Intermittent fasting has become an increasingly popular diet and lifestyle choice for weight loss, health, and fitness goals. It involves alternating between periods of fasting and eating within a defined timeframe. While intermittent fasting can be very effective for fat loss and improving health biomarkers, many people wonder if you can chew gum during the fasting windows. Let’s take a look at the facts.
What is Intermittent Fasting?
Intermittent fasting (IF) is an eating pattern that involves cycling between periods of fasting and eating. Rather than restricting what you eat, it focuses on when you eat by limiting your eating window throughout the day or week. The most common intermittent fasting methods include:
- 16/8 method – Fast for 16 hours per day, eat within an 8 hour window
- 5:2 diet – Eat normally 5 days a week, limit calories to 500-600 for 2 days
- Alternate day fasting – Fast every other day
- OMAD – Eat one meal per day
- Warrior diet – Eat small amounts of raw fruits and vegetables during the day, one large meal at night
During the fasting periods, you can consume zero-calorie beverages like water, unsweetened tea, and black coffee. The benefits of intermittent fasting include weight and body fat loss, improved insulin sensitivity, healthier blood lipid levels, anti-aging effects, and mental clarity.
Does Chewing Gum Break Your Fast?
The central question around intermittent fasting and gum is whether chewing gum will break your fast during the fasting window. There are a few factors to consider:
- Calories: Most gums are free of calories and macronutrients. As long as you choose a sugar-free gum, it will not contain anything that provides energy or spikes your blood sugar or insulin levels.
- Artificial sweeteners: Sugar-free gums are typically sweetened with non-nutritive sweeteners like xylitol, aspartame, or sucralose. There is some debate about whether artificial sweeteners produce an insulin response, but most evidence suggests they do not affect insulin or blood sugar.
- Flavor and chewing: While the act of chewing gum and tasting sweet flavors will stimulate your senses, it does not provide nutrients or calories that would break your fasted state.
- Swallowing: Some gum bases and flavorings are absorbed minimally in the intestines if swallowed, but not enough to be considered breaking your fast.
Overall, although gum may stimulate a cephalic phase digestive response, the net caloric intake and metabolic effects are negligible. Most experts and users agree that chewing sugar-free gum should not disrupt the fasted state or interfere with the benefits of intermittent fasting for most people.
Benefits of Chewing Gum While Fasting
Not only is sugar-free gum allowed during intermittent fasting windows, but it may also provide some benefits:
- Controls hunger: Chewing gum can help suppress appetite and food cravings when fasting by providing oral stimulation.
- Increases satiety: One study showed chewing gum for 15 minutes prior to a meal can decrease overall calorie intake by 10% by heightening satiety.[1]
- Boosts mental focus: Some research links chewing gum to improved alertness, reaction time, and memory – which is useful while working or studying during a fast.[2]
- Freshens breath: Chewing gum promotes saliva flow to freshen breath, especially useful while fasting.[3]
- Relieves stress: Several studies show chewing gum causes brain waves similar to relaxed states, reducing anxiety and perceived stress.[4]
For these reasons, sugar-free gum can be a useful tool during periods of intermittent fasting to help you get through the fasts with fewer hunger cravings and more concentration and fresh breath!
Best and Worst Gums for Fasting
If you decide to chew gum during intermittent fasting windows, you want to choose your gum wisely. Here are some of the best and worst gums to help you stick to your fast:
Best Gums
- Orbit
- Trident
- Pur
- Ice Breakers
- Eclipse
Look for gums with the following qualities:
- Sugar-free
- Low in calories (5 calories or less per piece)
- No artificial colors or dyes
- Free of sugar alcohols like malitol that may affect blood glucose
- Natural flavors
- Minimal ingredients
Worst Gums
- Juicy Fruit
- Bubble Yum
- Trident Layers
- Starburst Gum
- Skittles Gum
Avoid gums with the following drawbacks:
- Contain sugar
- High in calories
- Artificial colors and dyes
- Sugar alcohols as primary sweetener
- Numerous artificial ingredients
Some gums also contain ingredients like gelatin, acidifying agents, and natural or artificial flavorings that may technically break your fast, so read nutrition labels carefully if you want to be extremely strict.
How Much Gum Can You Chew While Fasting?
When chewing gum during intermittent fasting windows, moderation is key. While a single piece or two of sugar-free gum likely won’t impact your fast, chewing large quantities can have a few downsides:
- Can cause bloating, gas, and digestive discomfort
- Excessive sorbitol sweetener can have a laxative effect
- Jaw pain from overworking the chewing muscles
- Headaches are possible if you chew too vigorously
There’s no official guidelines for the amount of gum you can chew and remain in a fasted state. However, more than 5-10 pieces or 1-2 hours of continuous chewing is probably excessive.
Should You Chew Gum While Fasting?
When it comes to chewing gum during intermittent fasting, there are a few factors to consider before deciding if it’s right for you:
Pros
- Can help curb hunger and cravings
- Makes fasting periods more tolerable
- Easy way to freshen breath
- Provides oral stimulation and distraction
- Improves focus and concentration
- Most gums don’t technically “break” your fast
Cons
- Some gums may contain questionable ingredients
- Overdoing it can cause digestive issues
- May trigger temptation to eat
- Some people prefer water-only fasts
- Must pick gums carefully to avoid sugar and additives
Overall, for most people chewing a couple pieces of sugar-free gum shouldn’t compromise your fast. But pay attention to your hunger levels, sweet cravings, and any GI distress. Limit your gum-chewing if it makes fasting more difficult for you.
Summary
Here’s a quick summary of the key points:
- Sugar-free gums contain minimal calories and should not affect insulin or blood glucose.
- Chewing gum may provide benefits like reducing hunger and boosting alertness.
- Choose gums carefully and limit intake to avoid excess sweeteners and ingredients.
- Most intermittent fasting plans allow sugar-free gum in moderation.
- Pay attention to your hunger, cravings, and GI symptoms when chewing gum while fasting.
- Gum can be chewing during fasting windows, but is optional based on your preferences.
The Bottom Line
Can you chew gum while intermittent fasting? The answer seems to be yes for sugar-free gum. Gum can be an asset for some intermittent fasters thanks to benefits like curbing appetite and improving focus without disrupting ketosis or insulin levels. While excess sorbitol can cause GI upset in some, chewing 1-2 pieces of gum should be fine for most people during their fasting windows. Just be sure to choose gum wisely by avoiding sugar, artificial ingredients, and overdoing your gum chewing. Listen to your body and you can make gum work for your intermittent fasting lifestyle.
