Many of us started January with good intentions, wanting to eat healthily and exercise more. Perhaps some of you have even given up on alcohol. You hear all that new year, new me gubbins. But I just want a healthier body, its not about being thin, its about longevity and trying to avoid future health problems.

So, I dusted off my body fat scales and had a bit of a shock! I am on the verge of tipping into overweight. So, after sulking, I cut back on chocolate, cakes, biscuits and pledged to actually use my gym membership. It’s not been easy, and I am only 11 days in.

I am finding myself hungry a lot more so I decided to do some research to see what might help. The last thing I want to do is go back to how I was. I used to be able to eat whatever I wanted but I have now hit middle age and can no longer coast along on with what used to be my fast metabolism.

It looks like sugar free gum can actually be a helpful dietary aid.  I will discuss how it can prove useful below.

Reduce Cravings

A study in 2007 found that using sugar free gum can help reduce cravings in the short-term.

This is handy if you work in an office and its coffee break, and the biscuits are being ladled out! In my husband’s work the office staff have brought their Christmas treats to work to avoid temptation themselves. It’s a common scenario in lots of offices across the UK.

But for my husband its torture. He too is on the same journey as me trying to have a healthier lifestyle. It’s beneficial if you can chew gum to reduce those cravings and avoid tucking into all the wrong food. Especially when you are so new to your new diet.

How Else Can You Reduce Cravings

Aside from sugar free gum, you can also reduce sugar cravings keeping hydrated (plenty of water) and just keeping yourself distracted until they pass. It also helps to follow a high protein diet and make sure you are keeping topped up with ample fruit and vegetables too.

Reduction In Snack Intake

Another study in 2011 found that chewing sugar free gum led to a reduction in snack intake. This is good news for me as I am finding it hard to resist snacking between meals. It doesn’t help that your body works against you when you’re trying to lose weight. As your weight drops your body increases the production of the hormone ghrelin which makes you feel hungry! I think that’s the worst feeling at the moment, that hunger which makes it harder to resist snacking between meals. A very recent study completed in 2023 that has just been published has also mentioned how sugar free gum can suppress appetite, specifically that desire for sweets and snacks.

Increase Satiety

When your loosing weight its harder to get that cue that your body is full as the body produces less of the hormone leptin (the hormone that tells your body your full!). Fortunately, chewing sugar free gum has been proven to increase satiety.

How Else Can You Increase Satiety

Other ways you can feel fuller are avoiding highly processed meals and increasing your protein and fibre intake. Aim to choose food with fewer calories so you can enjoy more of it. For example, skip a packet of crisps and have a bigger portion of fruit.

You can even try and trick the brain and serve your food off a smaller plate, when you finish your meal, you think you have had a proper portion. I haven’t got to this stage yet, as I think I deserve a big dinner after spending the day trying not to eat unhealthy snacks!

Chewing Gum Increases Energy Expenditure

A study in 2015 found that chewing gum can help increase energy expenditure. This sounds very promising for someone like me who has a slowing metabolism.

How Else Can You Increase Your Metabolism

I am already working towards increasing my metabolism in other ways such as exercising more. I have finally charged my Fitbit and am making sure I am getting in a minimum of 10,000 steps a day. It was crazy how inactive I was over the Christmas period. I am also trying to get to the gym twice a week now and using my rowing machine at home more.

It’s also important not to skip meals especially breakfast and that is something I firmly stick by. If you skip a meal the body things its being starved and panics. Your calorie burn rate will reduce to counter this, which makes it a lot harder to lose weight! I used to know a person that used to starve themselves until dinner time, but their weight was never any better than myself who always stuck by those regular three meals a day.

Conclusion

It looks like there is plenty to indicate that chewing sugar free gum can have a positive impact on your dieting journey. Another thing to note is that it can help with stress management. Bearing in mind that some people find that their cravings for the wrong foods are strongest when they feel emotionally low. So that’s great that using sugar free gym can actually help in that situation too!