Chewing gum can help to decrease feelings of hunger and actual consumption of snacks, according to new research.
Scientists at the Pennington Biomedical Research Center studied the snacking habits of 115 participants - both men and women - with or without chewing gum.
In a questionnaire, respondents revealed that they felt less hungry when they chewed gum for 15 minutes per hour over a three-hour period.
They also generally felt more energised and able to sustain their energy levels for longer before needing a mid-afternoon snack.
While the results are anecdotal, they are supported by observations of the number and type of snack consumed by participants.
In both tests - once when they were given sugar-free gum to chew and once when they were not - snacks were available.
But the gum-chewers opted for fewer sugary treats and fewer snacks overall.
This resulted in a 60-calorie reduction in the consumption of sugary products and a 40-calorie reduction over both sweet and savoury foods.
More direct health implications relating to gum were recently discussed by the American Society of Nephrology.
The institution's researchers found that gum treated with phosphate-binding ingredients can help to maintain the desired levels of phosphates within the body for patients with diabetes.
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