Make sure to really chew that after-meal snack.
While there are downsides associated with chewing gum, some kinds might actually be good for your health.
Recent research suggests that chewing a piece of gum after eating certain vegetables can enhance their benefits. This is great news, especially considering that nearly half of adults in the U.S. are dealing with high blood pressure.
It’s well-known that eating vegetables brings a plethora of benefits, like antioxidants and compounds that help heart health, such as nitrates.
Even though many vegetables are nutrient-rich, nitrates—those compounds that really boost cardiovascular health by increasing blood flow and lowering blood pressure—need to be converted in the body to be effective.
A study published in the British Journal of Clinical Pharmacology found that chewing sweet gum after consuming nitrate-packed vegetables like spinach, beets, and kale can speed up this conversion process.
To take advantage of the nitrates that veggies absorb from the soil, your mouth’s bacteria need to convert those compounds into nitric oxide.
A key theory behind increasing conversion rates is to raise the acidity in saliva.
In the study, participants drank beet juice, which contains more nitrates than cooked beets, and then chewed either sugary Hubba Bubba gum or unsweetened Wrigley’s Extra for three to six hours.
The results showed that sugary gum not only made saliva more acidic but also boosted nitrite levels in both the mouth and body significantly compared to unsweetened gum.
Moreover, chewing sweet gum appeared to lower blood pressure, measured by systolic (when the heart pumps blood) and diastolic (when the heart rests) figures.
Nonetheless, the researchers advise that sugary gum shouldn’t be anyone’s primary method for managing blood pressure. Still, these findings are intriguing for athletes who often use beets to enhance performance.
It’s worth mentioning that these effects are temporary, lasting just a few hours. Also, consistently using sugary products can harm dental health.
Nitrates are already well-known as supplements among athletes, credited for improving blood flow to muscles and delaying fatigue, with some potential benefits for brain function too.
This study brings hope for both short-term blood pressure relief and performance enhancement after consuming nitrate-rich veggies.
“Our findings suggest that improving how the body processes dietary nitrate might be possible. Future research should aim at developing healthier, tooth-friendly alternatives to achieve similar effects,” remarked Dr. Charlotte Mills, a co-author of the study.
The next step? Finding effective, long-term strategies.
