Bubble gum is a classic treat tons of people chew on a daily basis. But do you know these basic facts about it?
- The world chews about 100,000 TONS of bubble gum in one year. That’s about 200 million pounds, for some perspective. Americans chew on average 300 sticks of gum per person, and American kids spend about $500 million on bubble gum a year.
- Why is bubble gum pink? Well, when Walter Diemer invented bubble gum, he only had one color for his new gum available at his work, the Fleer Chewing Gum Company. So pink became the first color used for bubble gum, and it stuck around and became the standard.
- Chewing gum started with the Ancient Greeks! They used to chew on a type of resin to relieve stress and increase their concentration, which is scientifically proven today to be a healthy side effect of chewing gum today, but people couldn’t blow bubbles until bubble gum came around.
- It has been calculated by a mathematician that the energy generated by Americans chewing gum each day is enough to power a city to give light to 10 million people! Who knew gum could be so efficient?
- The idea that swallowed gum will stay in your digestive system for seven years is a MYTH. The gum won’t be digested, but it will come out whole from your exocrine system just a few days later, so you can breathe a sigh of relief if you’ve ever swallowed gum.
- Bubble gum actually comes with some health benefits! Chewing gum increases normal saliva production by 250%, which helps protect your teeth! Gum can also aid digestion and weight loss, as it helps reduce heartburn after meals and decreases appetite for high calorie foods. Gum is only 5 to 10 calories on its own!
- On April 24, 2004, Chad Fell blew a 20 inch diameter bubblegum bubble in Winston County, Arizona, breaking the Guinness World Record for the largest bubblegum bubble ever blown “hands free.”
- Xylitol, an ingredient often found in bubble and chewing gum, is a sweetener that is actually good for your teeth! It doesn’t turn acidic in the mouth and actually helps prevent tooth decay! Trident gum is the most popular bubble gum with xylitol in it.
References:
https://tastessence.com/bubble-gum-facts
http://www.iwest.k12.il.us/schools/thawville/projects/1900/index_002.html