Would you stop chewing gum if I said you are intoxicating your body “one piece at a time”? Seemingly, innocent gum turned out to be a giant health wrecker. Have you ever looked at the back of the ingredient list? (like this one) Most of us probably haven’t. We assume there is no harm in chewing couple pieces of gum day, especially if it is sugar free! Well, let me bust this myth, gum is toxic to your body and health dangers of chewing gum are real!
A typical piece of gum contains these dangerous ingredients:
• Sorbitol
• Gum Base
• Maltitol
• Mannitol
• Aspartame (you can read this amazing book on the dangers of artificial sweeteners)
• BHT
• Calcium Casein Peptone-calcium Phosphate
• Candelilla Wax
• Sodium Stearate
• Titanium Dioxide
• Xylitol
• Artificial and ‘Natural’ Flavoring
• Acacia
• Acesulfame Potassium
First of all, if you think gum won’t hurt your health since you are not eating it, you are mistaken. These dangerous ingredients get absorbed through your mouth straight into the bloodstream. Gum is so dangerous that some animals can die after swallowing it.
Let take a look at some of the ingredients. What are the health dangers of chewing gum?
Aspartame
All sugar free gums are marketed as a healthier alternative to sugar containing gum. You are constantly bombarded with information about how bad sugar is for your teeth, thus, go for a sugarless type. Well, they forget to mention that instead of sugar, it contains a sugar substitute such as – aspartame which is way worse than sugar. Why? Aspartame is a synthetic chemical combination which consists of 50% phenylalanine, 40% aspartic acid, and 10% methanol. Every one of these substances puts your health in great danger. Aspartame has been linked to virtually all diseases. When chewing gum, aspartame gets absorbed by the buccal mucosa of the mouth, which, is way more dangerous than even consuming it internally. After the absorption stage, aspartame passes the blood-brain and spinal cord barriers, then goes directly into the brain. It’s the same aspartame that’s added to virtually all diet sodas (Read more).
Gum Base
It is the main ingredient of chewing gum which comprises several synthetic ingredients such as petroleum, lanolin, glycerin, polyethylene, polyvinyl acetate, petroleum wax, stearic acid, and latex. Though the precise composition of chewing gum is a company’s secret, these ingredients are used to provide elasticity and act as binders and softeners. As an example, Polyvinyl acetate is often used to make glues, coat paper or to give textiles a shine. So is chewing glue safe?
Sorbitol, Mannitol, Maltitol
These artificially produced sweeteners are members of the sugar alcohol family. Consuming them can lead to many health problems such cardiovascular problems, abdominal pain, diarrhea, allergic reactions, diabetes, weight gain. Our bodies can not properly digest and breaks down sugar alcohol in the small bowel.
Every one of the ingredients in chewing gum is unsafe and dangerous to your health. It is one of the most toxic products you are consuming. Are you willing to put your health in danger so you can have a fresh breath? I don’t think so.
There are some better alternatives to chewing gum such as chicle gum which traditionally was use in the manufacturing of gum. It is made from chicle, a tree that is native to central America.
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