An N=1 On Sugarfree Gum and Mints

(Central Florida Bob ) #1

I’ve been a gum chewer since I was a little kid. Even when doing the original Atkins (DANDR) around 1980 I chewed gum - I just got in the habit of chewing half sticks of regular, sugared gum.

I’m a member of the “just can’t break through those last 10 pounds” club (which has now turned into more like 15) and I’ve been trying a bunch of things to see if any of the things that seem like common knowledge are my problem.

A month or so ago, I did a blood sugar test to see if erythritol had an effect on me. I checked every 30 minutes for two hours and every reading was within a couple of points - within the error of the instrument.

Something that seemed like an obvious thing to look at was my Orbit gum and Ice Breakers mints habits. So two weeks ago, I knocked them off. Two weeks into the change, there’s no difference that I can tell.

I haven’t had zero gum in two weeks, although I have gone zero on the Ice Breakers mints. If I had to talk a while, I used one. In the two weeks, I had two of the sticks in a pack of orbit gum. One was two weeks ago tonight and I think the following Saturday night (so two weeks with zero gum will be Saturday, not today).

I’m not sure if I should keep this up for 30 days or say it doesn’t matter, but I’ve seen people ask about sugar free gum, so I wanted to say it seems to have no measurable effect on me. N=1 and all.

I find it hard to believe after 4 weeks I’d suddenly start losing weight.

(Karl) #2

I chew a lot of gum. I buy 4 bags of the sugar-free Juicy Fruit refills at walmart every time i’m there. I am a gum fiend. I also drink a lot of sugar-free diet soda and sugar-free energy drinks, because I am a caffeine fiend (caffeind?). I never did a formal “n=1” because I am very much against ketone testing after my ketonix disaster - but I can say with pretty good certainty that the gum or diet drinks never meant a damn bit of difference to me. I overshot my “goal” weight by like 20lb - but I am apparently one of those unicorns that is incredibly receptive to this whole keto thing.

Just wanted to throw my experience your way, as there’s a lot of people who will be quick to say that artificial sweeteners are bad bad bad, when in reality people like me do exist and do just fine consuming them.

(Central Florida Bob ) #3

Thanks Karl. I saw your before and after pictures over on that thread, and you’re one of those folks I know by name, but never talked to.

I’ve been keto for a few years, lost 45 pounds but got back about 5 of it. Starting from 260, I’d really like to get below 200. I’ve done a lot of these things, like about getting rid of aspartame, knocking off artificial sweeteners (or limiting them), and none of it seems to matter. I still have a diet A&W root beer most days, but it’s really a rare day if I have two of them, and I still have two mugs of coffee with erythritol and HWC to start the day.

In a way, I’m not surprised that the gum and mints didn’t matter. I’m running out of things to try except to count calories, though.

(CharleyD) #4

If you need to lose a couple pounds (of water and yesterday’s food) there’s always Werther’s Originals Sugar Free.

I made the mistake of eating the whole smaller bag (2oz not 7oz) during the last Avenger’s movie.

Pretty much evacuated everything except my soul over the next 2 days.

I know isomalt as a main ingredient is considered a sugar alcohol and distinct from the artifical sweeteners, but I’m sure both end up having an impact on your gut flora.

(Karl) #5

Well, as skewed as the whole “energy balance” argument is, I still think there’s value in counting calories - because for me that daily number correlated into data I could use. Like, for me - I know that if I eat around 2500 calories a day, I’m in good shape - I won’t lose (which is really my goal now… Staying right around where I am). If I go north of 2800-3000 calories a day or so, I start to gain.

Not saying all people should do this - just that it’s a guideline I personally use, because the numbers give me an indication of when I’m undereating - which is easy to do with keto.

(Central Florida Bob ) #6

Did you generate enough thrust to generate liftoff? :grin: Ever read the Amazon reviews for sugar-free gummi bears?

