soft, cohesive substance intended for chewing but not swallowing From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Chewing gum is a type of candy flavored with natural sugar or artificial sweeteners and also flavors such as mint. Gum is made to be chewed, and not swallowed. People chew gum for personal enjoyment and also to help clean teeth. Before it is chewed, the gum comes either soft and chewy or hard and then softens in your mouth. People are usually finished with gum once all the flavor is extracted, or their mouth becomes sore. Once people are done with gum, they throw it away.
Chewing gum was invented at least 5000 years ago and in many places, made from many different plants.
| Ancient civilization | Chewing gum precursor |
|---|---|
| Ancient Greece | Mastic tree bark |
| Ancient Maya | Chicle |
| Chinese | Ginseng plant roots |
| Inuit | Blubber |
| Native Americans | Sugar pine and spruce sap |
| South Americans | Coca leaves |
| South Asia (India) | Betel nuts |
| Tropical West Africa | Kola nuts |
| United States (early settlers) | Tobacco leaves |
The first commercial chewing gum, called The State of Maine Pure Spruce Gum, was made in 1848. In 1850 the first gum made from paraffin wax was produced. It was often eaten with powdered sugar. The first flavored chewing gum was created in the 1860s by John Colgan, in Louisville, Kentucky.[2] About the same time modern chewing gum was first developed when chicle was brought from Mexico by the former president, General Antonio Lopez de Santa Anna. It was marketed as Adams New York Chewing Gum in 1871. Black Jack, which is flavored with licorice started in 1884, Chiclets (1899), and Wrigley's Spearmint Gum were early popular gums that quickly dominated the market and are all still around today.[3]
American soldiers in WWII were supplied with chewing gum as a ration. They traded it with locals which widened the market. Chewing gum is less popular now.
The effects of chewing gum on health vary. Sugar free chewing gum is sometimes recommended by dentists, because it can clean the teeth. Chewing gum which contains sugar can, depending on the kind of sugar, harm the teeth. Gum can help to avoid snacks.[6][7]
The new version of chewing gum has environmental effects, because it cannot rot easily. Also, it is hard to clean up if it sticks somewhere.[8]
Chewing gum can have a good effect on concentration. There are many other effects on people coming from different new invented chewing gums, like dry mouth gum, or energy gum.[9]
Seamless Wikipedia browsing. On steroids.
Every time you click a link to Wikipedia, Wiktionary or Wikiquote in your browser's search results, it will show the modern Wikiwand interface.
Wikiwand extension is a five stars, simple, with minimum permission required to keep your browsing private, safe and transparent.
