Even sugar-free gums aren’t perfect, as nearly all major brands contain artificial sweeteners like aspartame. This can be problematic because they’ve been linked to heart disease and obesity, explains Jessica Cording, M.S., R.D., author of The Little Book of Game-Changers. Artificial sweeteners can also throw your taste buds out of whack. “Because they’re so sweet, they condition our taste buds to expect a higher level of sweetness,” she says. “That makes it harder to feel satisfied with things that are naturally sweet, and can ramp up cravings for sweet stuff in general.” Most gums are also made with a base that contains synthetic rubbers, emulsifiers, the controversial preservative BHT, and a plastic called polyvinyl acetate. What’s more, some gums contain titanium dioxide, an ingredient commonly found in sunscreen, says Scott Keatley, R.D., of Keatley Medical Nutrition Therapy. (Research has found that can dampen the ability of cells in your small intestine to absorb nutrients and act as a barrier to germs.) That’s all led to the rise of a new group of “clean” or “natural” gums. “The term ‘clean gum’ implies it is organic, allergen-free (minus soy or gluten), and devoid of any artificial sweeteners,” says Julie Cho, D.M.D., a dentist in New York City. Many of these gums are made with natural sugar alcohols like xylitol and erythritol. These “decrease the acid production of oral bacteria, which is what causes cavities,” Dr. Cho says. Some brands even swap out the gum base for chicle, a natural latex made from the bark of the sapodilla tree. (It’s what gum used to be made out of in the 1950s.)
How to choose the best natural gum
Unfortunately, there’s no FDA-backed label to spell out which gums are clean, but experts say there are a few important things to look out for.
✔️Consider sugar alcohols.
Gums don’t need to be sugar-free to qualify as clean, but dentists prefer you go this route—especially if you go through a lot of gum. “Sugar-free is important but not 100% critical,” says Mark S. Wolff, D.D.S., Ph.D., dean at the University of Pennsylvania School of Dental Medicine. The sugar in gum actually disappears after about 10 minutes of chewing (which is why it tends to lose flavor after a while), Dr. Wolff says. “If you’re a serial gum chewer, it’s best to go sugar-free,” he says. “It’s one less source of sugar that might cause tooth decay.”
✔️Avoid ingredients like aspartame whenever possible.
“There’s nothing out there that says it’s good for us,” Cording points out. Instead, look for gums that feature sugar alcohols like xylitol and erythritol. If you’re an occasional gum-chewer, more natural sweeteners like cane sugar and agave syrup are OK, Dr. Wolff says.
✔️Learn what the gum base is made of.
For what it’s worth, studies (mostly done on animals) have shown that the use of emulsifiers, BHT, and polyvinyl acetate is safe, says Keri Gans, M.S., R.D., author of The Small Change Diet. But it’s understandable if you’re not exactly excited about the idea of chomping on these ingredients. That’s why gum bases with chicle are a good option to consider, Cording says.
The best natural gums to try
Simply Gum
SHOP NOW Simply Gum is mostly organic and non-GMO. It’s made with just chicle, dried cane juice, vegetable glycerin, sunflower lecithin, rice flour, and natural flavors. “I tend to recommend that clients who want to use chewing gum, try something with a short, simple ingredients list,” Cording says. Choose between flavors like peppermint, cinnamon, fennel licorice, maple, ginger, and coffee.
Pür Gum
SHOP NOW Cording says she regularly recommends this to her clients who love gum. It’s totally free of nuts, soy, dairy, and gluten, sweetened with xylitol, and contains gum base, gum arabic, glycerol, and natural flavors. Choose from flavors like chocolate mint, bubble gum, cinnamon, pomegranate mint, peppermint, wintergreen, spearmint, and cool mint.
Marybelle’s Real Good Gum
SHOP NOW Marybelle’s says their gum is “always gunk-free” as it’s made with five ingredients: organic cane sugar, chicle, organic glycerin, organic sunflower lecithin, and natural flavors. It’s also soy-, nut-, and peanut-free, which means it’s great for those who have certain allergies. If you go for a gum like this, chew it in moderation due to its sugar content, Dr. Wolff says.
Glee Gum
SHOP NOW This natural gum is free of artificial flavors, coloring, sweeteners, and preservatives, and it’s also verified as a non-GMO product. Glee Gum’s sugar-free flavors contain xylitol, which you can’t digest, Keatley points out, so it just passes through you. It has a chicle base that’s “sustainably harvested” from Central America and their packaging is recyclable. Flavors include everything from bubble gum to lemon-lime to peppermint to mixed berry.
Tree Hugger Bubble Gum
SHOP NOW This gum comes shaped in balls that will make you nostalgic for the stuff you chomped on as a kid. Tree Hugger’s gum is sweetened with cane sugar and glucose and contains no artificial colors. Choose between flavors like bubble gum, lemonade, pomegranate, wild berry, and watermelon. Just bite into this gently—gums with hard exteriors like this can be tough on your teeth if you have underlying dental issues, Dr. Wolff says.
Xylichew
SHOP NOW This is Keatley’s go-to option. Xylichew is sweetened with birch xylitol and is made of vegetable glycerin, gum arabic (sap from an acacia tree), sunflower lecithin, and carnauba wax. The company makes a point to state that their gum is plastic- and preservative-free. Flavors include cinnamon, fruit, spearmint, black licorice, spearmint, and peppermint.
Peelu
SHOP NOW This gum get its sweetness from isomalt (a sugar alcohol), xylitol, and stevia, and comes in flavors like spearmint, cinnamon, citrus, and peppermint. It contains peelu tree fibers, which have been used in oral hygiene for thousands of years.
Chicza Organic Rainforest Gum
SHOP NOW This gum is certified USDA organic and made with evaporated cane juice, chicle, glucose, agave syrup, and natural flavors. It’s also vegan and made without a whole host of potential allergens, which can come in handy if you have sensitivities, Cording says. Support from readers like you helps us do our best work. Go here to subscribe to Prevention and get 12 FREE gifts. And sign up for our FREE newsletter here for daily health, nutrition, and fitness advice.
