Conversations with Myself

Monday

11

May 2015

Chewing gum might be the culprit!

Written by , Posted in My Thoughts, Comments: leave another one

chewinggumpicmonkey_thumb.jpg

WARNING:  DO NOT GIVE YOUR BABY A CHEWING GUM. YOU ARE NOT AN UNFIT MOMMY LIKE ME.

I like chewing gum.  I don’t know when my relationship started.  I started being aware of my love when Muli was less than a year.  One day a concerned friend said, Nez Muli is been chewing something for sometime can you check on her.  I took one look at my then 11 months old baby and said, Oh its chewing gum.  My girls died laughing and they were shocked.

I am not joking.  At 11 months Muli was a pro at chewing a  gum.  And guess what?  She never swallowed it.  You might think she liked it because of sugar.  No, her relationship soars way after the sugar coating is gone.  This girl is my child for sure. 

Did you know that a the sugarfree, long-lasting chewing gum the one that freshens breath and brightens your smile might be a culprit causing your stomach pains and bloating?.

I got concerned about my affair with a sugar free gum after reading Anne’s post.  She is the author of fannestaticfood.com.  She blogs about health and fitness.  This girl runs in all seasons.  I read all about his winter adventures while I was enjoying summer this side and now that the winter is around the corner I wonder how can I be like Anne *sad face*.  You can read all about the sneaky things about sugar free gum  here.

What bothers me is I also get to have some odd tummy pains and I get bloated.  I hope Muli has never had this because she does not chew it as often as I do.  According to Anne some of tummy issues might be caused by chewing gum.  Apparently the word sugar free gum generate false security to automatically believe that sugar-free products are good for consumption.

The problem stems from  trying to make something taste like sugar without actually using sugar.  The culprit is sugar alcohol used to sweeten chewing gums.  This ingredient is foreign to the body thus it does not get digested well, causing the stomach to be upset.

Anne explains the whole process better when she says: “The reason sugar alcohols can lead to stomach issues is due to the fact that they are not very well absorbed/digested by the body. Some of the sugar alcohols will pass into the bloodstream, but the majority will travel on through the intestines unabsorbed. Once in the intestinal tract, the sugar alcohol will meet bacteria that ferment it, releasing gas, which leads to bloating, cramps, pain, and/or diarrhea. It’s similar to what happens when someone who is lactose intolerant eats something with lactose”.

As of yesterday I QUIT chewing gum, just like that.  Hello, pain free tummy.  Hi, gas free intestines.

Take care,
Nez