Chewing gum relieves stress

A study in the Journal of Prosthodontic Research has shown that cortisol levels, a measure of stress, fell after prolonged gum chewing.

A total of 14 men were asked to perform arithmetic calculations for 30 minutes to build up stress followed by chewing gum for 5, 10, 15 minutes or not at all.

Each participant was assigned all chewing conditions, each on different days. Saliva samples were collected and cortisol levels measured before and after the mental arithmetic tasks.

The researchers concluded that: “… chewing time affects the reaction of the endocrine system to mental stress, and that continuous chewing for more than 10 minutes is effective in reducing stress.”

Look out for the April issue of Confectionery Production, which will focus on chewing gum.