Some people are biting off more than they can chew by searching for the ingredients used to make gum.
Perhaps the most shocking additive — also used commonly in skincare products — is lanolin, an oily byproduct of sheep skin glands. The greasy wax found in wool is analogous to human sebum.
“There is a high chance that your favourite chewing gum contains lanolin: a waxy secretion from sheep’s wool,” tweeted @RaiseYourBrain.
Lanolin is commonly used to create a gum’s base and does not need to be listed as an ingredient on packaging because it is so standardized, according to The Sun. That means your gum might not be vegan unless specifically described as such.
In addition to the gum base, there are softeners, sweeteners and flavorings used to craft your favorite pack of gum.
The most commonly used softeners are made from the chemical glycerol, which is derived from wood rosin, as well as vegetable oil.
And then there is sugar. Some brands use aspartame — which is 200 times sweeter than sugar — as a low-calorie alternative since it requires such small amounts.
Although “in general, artificial sweeteners are safe in limited amounts for healthy people,” according to the Mayo Clinic, there is hot debate around potential lasting health issues they can cause.
“Some research on long-term, daily use of artificial sweeteners suggests a link to a higher risk of stroke, heart disease and death overall,” the clinic’s website states, noting the evidence is far from equivocal.
Meanwhile, additional research is being done to see how sugar substitutes affect the gut. “Researchers are checking to see if sugar substitutes affect cravings for sweets, the way people feel hunger and how the body manages blood sugar,” the Mayo Clinic noted.
Another hot-button gum ingredient is the preservative butylated hydroxytoluene (BHT), which has also been linked to cancer, though only in animal studies and in doses far higher than those typically ingested by humans, Healthline reported.
But it’s not all bad news: Chewing sugar-free gum, particularly those made with xylitol, can prevent the bad bacteria associated with tooth decay, according to Healthline.
Still, it’s possible to overdo it. A study in the Journal of Pediatric Neurology found that “excessive gum-chewing is underreported as a headache precipitant in children and adolescents.”
Another issue that can come from excessive chewing is temporomandibular joint (TMJ) disorder, which impacts the hinge connecting one’s jaw bone with the skull.
In addition to chronic pain, inflammation of jaw muscles and tooth and ear aches, it can cause migraines as well.