You must have earlier heard about how effective chewing gum is for
weight loss! Guess what? It is actually true! According to a popular
research and study conducted in the University of Rhode Island, people
who chew more gum happen to eat 68 calories lesser than people who
don’t. Not only that, chewing gum also helps in reducing appetite and
resisting temptation. What’s more? People who chew gum tend to burn 5%
more calories while working out.
According
to another study conducted in the University of Louisiana, chewing gum
helped in reducing cravings towards unhealthy snacks and controlled
appetite too. People who chew gum actually increase their chances of
losing 10 pounds in a year just like that.
Even though chewing gum is great for weight loss, it does come with
several side effects that destroy its image altogether. So, even if
chewing gum is good for your health for a reason, it is unhealthy for
several other reasons.
Side Effects Of Chewing Gum:
1. Damages Your Teeth:
If
you are chewing sugar filled gums, it won’t be long before you end up
with cavities or tooth decay. When you chew gums like this, you
literally bathe your teeth in sugar. So, does this mean you should stick
to sugar free gums? Not really! Chewing gums, whether they are free of
sugar or not, ultimately leads to dental erosion. Hence, if you want to
prevent your teeth from getting damaged, give up on chewing gum
immediately.
2. Can Lead To Headaches:
According to a
couple of researchers, chewing gum leads to headaches mostly among
teenagers. Around 30 gum chewers between the ages of 6 and 19 were
involved in this study, and all of them suffered from severe headaches
after taking gum on a regular basis. When they gave up on gum, they got
relieved of their headaches.
3. Leads To Gas Problems:
If you chew gum every day,
there are possibilities of ending up with gas problems, infections,
irritable bowel syndrome, bloating etc. The enzymes and acids that are
released while chewing gum could lead to constipation, diarrhea, and
other symptoms of gas problems.
4. Contains By-Products:
One
of the biggest reasons chewing gum is never good for your health is the
presence of byproducts such as lanolin, which is basically a waxy
substance that is produced out of sheep wool. This helps the gum to stay
soft. With such unhealthy substances in the product, it would be
harmful to rely on chewing gum for its benefits.
5. Releases Mercury:
If
you didn’t know, chewing gum contains harmful substances that release
mercury into your body. So, every time you chew, mercury vapour is left
inside the body that easily moves into your blood and circulatory
system, thereby leading to oxidative processes inside your tissues. If
you happen to chew gum now, you will be chewing more often, which is why
it tends to become troublesome for those who have mercury fillings.
Conclusion:
Though
chewing gum is beneficial for weight loss, it does have other side
effects that are harmful. So, does this mean you need to give up chewing
gum altogether? Maybe not. Chewing gum once in a while is fine; but do
ensure you are not addicted to it and ensure you don’t consume it
regularly.
