Chewing Gum… or Chewing Plastic?

Did you know that every time you chew gum, you might be chewing plastic? Most gum brands list “gum base” as an ingredient, which is what gives the product its chewy texture. However, they don’t specify what’s in this mysterious “gum base”. Turns out this gum base is causing a sticky situation, in more ways than one. This ambiguous ingredient is often a cocktail of microplastics like polyethylene and polyvinyl acetate. This means that every chew is breaking down tiny plastic particles, the same particles found in plastic bags, tire rubber, water bottles, and industrial glue.

The Hidden Health Risks

Microplastics aren’t just gross, they could be harmful to your health. These tiny plastics can enter the bloodstream and cause a wide range of issues. Researchers have linked microplastics to brain fog, respiratory issues, reproductive health concerns, and an increased risk of cancer. And once these microplastics find their way into your body, they rarely ever leave.

How Much Plastic Are You Chewing?

A team of researchers from the University of California, Los Angeles, recently presented a study on 10 popular chewing gum brands at the American Chemical Society’s spring meeting. Their study revealed that chewing just one piece of gum for an hour could release up to 250,000 microplastics into your saliva. In fact, 94% of these plastics are released within the first eight minutes of chewing.

Big Brands, Big Secrets

Most gum manufacturers don’t disclose exactly what’s in their gum base. This lack of transparency means consumers have no way of knowing they’re chewing microplastics daily. It’s time for gum manufacturers to be honest about their ingredients. As always, consumers deserve to know what they’re putting in their bodies. We’re hoping that as awareness about these microplastics grows, so will the legal push for stronger label and ingredient regulations.

Vineet Dubey of CD Law says, “They put an ingredient called gum base on the label and that’s a catchall for all this crazy stuff that gets into your bloodstream. If you’re going to chew gum, opt for the natural choice like mastic or chicle.” Click HERE to visit our Instagram page for more from Vineet.