The French have long been the second biggest consumers of chewing gum, behind the United States and even if these sweets have been less popular in recent years, they remain very present in everyday life. Whether you chew it to make bubbles like a brat or to get rid of the smell of coffee-smokers that follows you after lunch, we know that you have questions about this famous chewy paste.
1. Are sugar-free chewing gum healthier?
In guaranteed “sugar-free” chewing gum, the product used to replace it is called sorbitol. It is a natural product with a sweetening power twice as weak as sucrose but it is not without side effects. Already, it promotes the erosion of enamel but it also acts as a laxative if consumed in large quantities, so it can cause colic and weight loss.
2. You can chew gum several months after the expiry date
To test if a chewing gum is still good, you have to check that it has not softened too much. In general, chewing gum can be consumed between 6 and 9 months after the expiry date without problem.
3. It should not be chewed before meals
Chewing gum has a reputation for suppressing the appetite because chewing can make you feel full faster. This is why it is better to avoid chewing gum before meals at the risk of not being hungry. After eating, it facilitates digestion.
4. Give chewing gum to a young child
Chewing gums are not fundamentally dangerous for children if consumed normally. The problem is that a child who swallows chewing gum by accident has a much higher risk of having an intestinal obstruction, which is impossible for an adult.
5. You have to stop chewing it as soon as you have a stomach ache
By chewing gum, we reproduce the gestures of ingesting nutrients. We produce saliva, we swallow air and this can cause bloating and flatulence. This is called aerophagia and it can hurt a lot.
6. Swallow chewing gum
There is no real health risk in swallowing chewing gum: if all goes well, the chewing gum should be discarded with other non-digestive waste. On the other hand, it becomes problematic for the intestines if you start swallowing all the chewing gum you chew.
7. You should never eat more than ten chewing gums a day
To avoid intestinal disorders, it is not recommended to ingest more than 70 grams per day of xylitol and more than 20 grams of maltitol and sorbitol. These products are part of the components of sugar-free chewing gums that weigh about 2 grams. According to very precise calculations, it is therefore not recommended to chew more than ten per day. At the same time, who eats 10 chewing gums in the same day? calm down.
8. Chew several gums at the same time
It doesn’t change anything at all but it will cost you more so frankly, what’s the point?
9. How long can we keep it?
Chewing gum loses its taste fairly quickly, but some people may continue chewing for hours out of habit. In order not to develop stomach or jaw disorders, it is better to stop after 20 minutes of intensive chewing.
10. Chew Malabar Tutti-Frutti flavored gum
‘Cause you’re not 7 and a half as far as I know. Well, it was just a little spade to judge our readers who read the tops to the end.