Chewing gum to lose weight/eat less?

[ToLiveTheDream]

Hello! Quick question: has anyone had experience with using chewing gum (sugarfree) to curb appetite/stop mindless snacking? Has it helped/made things worse?

[Elissy 3kg]

I agree with Concerned. When we chew, the stomach gets signals to start digesting, which means acids are produced to break down food.

Too much chewing gum can have bad effects on the lining of the stomach without food. (I mean permanent chewing and not eating - not chewing gum after meals or sometimes).

I find having a drink, a healthy snack - or even better, something to do - the best distraction.

Your body will learn to crave less.

[ToLiveTheDream in reply to Elissy]

Thank you for replying, I totally see the understanding behind this now! Thank you, again, and hope you have a lovely day!

[ToLiveTheDream]

Thank you for your insight, it makes sense as to why chewing gum should be avoided, learn something new everyday! Thanks again, hope you have a great day!

[Diana]

I have to agree with the others, have a tea, coffee or drink, soothing and not calorific!

[ToLiveTheDream in reply to Diana]

You're right, I'll just stick with the tea/hot water! Thanks!

[Redx1995]

I admit to not being a fan of chewing gum - there's nothing worse than listening to a cow chewing the cud on the other end of a phone!!

I did start the eat, drink, chew principle, where chewing gum after a meal generates saliva which helps to combat tooth decay. The jaw ache wasn't pleasant so really bother now.

When I have been peckish and holding out until lunch, I do tend to have a hot drink, but on occasion have resorted to chewing gum and found it can take the edge off your hunger, but I do find that it can make me burp occasionally (not out loud I hasten to add)......

[ToLiveTheDream in reply to Redx1995]

Just like you, holding out until lunch/a meal would be the reason I'd go for the gum, thanks for your insight! Hope you had a great day

[TheHud]

I used it and sugar free jellies for the first 4 weeks and lost lost a stone.  Since then i have obviously been over thinking things and started to worry about the natural flavourings in the chewy.  Although they are sugar free they contain other natural but lower carb/cal sweetener/sugars called polyols. 

These chewy's are good for your teeth, but they do have some carbs and cals.  Apparently they go straight through you and as I found out they do keep you regular   Since overthinking I stopped chewing and slurping jelly and my great weight loss has also slowed to dead even though still on very low cal/carb.

 As of the new week, my week 7, I am back on the sugar free jellies and chewing gum and doing exactly what I did for the first 4 weeks including eating too many pickles

Polyols be damned its you and me to the end

Here is some info on polyols and why we can eat them on a diet

 Sugar-Free Yet Still Sweet

Polyols are becoming a popular ingredient in foods labelled as ‘sugar-free’. Polyols are a group of low digestible carbohydrates. They are easily recognisable in ingredients list due to the suffix ‘-ol’ eg: lactitol, mannitol, etc, the only exception to this rule is the polyol isomalt.  With regards to polyol digestion, humans to do not contain the enzymes necessary to break these down and so are not absorbed into the bloodstream. Due to this, they do not cause a rise in blood sugars and a subsequent insulin response. Hence, on the surface, polyols appear to be low carb friendly.

Published research into the health benefits and effects of polyols are in favour of substituting them for added sugars as they cause less dental caries and are seen as a good method to help tackle the obesity and diabetes epidemic [1].

However, having said this, research has shown that consuming more than 10g of polyols a day can have a laxative effect as well as aggravate irritable bowel syndrome symptoms [2].

Oligofructose - a better option all round

Oligofructose (also known as Fructooligosaccharide [FOS]) is a naturally occurring alternative sweetener. A growing body of evidence continues to show the importance of a healthy gut environment is not only helpful for bowel health but also to enable full absorption of minerals, such as calcium and magnesium, through our gut [3]. Studies into the health benefits of oligofructose show that it stimulates the growth of beneficial bacteria in the human gut and hence termed as prebiotics [4].

[ToLiveTheDream in reply to TheHud]

This is really interesting and it is quite fascinating to hear about how the products worked for you. Just to add, congrats on your journey! 

Thank you for this, I will keep this in mind and I wish you all the best