Does Chewing Gum Have Benefits?

Chewing gum is very popular throughout America, and a large part of the population chews it. Approximately 50% of the United States population chewed gum in 2019, and about 160.03 million U.S. citizens used chewing gum in 2020. Also, the world market for chewing gum is estimated to be 560,000 tons annually, which represents about 5 Billion dollars, and around 374 billion pieces of chewing gum are sold each year.

First of all, chewing gum can help improve your memory, and also help you fight drowsiness. When you chew gum, it increases the blood flow to your brain. In Professor Andrew Sholey’s research, it was discovered that your short-term memory could be improved by around 35% by chewing a stick of gum. On the other hand, chewing a stick of gum for too long could decrease your short-term memory. One study also showed that chewing gum can help keep you awake. Mint gum is the best flavor to chew if you are trying to stay awake.

Next, Chewing gum can help you burn calories. Research published in the New England Journal of Medicine found that chewing gum burns about eleven calories an hour. This is approximately 19% more than the average person would expend by sitting in a chair doing nothing for the same amount of time. Finally, actively chewing gum can help reduce unnecessary snacking and help reduce your calorie intake.

After interviewing 2 different students from Rio Norte, and asking them questions like what are some reasons they chew gum, how many pieces they chew a day, and how long they chew a stick of gum for, these are their responses. Both answered that they like having better breath after chewing gum, and it can keep them occupied for a period of time while chewing. When asked what he likes about chewing gum, Lian Buban answered, “I really like the different flavors, I like blowing bubbles with it, and the different forms, such as the sticks, gumballs, and gum tape.” Also, when Aaron Gonzalez was asked about what he likes about chewing gum, he responded, “ Chewing gum is a good way to pass the time, it tastes nice, and it is a good distraction when I’m bored.”

All in all, chewing gum has many different benefits, such as improving your memory, helping you fight drowsiness, and it can help you burn calories. Around 50 percent of the United States population chews gum. This can be for many different reasons, like helping you stay focused, or you like the flavor. Gum has many pros, and all of them can apply to you, just by chewing!