While some believe chewing gum is a stress-buster, others claim it prevents tooth decay and plaque formation. Now, a recent study has found that chewing gum while walking elevates heart rate and increases the amount of energy you burn. During their study, researchers at Waseda University Graduate School of Sport Sciences, Tokyo, Japan, measured the participants’ resting heart rate and mean heart rate while walking, and calculated how much energy each participant had spent. The participants, aged 21 to 69, either chewed gum while walking for 15 minutes or swallowed a powder that contained the same ingredients in the gum. Researchers found that those who had chewed gum showed a quicker heart rate and had expended more energy than those who had taken the powder. Moreover, the results were more pronounced in older participants. The research was published in The Journal of Physical Therapy Science.

Photo: iStock
Featured in Harmony — Celebrate Age Magazine
July 2018