However they generally contain: Contact Rose for healthy lifestyle guidance. According to research from Just One Ocean, 2019 - 2020 Chewsyuk. This is combined with sweeteners, glycerin; artificial colors and flavors; plasticizer to make it soft; and a polyol coating to make it last longer. Chewsy gums are naturally plant-based, vegan, biodegradable, free from sugar, aspartame, plastic, artificial sweeteners and flavours, and sweetened using 100% xylitol for healthy teeth. gift will go toward our programs, It also isn't good for your health. A supermarket in the UK, Iceland, has made the decision to sell only plastic-free chewing gum from now on, bringing to light the little-known synthetic elements that make up the mysterious "gum base" of most chewing gums sold around the world. Surprising, right? But there are some amazing brands going back to basics, and developing tasty gum with more natural bases that are completely plastic-free. Knowing that your favourite chewing gum is actually a flavoured piece of plastic, makes the whole concept a whole lot less appealing! If the gum has acidic flavours, then talc is used. What we've all been . Does Extra gum come in cinnamon? Doesnt sound very appetizing, does it? They dissolve in water, and among them are sweeteners, some flavors, polyols, sugar, and glucose syrup. Even if everyone threw it in the trash over time it would still just accumulate in landfills and wherever else trash ends up same as any other plastic. An ingredient listed as "gum base" in many gum formulas is plastic, and it's the aspect of the gum that gives it its chewiness. Polethylene Polvinyl acetate Polyethylene is used in plastic bags and is also one of the main culprits behind the 21 million tonnes of micro-plastics thought to be in the Atlantic Ocean[3]. Doesn't sound very appetizing, does it? The gum base is a mix of plastic and different chemicals and it typically makes up for 25-30% of the gum. 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The gum base can include a mixture of natural and synthetic ingredients. Next, Wrigley's adds a combination of artificial sweeteners and sugar alcohols; a powdering of starch to keep the gum from sticking . The Chewing Gum Action Group, made up of authorities, environmental groups, and gum manufacturers, is tackling gum litter in the UK. Iceland has released research that shows that, of 2,000 adults surveyed, 85 per cent were not . Few people know this as it isn't something that the producers speak highly of. All chewing-gum such as Wrigleys extra, Airwaves and Orbit that feature a plastic-base gum is definitely not compostable. Gum Chewing And Health Concerns. Latest news, stories and our thoughts about environmentally friendly eating, packaging and sustainability. And we all know how bad plastic is for the environment. Meanwhile, polyvinyl acetate is a thermoplastic polymer used to make the PVA glue we all know so well from our school days. "organic" "natural" chewing gum uses, is also "made of plastic", a natural fetish want to eat the chemicals in shoe polish, What May Decide The Election May Not Be Abortion Or Inflation - It May Be Runaway Health Insurance Costs, Invisible Air Pollution Can't Cause Obesity, But Epidemiologists Will Link It Anyway, Chewing Gum Linked To Lowered Stress Levels, Can't Go To The Dentist? Masticate for too long and these can get washed away, leaving you with an overly stiff piece of gum. This indestructible property comes from the gum base, the exact ingredients of which are usually a trade secret. Gum base. Some supermarkets such as Iceland (2018) in the UK are among some of the first retailers to stock plastic-free gum alternatives. However, plastic-based gum has become the norm for most mainstream brands due to its low-cost and perceived to provide customers with a preferred chewing experience. Just after World War II, chemists started to experiment with synthetic substances. Chewing gum is bad from a synthetic plastic, luckily more sustainable gum is on the market. Chewing gum with a plastic gum base poses more issues than just the obvious plastic waste. Originally, chewing gum was made from the latex sap of the sapodilla tree (native to Central America). Over the years, there have been concerns that it can be linked to problematic side-effects and more serious conditions, such as cancer. We The ingredients in chewing gum vary from brand-to-brand and country-to-country. Up until World War II, chewing gum was made of a substance called chicle. People used to chew on chicle - a gum made from tree sap. Many people believe that chewing strengthens the teeth and jaw, this is not the case. educated over 300 million people. The simple answer to this is, yes, most big brand chewing gum is made from a gum-base which often contains plastic. All Rights Reserved. It's what makes the gum chewy. Sugar, Glucose Syrup, Palm Fat, Humectant: Sorbitol Syrup, Acid: Citric Acid, . While early chewing gums were made from tree-based resins and natural waxes, these days, both ingredients are synthetically derived from petrochemicals. Despite this, the NHS hasnt confirmed a link and research still continues. Regularly advertised for its oral health benefits, chewing gum can offer fresher breath and a light cleaning of the teeth which can be particularly pleasant when you have a long day ahead. However, nearly all regular chewing gum actually contains a polymer, a type of plastic also found in your car tyres. Replace gum chewing with a cleaner habit to protect your health. group operating under Section 501(c)(3) But why is it such a surprise to most people that chewing gum contains plastic? After World War II, chemists learned to make synthetic rubber, which came to replace most natural rubber in chewing gum (e.g., polyethylene and polyvinyl acetate). This bubblegum is made with a natural, plastic-free gum base and natural colors, flavors