Calories Count

Chewing gum can help reduce snacking. It is generally accepted that people can't eat whilst chewing gum, and by substituting it for a high-calorie snack, chewing gum can help reduce overall calorie intake.

For example, chewing gum while cooking to avoid nibbling can help people avoid the 'stealth' calories that also can undermine efforts to control calories.

Research from the University of Liverpool showed that chewing gum resulted in a measurable decline in calorie consumption. Dr. Hetherington found that chewing gum can cut the amount of calories which would have been gained by snacking by about 36 calories. The researchers also found that afternoon hunger ratings were significantly lower in the chewing-gum condition compared.
(Hetherington, MM; Boyland E (2007): Short-term effects of chewing gum on snack intake and appetite. Appetite, 48(3):397-401.)