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Question about chewing gum

Bodybuilding
#1

I searched for this and found some similar questions, but not exactly what I’m looking for. I realize that sugarless gum does contain some carb/sugar alcohols and calories, which may or may not negatively affect keto diets. I’m not currently on a kd, so I’m not too concerned about the small amount of carbs in the gum. However, I’ve noticed that when I chew it between meals, I seem to get hungry, very hungry, faster in situations where I usually not be hungry. (Say after an hour or two…I eat every 2.5 to 3 hours, but usually I don’t feel too hungry by the next meal, especially if I’m using MD6.

My question is this: Does sugarless gum, despite having few calories and carbs, stimulate insuling release? I ask this as the feeling I get seems to feel like low-blood sugar hunger I used to get when I didn’t eat so frequently. I remember from physiology class that the body can produce insulin from the sight, smell, and taste of food before it’s even ingested. Is this possible with artificially sweetened gum? Thanks, and sorry about the long post.

#2

ya, dude, i remember experiencing the same thing when i used to mess around with leto diets and drink crystal light or diet pop. i’d never be hungry until i got the taste of something sweet in my mouth. I know what you’re sayin. As forwhether or not it actually causes an insulin release, I can’t say i know

#3

I just read my question, and I’m not sure I was clear in my reasoning. I was making the assumption that if it’s possible for the body to begin to release insulin from the taste of a sugary food (and it’s likely I am wrong here), then the same thing could be happening by chewing sugarless gum. In terms of the hungry, as many of you can probably relate, back in the days when I followed the “healthy” low fat, high carb thing, I would always get very hungry between meals, presumably because of massive insulin release and the resulting drop in blood glucose. This is the same feeling I experience with the gum, though it could be something different.

#4

I don’t believe sugar alcohols cause any significant rise in insulin, the amount is so small per piece of gum <5g carbs, that I don’t think there would be much trouble either way, unless youre chewing truckloads of the stuff. Sweetness by itself does not trigger an insulin response (i.e. remember fructose, supposedly an insulin independent monosachharide)

#5

Chewing is the first step in the digestive process. It triggers saliva flow (to break down/help digest food), and gets the stomach acids going. I can’t answer your question about insulin release - although I’ve always understood that insulin release was a matter of the body detecting the need for it, ie, the presence of the need and not, well, getting “fooled into it” - but I do know that chewing gum helps to digest food. (That’s why you should never chew gum on an empty stomach: you’ll get a stomach-ache, as there’s nothing in your belly to digest.) Insulin may be a factor as well - I don’t know - but this is probably the most likely answer to your question.

#6

actually, chewing something like gum simply stimulates appetite because it causes you salivate. the chewing gum is like tricking your body into thinking you are eating, so it will cause saliva to flow, and cause your digestive system to become more active, getting rid of your last meal faster, and thus you’ll become hungry.

#7

When make a chewing motion like you do when you’re chewing gum, your body figures theres food coming and activates the release of stomach acids, that’s why some people say that chewing gum on an empty stomach may be related to the aperance of ulcers as this acids act on the stomach walls, i dont know about the insulin release but if it does this it might as well do that…

#8

I chew sugarless gum before lifting and noticed a pattern of light headedness and slight dizziness just like a low blood sugar response. Thought it was my imagination until I noticed a consistent pattern. Not sure of the cause, but thanks for the post, thought I was the only one.