Chewing gum with your mouth open should be a social sin.

No one wants to see tongues doing spin cycles around half a pack of Wrigley’s. But once you’ve got your motor mouth under control, sinking your teeth into a rectangular, spearmint-flavored pellet of goodness might be just what the doctor ordered.

Gum’s not a new-world phenomenon. According to the International Chewing Gum Association, the Ancient Greeks chewed on resins and latex goop from plants and trees. Sugar-free gum made its first appearance in the ’50s, the most popular color of bubble gum is still pink and today, the average American chews 300 sticks of the stuff a year, according to theUniversityofSouthern California.

But unlike that other one-pack-a-day-and-more-when-I’m-drunk cigarette habit, chewing gum packs a healthy punch — the sugar-free variety, anyway. Not convinced the sticky affliction on the sole of your shoe is worth a dollar? Chew this over.

Gum as a stress reliever: WhileAmerica might not be a soccer-loving nation, most sports fans know Manchester United’s manager, Alex Ferguson, can be seen chewing like a champ on the sidelines every weekend. Dirty old man habit or just a nervy boss? Research by the Tokyo Medical andDentalUniversity found that after two weeks, the anxiety levels of chewers were significantly lower than the control group, who had no gum. However, after four weeks, the playing field leveled.

Takeaway: Much like its flavor, chewing gum has a short anxiety-relieving shelf life.

Gum as an alert booster: Are you so damn bored that your eyelids are drooping more than your 80-year-old gran’s? OK, let’s not go there. Well, gum’s around to prop you up. Research from Coventry University in the United Kingdom found chewing gum increased alertness levels after a 20-minute “stressor” test due to, researchers believe, a boost in brain activity as a result of chomping. Sensory stimulation, in the form of minty freshness, may be the reason for your perkiness.

Takeaway: If you’re tired of life, gum wakes your brain up.

Gum as a 4.0 GPA generator: On the verge of bawling after getting an A minus on a test? Sure, you’ve missed the academic drop deadline, but it’s never too late to chew. Researchers atCardiffUniversity in theU.K. found participants scored significantly higher on a standardized intelligence test when their mouths were in motion. Maddie Kelly, a junior graphic design major, always wondered why she was allowed to chew gum in class in high school. Now she’s got an answer.

Takeaway: Can’t remember when World War II started? Just chew.

Gum as a cancer fighter: So gum can’t promise you beautiful teeth, but gum containing Sorbitol and/or Xylitol had cancer-fighting effects in a study by the University of the Witwatersrand inSouth Africa. Salivary stimulation through chewing prevented bacteria from meals metabolizing into acids.

Takeaway: Choose Sorbitol or Xylitol gum to help beat the C word.

Gum as an appetite suppressant: There’s good and bad news when it comes to gum as a hunger destroyer. Research from the University of Leeds, England, found chewing gum temporarily lowers cravings for sweet and salty snacks, a tactic Rachel Marks, a junior social work major, has used before.

That’s because our stomachs aren’t dumb. While chewing gum mimics eating temporarily, as soon as you spit it out out the hunger monster comes back, researchers at Leeds found.

But some science geeks at our very own university might be here to help. In 2011, chemists at Syracuse University discovered that a hormone named human PYY, which signals you’re full after eating, can be ingested orally into the bloodstream when attached to vitamin B12. SU scientists are now looking to create human PYY- and B12-laced gum to create the first effective gum-based appetite suppressant.

Takeaway: If you’re looking to lose weight, loiter around the Life Sciences building and chat up a chemist.

Iona Holloway is a senior magazine and psychology major. In Scotland they call gum “chuggy,” as in, “Got any chuggy, mate? Cheers pal.” Follow her on twitter @ionaholloway or email her at ijhollow@syr.edu.

Published on October 24, 2012 at 12:13 am