Writing in the journal Eating Behaviors, Christine Swoboda and Jenifer Temple from the University of Buffalo had hypothesized that chewing mint gum before meals would reduce energy intake more than chewing fruit gum or no gum at all.The hypothesis
“If chewing gum has effects on food reinforcement, snack food intake, or energy intake, it could be a useful tool for those trying to lose weight,” they said.
However, the researchers found that chewing gum did not cut energy intake and in fact reduced people's propensity to eat healthy foods.
“These studies suggest that using chewing gum as a dietary aid may not be very useful, and may even be detrimental to health because of the effects it may have on food choice,” they concluded.
To reach their findings, the researchers conducted two experiments.
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