Chewing gum has been around for centuries, with evidence suggesting that ancient civilizations like the Greeks, Mayans, and North American Indians chewed gum-like substances made from tree resin. Modern chewing gum was developed in the 1860s, with chicle gum becoming the dominant chewing gum in the early 20th century. Brands like Wrigley’s Doublemint and Juicy Fruit hit the market during this time, entertaining consumers with fun flavors and advertising. One of the classic gum brands that emerged was Dubble Bubble gum, known for its distinctive large pink bubbles.
A Brief History of Chewing Gum
The history of chewing gum goes back centuries, with evidence that ancient civilizations chewed gum-like substances made from tree resin. The ancient Greeks chewed mastiche resin from the mastic tree. The ancient Mayans chewed chicle, a natural gum from the sapodilla tree. North American Indians chewed resin from spruce trees.
In the 1840s, John B. Curtis developed and sold the first commercial chewing gum in the United States. This was made from spruce tree resin. However, spruce gum was hard to chew and didn’t taste great. The popularity of chewing gum arrived in the 1860s, with the development of paraffin gum. Paraffin wax was softer and more pliable than previous gum substances. By the late 19th century, chewing gum was popular across the United States and Europe.
In the early 20th century, inventor Thomas Adams started using chicle to make chewing gum. Chicle, a natural gum from the sapodilla tree, had been used for centuries by the Mayans. Adams built the first chewing gum factory in the United States that made gum from chicle imported from Mexico. This made chicle gum the dominant chewing gum in the United States.
In 1928, Walter Diemer invented the first bubble gum, Dubble Bubble. Unlike previous chewing gums, Dubble Bubble contained less rubber, allowing it to be stretched into bubbles without breaking. The pink color set it apart from competitors. Dubble Bubble became highly successful, entertaining consumers with its unique bubbles.
Dubble Bubble Gum Through the Years
Dubble Bubble gum first appeared in 1928 and was an instant success thanks to its unique stretchy and bubbly texture. The original Dubble Bubble gum came in a single color, pink, which helped it stand out from the competition. The wrapper featured the “Dubble Bubble Boy”, a character who became a recognizable mascot into the 1930s.
Dubble Bubble was created by Walter Diemer, an accountant at a chewing gum factory. He experimented with new gum recipes in his spare time. By removing rubber from the base and using better gum-making techniques, Diemer was able to create a unique stretchy bubble gum.
The success of Dubble Bubble led to innovations like gumball machines in the 1930s. Vending machines allowed gum to be dispensed for a penny. The Dubble Bubble brand also expanded to new flavors like grape, orange, and apple in addition to the classic pink bubble gum.
In the 1950s and 1960s, Dubble Bubble took advantage of advances in packaging, using wax paper wrapping that kept the gum fresh. New marketing campaigns focused on kids trading comic-style gum wrappers and collecting sticker sets included in Dubble Bubble packages. The brand mascot was now the “Dubble Bubble Twins”.
Starting in the late 1970s, Dubble Bubble expanded its reach through licensing deals for products like Dubble Bubble-branded lunch boxes, clothes, toys, and lip gloss. The iconic Dubble Bubble gum has now been enjoyed by generations of kids and adults for nearly a century.
Dubble Bubble Gum Today
Dubble Bubble remains a top selling gum brand today, with its signature pink color and bubble-blowing capacity. The classic Dubble Bubble gum comes in traditional paper packaging, wrapped around gum balls in flavors like original, cherry, grape, and watermelon.
Consumers can also buy larger Dubble Bubble gumballs, jars of gumballs, and multipack strips. Dubble Bubble gum can be purchased from grocery stores, convenience stores, vending machines, and online retailers.
While the original Dubble Bubble gum formula remains largely unchanged, innovations in recent decades include new packaging styles, sugar-free varieties, and novelty products. For example, gums balls are packaged in plastic tubes and blister packs for portability and convenience.
