Chewing gum- a treat for kids and adults alike has long been known to mankind. It is not a product of the recent past but a product descended from generations. A wide variety of flavors like mint mojito and raspberry mint exist in the market. But what is this elastic chewy thing? How is it made to such a perfect texture? Let’s find out!
In early times chewing gum was supposed to be made from tree resin as early as in the Neolithic period. The introduction of the present-day chewing gum can be attributed to Thomas Adams (Founder of Adams Sons & Co.) At this time, Americans were having gums made from paraffin wax. But, a Mexican politician Antonio Lopez de Santa Anna exiled to the united states introduced the people to a resin of the Sapodilla tree- Chicle. Thomas Adams conducted some experiments with this chicle and concluded that they were far superior in taste than the pre-existing paraffin wax made gums. Adams later was granted a patent for a manufacturing machine of the same. (1)
Gum is made from four important constitutes: a base of the gum, a sweetening agent, color, and flavor. The sweetening agents used may either be nutritive sweeteners, sugar alcohols, or intense sweeteners. The production of the gum can be summarized in the following steps(2):
Gum base ingredients are melted and filtered
Sweeteners and flavors are added until mix forms into a dough
Extruders blend, smooth and form the gum
Gum is formed into sticks or molded into shapes
Gum is sprinkled with powders or other substances to prevent from sticking to packaging
Gum is cooled for up to 48 hours to properly set
Gum is wrapped and packaged, ensuring fresh delivery!
Being a companion in movies, in long lectures, an outing in the park, there are numerous flavors available in the market suited for your taste. However, if you believe that taste is the only takeaway from the gum, then you are in for a big surprise. Research has proved that there are way too many benefits from this small elastic treat.
Stress relief: Research reports that chewing gum helps many chewers to cope up with daily life stresses. Whether this is specifically due to the gum or a long-time habit, only further research can tell.
Weight management: Most people who gain weight due so because of not being able to control their cravings. The solution to which is distractions. Chewing gum can suppress appetite as it acts as a low-calorie snack.
Memory: When we chew gum for such a long time, the body anticipates that we are eating, and stimulates insulin activity to counter this nutritional load. This increases glucose uptake by the cells in the brain aiding to better memory.
Oral health: More chewing equates to more saliva production in mouth which leads to better oral health which clears the mouth from debris. It may also help in removing bad mouth breath(3)
One interesting aspect of the chewing gum is its capacity to deliver bioactive compounds. In contrast to other foods eaten, it is chewed for a long time in the mouth undergoing mastication for a long duration. This is the time when it could release some bioactive components which could benefit human health. These bioactive components in the gum can be preserved due to the low water content of the base of gum and also the matrix of the gum.
Heard of bubble gum? Although they sound similar, these two are different products. As the name suggests, chewing gum is meant for chewing which slowly releases flavors, and bubble gum, well it is meant for making bubbles. This difference arises from the ingredients added in the processing which allow bubble gum to stretch more and less sticky. This is why bubble gum does not stick to your face after bursting. Probably trying with a chewing gum will!
So, the only question left is- Do you choose to chew? Or do you chew to choose?
References
1. Chewing Gum| What is gum made of? , www.foodunfolded.com
2. Chew on this. www.sciencemeetsfood.com
3. Understanding the Science Behind Chewing gum, www.ift.org
4. Chewing gum: Production, quality parameters, and opportunities for delivering bioactive compounds, Nevzat Konar, Ibrahim Palabiyik, Omer Said Toker, Osman Sagdic
Trends in Food Science and Technology, Volume 55, September 2016, Pages 29-38
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