The study, whereby a researcher based at the University of Rhode Island (URI), evaluated the effects of chewing sugar-free gum on weight management, was supported by a $25,000 research award from the Wrigley Science Institute and reported to the annual meeting of the Obesity Society in the US this week.

According to Kathleen Melanson, associate professor of nutrition and food sciences at URI, nerves in the muscles of the jaw are stimulated by the motion of chewing and send signals to the appetite section of the brain that is linked to satiety, which may explain why the act of chewing might help to reduce hunger.

The study's results show that when the study subjects chewed gum for a total of one hour in the morning (three 20-minute gum-chewing sessions), they consumed 67 fewer calories at lunch and did not compensate by eating more later in the day.

The nutritionist also reported that the male participants also reported feeling significantly less hungry after chewing gum.
 
from www.confectionerynews.com