Sugar-free Dubble Bubble provides a low-calorie chewing gum alternative. Fun products like gulps of liquid gum and gumball-shaped energy tablets extend the Dubble Bubble brand. Collaborations with brands like Nerds candy provide creative crossover products.
Dubble Bubble continues modernizing its marketing while leveraging nostalgia for the brand’s 90+ year history. Recent marketing campaigns have used celebrities and media placements to reach younger audiences. But the iconic bubbles and classic chomping sounds of Dubble Bubble gum endure.
Nutritional Facts of Dubble Bubble Gum
Dubble Bubble gum contains a relatively straightforward list of ingredients, with its signature rubbery and stretchy texture coming from natural gum bases. The ingredients in Dubble Bubble gum typically include:
- Gum base – Provides chewiness and stretchiness
- Sugar – For sweetness
- Corn syrup – Also contributes sweetness
- Softeners – Keeps the gum soft and pliable
- Flavors – Artificial and natural flavorings that give Dubble Bubble its taste
- Colors – Provides Dubble Bubble’s distinctive pink color
Dubble Bubble is sweetened with both sugar and corn syrup. Many gums use artificial sweeteners instead, but Dubble Bubble has stuck with a more classic sweetening formula. The gum also relies on both natural and artificial flavorings and colors.
The nutrition facts for a typical piece of Dubble Bubble gum are:
| Serving Size | 1 piece (0.9g) |
|---|---|
| Calories | 4 |
| Total Fat | 0g |
| Sodium | 0mg |
| Total Carbohydrate | 1g |
| Sugar | 1g |
A single piece of Dubble Bubble gum contains around 4 calories, coming mostly from carbohydrates in the form of sugar. There is 1 gram of sugar per piece of gum. The gum itself is fat-free and contains no sodium.
Here are some key takeaways for the nutritional value of Dubble Bubble chewing gum:
- 1 piece of gum = 4 calories
- 0g of fat
- 0mg sodium
- 1g total carbohydrate
- 1g sugar per piece
Comparison to Other Chewing Gums
Compared to other popular chewing gums, Dubble Bubble has a similar nutritional profile. Let’s look at how it compares to some top competitors:
Dubble Bubble vs. Juicy Fruit
Juicy Fruit gum has been around nearly as long as Dubble Bubble. Here is the nutrition info for a stick of Juicy Fruit:
| Serving Size | 1 stick (0.9g) |
|---|---|
| Calories | 5 |
| Total Fat | 0g |
| Sodium | 0mg |
| Total Carbohydrate | 2g |
| Sugar | 1g |
Juicy Fruit has slightly more calories and carbohydrates than Dubble Bubble, but has the same amount of sugar. Both gums get their sweetness primarily from sugar.
Dubble Bubble vs. Orbit
Orbit gum is a popular sugar-free gum. Here are its nutrition facts:
| Serving Size | 1 piece (1.1g) |
|---|---|
| Calories | 5 |
| Total Fat | 0g |
| Sodium | 0mg |
| Total Carbohydrate | 0g |
| Sugar | 0g |
Orbit contains sugar alcohol sweeteners instead of sugar, so it has 0g sugar. But a piece of Orbit gum still contains around 5 calories, similar to sugar-sweetened gums.
Dubble Bubble vs. Trident
Trident is another popular sugarless gum. The nutrition facts for a piece of Trident gum are:
| Serving Size | 1 piece (1.1g) |
|---|---|
| Calories | 5 |
| Total Fat | 0g |
| Sodium | 0mg |
| Total Carbohydrate | 0g |
| Sugar | 0g |
Like Orbit, Trident contains zero sugar and gets its sweetness from sugar substitutes. But the 5 calories per piece is still comparable to regular Dubble Bubble gum.
