{"id":195199,"date":"2025-04-13T17:03:12","date_gmt":"2025-04-13T17:03:12","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/yogaesoteric.net\/?p=195199"},"modified":"2025-04-13T17:03:12","modified_gmt":"2025-04-13T17:03:12","slug":"chewing-gums-dirty-secret-how-this-daily-habit-could-be-flooding-your-body-with-microplastics","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/yogaesoteric.net\/en\/chewing-gums-dirty-secret-how-this-daily-habit-could-be-flooding-your-body-with-microplastics\/","title":{"rendered":"Chewing gum\u2019s dirty secret: How this daily habit could be flooding your body with microplastics"},"content":{"rendered":"<p>For decades, chewing gum has been marketed as a breath freshener, a stress reliever and even a diet aid. But new research reveals a hidden danger lurking in every stick, pellet, or bubble-blowing wad: microplastics. A ground-breaking <a href=\"https:\/\/www.everydayhealth.com\/diet-nutrition\/gum-can-release-tiny-plastic-particles-into-your-mouth\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">pilot study<\/a> from the University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA) suggests that chewing gum\u2014whether synthetic or \u201cnatural\u201d\u2014could release hundreds, even thousands, of tiny plastic particles into your mouth with every chew.<\/p>\n<p><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"wp-image-195200 aligncenter\" src=\"https:\/\/yogaesoteric.net\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/04\/gum.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"560\" height=\"315\" srcset=\"https:\/\/yogaesoteric.net\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/04\/gum.jpg 1440w, https:\/\/yogaesoteric.net\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/04\/gum-300x169.jpg 300w, https:\/\/yogaesoteric.net\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/04\/gum-1024x576.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/yogaesoteric.net\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/04\/gum-768x432.jpg 768w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 560px) 100vw, 560px\" \/><\/p>\n<p><strong>The shocking findings: Plastic in every chew<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>Presented at the American Chemical Society\u2019s Spring 2025 meeting, the study found that chewing gum\u2014regardless of brand or ingredients\u2014sheds microplastics into saliva at alarming rates. Researchers analyzed 10 popular gum brands (five synthetic, five natural) and discovered:<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>An average of 100 microplastics per gram of gum, with some brands releasing up to 600 particles per gram.<\/li>\n<li>A single piece of gum (typically 2\u20136 grams) could unleash up to 3,000 microplastics into the mouth.<\/li>\n<li>94% of these particles detached within the first 8 minutes of chewing, primarily due to mechanical abrasion from teeth\u2014not saliva breakdown.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>Perhaps most concerning? \u201cNatural\u201d gum performed no better than synthetic varieties. Both contained the same polymers, including polyethylene and polypropylene\u2014materials commonly found in plastic bags and bottles.<\/p>\n<p>\u201c<em>Surprisingly, both synthetic and natural gums had similar amounts of microplastics released when we chewed them<\/em>,\u201d said lead researcher Lisa Lowe, a UCLA graduate student.<\/p>\n<p><strong>Why this matters: A legacy of plastic pollution<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>Chewing gum\u2019s plastic problem isn\u2019t new\u2014it\u2019s been hiding in plain sight. Since the mid-20th century, most commercial gums have relied on petroleum-based synthetic rubber (replacing natural chicle, a tree sap traditionally used by Indigenous cultures). Today, even \u201cnatural\u201d gums often contain plant-based polymers that behave like plastics. And with the average gum consumer chewing more than 150 sticks per year, it adds up.<\/p>\n<p>Microplastics are now ubiquitous\u2014found in human blood, placentas and organs. Studies link them to:<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>Inflammation and cellular damage<\/li>\n<li>Hormone disruption (many plastics contain endocrine-disrupting chemicals)<\/li>\n<li>Reduced fertility and developmental issues<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>\u201c<em>What we know about microplastics leads us to believe they could be associated with harmful health outcomes<\/em>,\u201d warns Dr. Linda Kahn, a public health expert at NYU.<\/p>\n<p><strong>What can you do? Practical steps for health-conscious consumers<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>While avoiding microplastics entirely is nearly impossible, gum chewers can reduce exposure:<\/p>\n<p><strong>Chew Longer, Chew Less<\/strong> \u2013 Researchers suggest sticking with one piece for as long as possible instead of frequently replacing it.<\/p>\n<p><strong>Opt for Plastic-Free Alternatives<\/strong> \u2013 Seek gums with 100% chicle or tree resin bases (though these are rare). Brands like Simply Gum or Glee Gum market themselves as natural, but this study suggests even \u201ceco-friendly\u201d gums may shed microplastics.<\/p>\n<p><strong>Dispose Responsibly<\/strong> \u2013 Discarded gum is environmental pollution. \u201c<em>Don\u2019t just throw it outside or stick it to a gum wall<\/em>,\u201d urges study co-author Sanjay Mohanty, PhD.<\/p>\n<p><strong>The bigger picture: A call for transparency<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>This study underscores a critical issue: lack of regulation and labeling around microplastics in everyday products. Consumers deserve to know what they\u2019re ingesting\u2014especially when \u201cnatural\u201d claims may be misleading.<\/p>\n<p>\u201c<em>Our goal is not to alarm anybody<\/em>,\u201d says Sanjay Mohanty, UCLA engineering professor and principal investigator of the project. \u201c<em>But we know we are exposed to plastics in everyday life, and that\u2019s what we wanted to examine here<\/em>.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>As science catches up, the burden falls on people to make informed choices. For gum lovers, the question is simple: Is that minty freshness worth a mouthful of plastic?<\/p>\n<p><strong>Final Thought<\/strong>: In an era where microplastics invade our water, food and air, chewing gum may seem like a small concern\u2014but it\u2019s another reminder of how deeply plastic has infiltrated our lives. Until safer alternatives emerge, moderation and awareness are key.<\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p><strong>yogaesoteric<br \/>\nApril 13, 2025<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>For decades, chewing gum has been marketed as a breath freshener, a stress reliever and even a diet aid. But new research reveals a hidden danger lurking in every stick, pellet, or bubble-blowing wad: microplastics. A ground-breaking pilot study from the University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA) suggests that chewing gum\u2014whether synthetic or \u201cnatural\u201d\u2014could release [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":4,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_uf_show_specific_survey":0,"_uf_disable_surveys":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[1102],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-195199","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-risks-for-your-health-4260-en-health-en"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/yogaesoteric.net\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/195199","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/yogaesoteric.net\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/yogaesoteric.net\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/yogaesoteric.net\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/4"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/yogaesoteric.net\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=195199"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/yogaesoteric.net\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/195199\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":195209,"href":"https:\/\/yogaesoteric.net\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/195199\/revisions\/195209"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/yogaesoteric.net\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=195199"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/yogaesoteric.net\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=195199"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/yogaesoteric.net\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=195199"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}