The chewing gum industry is becoming increasingly creative with the properties of its products with many of them adding supplements that allegedly have beneficial health effects, the Wall Street Journal reported on Tuesday.
Manufacturers claim that certain gums can help fight jet lag, while other types can even help overcome obesity.
For instance, Apollo Brands LLC uses caffeine from green coffee beans and B vitamins in their gum which they called Fly Gum because it ostensibly helps pilots stay alert during flights.
Another brand - Golf gum - is said to improve focus and is designed for golfers.
Snack Less gum, on the other hand, contains an extract of the Hoodia parviflora that helps beat hunger.
According to market research conducted by Mintel firm, consumers are increasingly in favour of buying gums that have health-boosting properties.
However, the clinical evidence proving that these gums actually work is quite meagre. According to Insider, health experts agree that 'miraculous' effects of such bubble gum consumption is the well-known placebo effect. Moreover, obsessive gum chewing might even lead to an eating disorder, they warn.
At the same time, experts say that there are benefits from chewing gum. For instance, it helps reduce acid levels in the oesophagus and is essentially complementary to brushing teeth and flossing.