of boredom, so I stick gum in my mouth for something to do. I also chew gum when I know I am not hungry and just "want" something. It is the best go to thing I have. Oh and I chew the Xtra sugarless also.



    I agree. Chewing gum doesn't make me hungry. I chew gum all the time to keep from snacking when it's not necessary, especially at work when it gets stressful. I love Orbit sugarfree sweet mint or spearmint/peppermint gum the most.
  • albertine58
    albertine58 Posts: 267 Member
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    I wouldn't really trust anything I read on Ask.com, no offense! :) I'm in med school- preparing for digestion won't release hunger hormones. There is some recent preliminary research suggesting that sugar-free gum (artificial sweeteners) MAY increase sugar cravings later in the day. It's possible I suppose, but it's impossible to prove. Maybe gum-chewers just have bigger sweet tooths. For me, gum helps me crush my post-meal sugar cravings!
  • jorge_007
    jorge_007 Posts: 70 Member
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    It might for some people like others have said. I normally avoid chewing gum because all I do is waste resources; unnecessary acid production. Because chewing is part of the cephalic stage of digestion, chewing gum triggers the brain that food is on the way, thus increasing gastric fluid production. It's a great way to help those that have problems digesting food. Chew gum before and/or after eating to facilitate digestion.

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