The Importance of Ingredients and Sweeteners
When comparing gums like Dubble Bubble, the ingredients and sweeteners used are what make the nutritional difference. Classical gums like Dubble Bubble use real sugar for sweetness. Modern gums use sugar substitutes:
- Sugar – Contributes to calories and carbohydrates
- Sugar alcohol – Low/no calorie sweetener
- Aspartame – Artificial sweetener, zero calories
- Acesulfame-K – Also artificial, zero calories
While ingredients like aspartame and acesulfame-K provide sweetness without calories or carbs, some consumers prefer more natural ingredients like real sugar. Gums sweetened with sugar alcohols can cause gastrointestinal issues in some people.
When choosing a chewing gum, consider whether you want a traditional sugar-sweetened gum like Dubble Bubble or a lower calorie modern gum sweetened artificially. But no matter the sweetener, chewing gum generally contains minimal calories.
The Benefits of Chewing Gum
While chewing gum like Dubble Bubble provides little in the way of nutrition, chewing gum does offer some interesting health and functional benefits:
- Freshens breath – Gum sweeteners and flavors help cleanse the palate and mask odors
- Relieves stress – The act of chewing has a calming effect
- Boosts alertness – Chewing helps increase blood flow and oxygen to the brain
- Aids concentration – Chewing gum can improve focus and concentration while studying or working
- Cleans teeth – Chewing can increase saliva flow and clear away particles
Both sugared and sugar-free gum provide these functional benefits. So enjoying an occasional piece of Dubble Bubble or other gums can provide a tasty pick-me-up with minimal calories or nutritional downsides.
The Downsides of Chewing Too Much Gum
While chewing gum in moderation is fine for most people, overdoing it can cause some problems:
- Tooth decay – Too much daily exposure to sugars can damage tooth enamel over time
- Dental issues – Constant chewing may lead to bite and jaw problems in some cases
- Gastrointestinal upset – Excessive sorbitol from sugar-free gum may cause diarrhea
- Weight gain (sugared gum) – Repeated exposure to sugar calories can add up
To avoid problems, nutritionists recommend limiting gum chewing to no more than a few pieces per day. Sugar-free gum is ideal for more frequent chewing. Proper dental hygiene is also essential when chewing gum regularly to brush away residual sugars.
Chewing Gum Calories and Weight Loss
While chewing gum itself contains minimal calories, some interesting research shows how gum may support weight management efforts in indirect ways. Studies on gum chewing show:
- Chewing gum may help reduce food cravings
- Gum can help control snacking between meals
- Chewing gum increases satiety before meals
- Gum chewing may burn 5-10 calories per hour by increasing metabolism
By helping to control appetite and cravings between meals, sugar-free gum like Orbit, Trident, and Dubble Bubble (in sugar-free versions) may aid weight loss. The act of chewing also burns a very small number of calories. But any calories burned will depend on the duration and intensity of gum chewing.
Cooking and Baking with Gum
While chewing gum doesn’t provide much in the way of nutrients, gum base can be used as an ingredient for certain recipes. Gum can be used to:
- Stabilize foams and emulsions
- Modify texture in candies or gelatin
- Prevent ice crystals in frozen desserts
- Create unique molecular gastronomy dishes
Gum can also be reshaped and melted into decorative garnishes for plated desserts. Recipes may call for gum base, gum paste, or products like Dubble Bubble sprinkles. When cooked, gum loses its elasticity and can produce novel textures.
Conclusion
When it comes to calories, a piece of Dubble Bubble gum contains around 4 calories per piece. This is comparable to other popular chewing gums – both sugared and sugar free. The calories come primarily from carbohydrates in the form of sugar (1 gram per piece).
While chewing gum in moderation has minimal nutritional impact, the ingredients vary widely between sugared gums like Dubble Bubble versus sugar-free varieties that use non-caloric sweeteners. Overusing any gum can also have dental and gastrointestinal side effects.
Research shows gum chewing can provide some benefits like increased focus/alertness and controlling food cravings. So enjoying a piece of nostalgic Dubble Bubble or other gums occasionally can be a tasty treat with little to no caloric impact.