and sweeteners. Despite the fact plastic-based gum has been the most prominent and purchased choice of gum for the last 40 years, as more incredible people (such as yourself), become more aware of the plastic pollution problem, it has become more important than ever to source environmentally-responsible alternatives. However, you may be wondering what are the ingredients in chewing gum? read on to find out the main ingredients used. Plastic is a part of the ingredient called the "Gum base" that gives the gum it's "chew". Fortunately, there are some niche brands like Glee, Chewsy or Forest Gum that are made from purely plant-based, natural ingredients. Chicle is wild-harvested tree sap, which can be harvested from the sapodilla tree without damaging the tree making it much more environmentally friendly, plastic-free and friendlier to our environment. Sweeteners are often added to chewing gum to create a sweet flavour, and more intensive sweeteners are intended for prolonging the sweetness effect. Chicle is a good bit softer than rubber bands and . When thrown away, chewing gum can also be a hazard to any wildlife or domestic animals that decide to pick up and eat discarded chewing gum. Gum base itself is made of three things: a resin for chewiness, wax for softness, and elastomers that maintain its elasticity. It's this natural ingredient that makes our gum plastic free and biodegradable. Polyisobutylene is mixed with plasticisers and materials - all food grade - to make the gum . It uses all-natural materials. While chewing gum is still often used to soothe toothaches, calm anxiety, reduce sensitivity, freshen breath or curb hunger, the ingredient list now looks much different.Troubling Gum Ingredients. People have been enjoying the oral fixation of gum for centuries. 41 related questions found. Try 3 issues of BBC Science Focus Magazine for 5! We are a nonprofit science journalism These ingredients are what give it its stretchy texture, elasticity, and unique flavour. It is obtained from animal fats, mostly from a pig's stomach. Optimize Your Health! Interestingly, prior to World War II, chewing gum was made using chicle in other words, the sap from the Sapodilla tree with added flavourings to make it taste appealing. The modern day chewing gums are made of four major ingredients including synthetic rubber, plastic, sugar, and coloring (dye). of the Internal Revenue Code that's By entering your details, you are agreeing to our terms and conditions and privacy policy. Sadly, however this means most people dont give a second thought to what their chewing gum is really made from and the damage it causes to our environment. PLUS a free mini-magazine for you to download and keep. The gum comes in peppermint flavour and is 100% natural and vegan. . Not so appealing now, right? Because chewing gum is made almost entirely out of plastic, it can take hundreds of years for an oil or petroleum-based piece of commercial chewing gum to decompose. It might seem easier to just abandon chewing gum rather than looking for sustainable alternatives, but dentists say that chewing gum is good for our teeth. Asking questions is the first way to begin change. The ancient Greeks chewed on resin from the mastic tree, called mastiche. The most popular chewing gum flavours include the classic Peppermint and Spearmint; however food acids can be added to the gum base to provide other appealing flavours such as Lemon or fruity alternatives. We've turned back the clock and are using sustainably sourced chicle for our chewing . What happens if you swallow a little bit of plastic? Yes, Wrigleys Extra currently uses polyvinyl acetate, a type of plastic, in their chewing gum. Therefore, what better time to switch to plant-based alternative chewing gum? However, there are now a range of alternative gums on the market, in order to appeal to the environment and our stomachs more, due to being plant-based and suitable for vegans. Fortunately, chewing gum does travel . Good news. Gum base is one of the main chewing gum ingredients found in gum and is made up of three main components: resin, wax and elastomer.In short, resin is the main chewable portion, whereas wax helps to soften the gum and elastomers help to add flexibility. The gum base is the non-nutritive, insoluble base of a chewing gum. But there may be other factors worth considering. It is obtained from animal fats, . Before polymer plastic was introduced as part of chewing-gums gum base, the natural ingredient used in most chewing gum was Chicle, which is biodegradable. We do it the way chewing gum was first made hundreds of years ago - using a sustainably harvested tree sap called Chicle as our gum base. donation today and 100 percent of your 1. with no political bias or editorial control. Today mainstream chewing gum is made from a substance called gum base,which essentially plastic, mixed with sweeteners, glycerin; artificial colors and flavors; plasticizer to make it soft; and a polyol coating to make it last longer. They found that gums made of synthetic rubber were more pleasant to chew and lasted longer on the shelf before going brittle - as natural resin-based gums were prone to do. To be exact, minimum 500 years (meaning you can't compost it). According to ThoughtCo.com, chewing gum was originally made from the sap of the sapodilla tree, which is native to Central America. Fortunately, there are some eco-friendly chewing gum brands on the market . These allow plastic-free satisfaction of the oral fixation and breath-freshening benefits of gum. Yes, Hubba Bubba is owned by Wrigley and uses the same polyvinyl acetate plastic gum base as their other chewing gum brands. Our daily newsletter arrives just in time for lunch, offering up the day's biggest science news, our latest features, amazing Q&As and insightful interviews.
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