This is a FACT.
Not only can the very act of chewing gum ruin your teeth and harm your digestion, but the primary ingredients in chewing gum pose significant hazards to your health. In fact, 85% of the major brands fill their chewing gum with the artificial (and poisonous) sweeteners aspartame and sucralose.
But, I don’t swallow my gum…you may be thinking. Just as the ingredients in topical lotions seep through the skin and into the bloodstream, the ingredients in chewing gum pass through the walls of the mouth and into the body. What’s more, they shoot straight pass your digestive system, remaining undigested and full of toxins.
Think you’re getting some necessary benefits from chewing gum, like losing weight and stifling hunger? Think again! Studies have shown that gum chewing does nothing to stimulate weight loss or control appetite. Let’s take a more in depth look at the most dangerous ingredients in chewing gum.
Aspartame Again!
If the gum you’re chewing is sugar free, then it’s likely aspartame filled. Heat aspartame to 86 degrees Fahrenheit or above—the human mouth is a natural 98.6 degrees—and it releases methanol, an alcohol that breaks down into formic acid and formaldehyde in the body. Formaldehyde is a cancer-causing agent used as embalming fluid! No wonder aspartame has been linked to cancers, brain tumors, birth defects, and even weight gain.
BHT (Butylated Hydroxytoluene)
BHT has already been banned in other countries, but here in the United States, it’s still one of our favorite preservatives, and it makes an appearance in most brands of chewing gum as well. Studies have linked BHT to organ system toxicity, particularly as destruction of the kidneys and liver, as well as hyperactivity in kids. BHT has also been deemed a possible carcinogen.
Calcium Casein Peptone (Calcium Phosphate)
If Trident is your favorite chewing gum, then you’ve got calcium casein peptone in your system. The specific impact of this highly processed milk derivative has yet to be determined, but that doesn’t mean it’s safe for consumption, regardless of what the FDA rules allowable. It’s been linked to baby formula poisonings in China!
Gum Base
We wish we could tell you exactly what’s in the gum base, but aside from elastomers, resins, plasticizers, and fillers, chewing gum manufacturers don’t have to reveal the ingredients. A recent investigation by The Health Wyze Report revealed that you’re chewing on a combination of polyvinyl acetate (carpenter’s glue), petroleum-derived paraffin wax, and talc, a known carcinogen.
Considering how many toxins are packed into that little stick of gum, it’s probably best to trade in the chewing for some crunchy carrots.
