Wrigley, the company that manufactures some of the most popular brands of gum in the world, reports that you can burn approximately 11 calories per hour by chewing gum. One stick of sugar-free gum has about 5 calories.
Calories
Chewing gum burns calories because it is a heat producing, non-exercise activity. According to a study noted in the December 30, 1999 issue of the "New England Journal of Medicine," it took participants just 12 minutes of gum chewing to burn 11 calories.
Cravings
According to a study published in August 2006 in the journal "Appetite," chewing gum can reduce cravings and minimize the likelihood of snacking. Additionally, study participants who snacked on chewing gum rather than higher calorie snacks reduced their calorie intakes by about 36 calories.
Considerations
If you want to lose weight, however, it will take a lot of gum chewing. According to the MedlinePlus, a pound of fat is equivalent to about 3,500 calories. To lose one pound a week, you need to consume 500 fewer calories a day, or burn 500 calories a day through exercise -- or any combination of the two.
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