chewing gum mania

The act of chewing gum has been around for hundreds of years as the ancient Greeks used to chew mastiche, the resin from the mastic tree, while the ancient Mayans chewed chicle made from the sap of the sapodilla tree. The North American Indians chewed sap from spruce trees and it was this that led to the invention of chewing gum as we know it today.

The Indians passed the habit on to the early settlers in America and from that various incarnations were created, including one made from beeswax. However, the first commercial form of chewing gum hit the market in 1848. Sold by John B. Curtis it was called State of Maine Pure Spruce Gum.

The first patent for chewing gum was filed by William Finley Semple in 1848 and just two years later John Curtis started selling paraffin flavoured gum. However, the man credited with inventing today's nice tasting chewing gum is Thomas Adams.

He was introduced to chicle in 1869 and in 1871 he patented a machine for the manufacture of gum. By 1888 his gum, now called Tutti Frutti, was being sold in vending machines in the likes of New York City subway stations.

Some 30 years later William Wrigley Jr and Henry Fleer created Wrigley Doublemint, adding mint and fruit extracts to chicle and thus what we now recognise as 'proper' chewing gum and a huge industry was born.

There are hundreds of brands of chewing and bubble gum around today. Wrigley is probably the most well known brand and their range of gums is now extensive. All different flavours of gum are now available all over the world.

There are different kinds of mint flavours such as peppermint and spearmint which provide a freshness when chewed. One of the most popular of these, outside or Wrigley, is Winterfresh Gum, sold in its thousands to teenagers in the US.

Completely different flavours have been introduced alongside mint-based ones, such as the cinnamon flavoured Big Red Gum, also popular in American, though with an older demographic.

It is in the area of bubble gum, however, that experimenting with different flavours has really taken off. Invented in 1906 by Frank Fleer, bubble gum is a slightly thicker form of gum that allows the chewer to, unsurprisingly, blow bubbles with it.

Flavours of bubble gum are generally fruit based and include strawberry, raspberry, peach, cherry and orange amongst many more. Some less obvious flavours now include cola, cream soda, licorice, salty licorice and chocolate strawberry.

There can be no doubt that more and more exotic flavours will come to the market for both chewing gum and bubble gum in the near future!

Interestingly, there are now several drinks that claim to be bubble gum flavoured (Jones Soda for example) - but what is bubble gum flavour when all bubble gum is flavoured AS something else? It's a curious one!

From its humble beginnings in ancient Greek and the ancient Mayan cultures, chewing gum is now a multimillion dollar industry and one of the most popular pastimes of Americans and Europeans and people all over the world.

Amazing facts about chewing gum:

Today, the average American chews 300 sticks of gum a year.

Did you know that chewing gum has been around for over 900 years?

A vast area of farmland is required to raise all the mint plants necessary to meet the Wrigley Company’s annual needs for mint oil. If added together, this farmland would equal 53 square miles, or approximately 30,550 football fields.The leading mint producing states are Idaho, Indiana, Michigan, Oregon, Washington and Wisconsin.

Many doctors, however, said it was unhealthy. In 1869, one wrote that chewing gum would "exhaust the salivary glands and cause the intestines to stick together."

A leading columnist on the subject of etiquette tells a reader asking about chewing gum in public that it is perfectly all right to do so as long as it isn't done with too much gusto.

A manufacturer orders his workers to stop chewing on the job—but they go to the National Labor Relations Board and win the right to do so.

Teachers who used to admonish their students not to chew in class now use gum to reward good work.

In the United States alone, there are about 20 chewing gum manufacturers, with the Wrigley Company being the largest.

In the United States, total retail sales of chewing gum (including bubble gum) is over $2.0 billion.

They can't make chocolate-flavored chewing gum. Unfortunately, the cocoa butter in chocolate acts as an emulsifier on chewing gum base, making it extremely soft, negatively affecting the chewing quality of the product.

To remove chewing gum from hair.Try using peanut butter or vegetable oil to soften the gum. This should make removing it a bit easier.

Candy consumption:1997 U.S. per capita confectionery consumption increased to a new all-time high of 26.7 pounds per person, a 1.8 percent increase over 1996, according to the U.S. Department of Commerce figures. Americans enjoyed a total of 7.1 billion pounds of sweet treats last year, led by non-chocolate candies, which posted a 2.3 percent gain to 12.3 pounds per person.

Chocolate consumption was up 1 percent, to 11.7 pounds per person. The remaining 15 pounds consumed includes gum and unspecified candy.

Candy retail sales in 1997 added up to an estimated $22.7 billion, a $1.3 billion increase over the previous year.

While Americans enjoy their sweet treats, they are no match for the Danes. In Denmark, per capita confectionery consumption tops an estimated 33 pounds per person, earning them number one position in candy consumption worldwide. Americans, overall, rank eighth. October 15, 1998

Holiday sales in 1998, in millions of U.S. dollars: Valentine’s Day $1.033; Easter $1.670; Halloween $1.767; and Christmas $1.418.

History tells us that chewing gum has been a favorite pastime of people for thousands of years. In fact, the Greeks used to chew masticha, their version of the gum, made out of the resin from the mastic tree. The Mayans also made use of the sap of the sapodilla tree and made their own gum. But it was only in 1871 that a man named Thomas Adams patented a machine that produces the chewing gum we know today.

So why exactly do we chew gum, apart from the fact that it gives us something to do when we are bored? What benefits do we derive from chewing on gum? Here are 5 ways chewing gum can help you:

1. Chewing gum helps you manage your weight

A standard gum contains about 5 to 10 calories per serving. This is really low compared to other popular snack choices. Popping a piece of gum keeps you occupied and will thus stop you from eating food with higher calorie content. It suppresses your appetite, so that by the time you finish chewing, you will not be as hungry as you were before you opened a pack of gum.

2. It is a great stress reliever

Have you ever been stuck in heavy traffic? Have you ever experienced being in a ridiculously long line in a grocery store? Sometimes, in these situations, people get stressed simply because they are not doing anything except to wait for their turn. They begin to worry about the time they are wasting; they become very edgy and unable to keep still.

When you find yourself in a similar situation, chew a piece of gum and you will realize that you are chewing your worries away. This is because chewing is a physical activity where you are able to channel your frustrations.

3. It encourages you to focus

Often, athletes and soldiers are given gum to help improve their concentration and stay in the game. Also, various studies point out that gum improves memory. Those who continuously chewed gum throughout a battery of memory tests scored better than the non-gum eaters. This is why students are encouraged to chew gum whenever they are studying or taking their exams.

4. It is a great travel aid

Those who are not habitual plane travelers can find relief from ear irritation in the form of chewing gum. This is because the effects of changing air pressure are dampened by chewing gum. Also, a number of people say that chewing game reduces episodes of motion sickness.

5. It can be customized to suit various needs

Because a chewing gum is a versatile product, it can made in such a way that it caters to the different needs of consumers. For instance, there are chewing gums with caffeine, so as to prevent drowsiness and give a jolt of energy to those who need it. There are also chewing gum substitutes for smoking, flavored with nicotine to help wean smokers from their nasty and self-destructive habit. Sugarless gum is also widely available, helping those with diabetes get their daily sweet fix without the guilt.