I’ve never had that experience - thankfully. My wife has it to sorbitol and every sugar alcohol she tried (she stopped trying after a few).

(CharleyD) #7

I have enjoyed those reviews for years! I deliberately passed over the Haribos and went for the Werthers. Live and learn.

#8

I have read (over several years, so I couldn’t point you to a particular link or ref) that the whole gum chewing and its effect on metabolism is… rather complex.

I’ve seen claims that the artificial sweeteners can muck things up because of triggering insulin responses.
Also that the mere fact of having sweetness in the mouth (regardless of what causes that sweetness) can do the same.
Then there is the act of chewing which can trigger an insulin response, even if chewing a twig.
Also some people find that chewing gum suppresses the appetite, while others find it makes them hungry…

And then there is the question of jaw action and chewing increasing strength to the roots of the teeth, and the jaw, and maintaining mouth health.

Also that most ‘sugar free’ gums have Zylitol in them (as one part of the sweetener cocktail used) which is proven (don’t ask me for the refs) to improve oral health.

Minefield, eh?

I like chewing gum, and was a bit horrified by that chemical cocktail. The pack on my desk contains xylitol, sorbitol, aspartame, mannitol AND acesulphame K.
So I only pop one in when the door goes and I think ‘Yikes! Coffee breath!!!’
Then I spit it out as soon as I will no longer slay elephants at 50 paces with the power of my breath alone.

Other chewy, non chemically alternatives do exist. I have tried them, and liked them.
But I was less impressed with the price.
This is an example

#9

In my opinion checking blood glucose every 30 minutes after eating any kind of sugar is not optimal.Sugar is absorbed so fast that after half hour the blood glucose peak have long ended and it might seem like its not doing anything.

Measure once every 5 minutes,that will give usefull information.Measuring every 30 minutes is ok for starchy foods like rice and potatoes,but completly insufficent for sugar.The blood glucose after eating sugar rises and falls so fast that you have to measure much more often otherwise you will miss the peak.

(Dan Dan) #10

“No significant differences in the blood concentration of glucose, insulin and GIP or hunger were observed…”

(Rob) #11

Great topic (for some of us) and thanks for starting. I’m relatively new to keto … had very little problem laying off the things I should avoid, but always wondered about the gum. I’m a gum (sugarless) chewer and have been for years. Based on what I’ve read in this thread, I’m not going to worry about it.

(Central Florida Bob ) #12

Good to hear it has been helpful.

I’m in a position that’s kind of weird for me. I haven’t had any gum since I started this experiment so three weeks since I started the experiment. I’ve concluded that it has no effect on me, but I seem to have broken the habit. I only want a piece every now and then, but haven’t had it.

Someone I was listening to on a podcast, Dr. Will Cole, I think, said if you’re trying any sort of elimination diet test, it should be three weeks long. Today, I weigh exactly what I did last week, exactly what I did the week before, and so on. I can’t see any effect from gum.

Someone told me once that all habits are about 2 weeks from gone, but some are harder to overcome because they’re more deeply woven into our lives.

#13

I’m totally with Karl on this one. Artificial sweeteners don’t seem to affect my weight loss. I’m a Fresca addict and drink probably 5-6 glasses per day. I’ve lost 34 pounds in a little over 4 months, and 'm not a tall young guy–I’m a 67 year old short woman who had one toe in the obese category when I started. I’m now 3 pounds from a “normal” BMI. Whether this stuff is HEALTHY is another question altogether, but I’m pretty sure it doesn’t affect weight loss, at least for me.

I also agree totally about counting calories. Being short and old, and female, I do watch my calorie intake. Eating more than 1,500 calories per day affects my weight loss. However, it’s easy to stay below that number with keto.

(German Ketonian) #14

I don’t use chewing gums or artificial sweeteners at all. If you can help it, stay away from them. Perhaps one notable exception is Stevia which - according to things I’ve read - can actually decrease insulin (thus increasing insulin sensitivity)