Keep your weight with chewing gum
It may sound a bit funny, but there is actually research on how chewing gum affects our metabolism and energy intake.
In a study from 2016 a group of scientists wanted to investigate whether chewing gum after lunch could lead to an increased feeling of satiety, and thereby a lower energy intake later in the day.
Fifty women (overweight and normal weight) were randomly divided into two groups, the chewing gum group, that was allowed to chew gum after lunch, and a control group. The results showed that the women in the chewing gum group experienced reduced hunger and willingness to eat compared with the control group. They also had a lower energy intake and carbohydrate intake during the rest of the day.
The researchers in the current study therefore concluded that chewing gum after lunch increases the feeling of satiety and leads to a lower intake of energy and carbohydrate-rich snacks in the afternoon.
Having a chewing gum after your meals may be a simple and effective strategy to help you maintain weight in the long run. Just make sure that your chewing gum is sugar-free.
References
Park E, Edirisinghe I, Inui T, Kergoat S, Kelley M, Burton-Freeman B. Short-term effects of chewing gum on satiety and afternoon snack intake in healthy weight and obese women. Physiol Behav. 2016 May 15;159:64-71.
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