Sugar Free Gum Without Artificial Sweeteners or Colors? It Exists! 
17 | Posted on April 5, 2011 ‹ newer older ›
Sugar free gum is a great tool for helping you lose weight. AND, chewing a piece of gum (instead of a cookie) can help you relieve stress.
If you grab some gum when you feel the desire to eat, you will give yourself a chance to become aware of your hunger. Are you hungry or do you just want to chew on something?
The problem is that the big commercial sugar free gums (Orbit and Extra) use aspartame, which many of us want to avoid. The Center For Science in the Public Interest has a nice review here aspartame about the potential adverse health effects of aspartame.
What to do?
Snack Girl is on the case with two different gums that don't include aspartame or artificial colors (see the article F.D.A. Panel to Consider Warnings for Artificial Food Colorings, March 29th, 2011).
Both Pür Gum and Glee Gum offer an aspartame and artificial color free choice.
Of course, they are using another chemical to make up for their lack of sugar - xylitol. Xylitol is a naturally occurring sugar substitute found in many fruits and vegetables and it is "tooth friendly".
You can't eat a lot of it because it may cause diarrhea when you have over 65 grams of it - but the piece of gum you are chewing will only have 2 grams. You will be fine if you stick to 20 pieces of gum per day.
Unlike aspartame, xylitol isn't man-made and hasn't been implicated in any cancer causing studies.
Pür gum comes in a couple of different (and yummy) flavors, pomegranate mint, spearmint, and peppermint and can be purchased here: The Low Carb Grocery and in health food stores.
Glee Gum is all-natural, gluten-free chewing gum with no artificial coloring, flavoring, sweeteners nor preservatives. Glee Gum is the only gum in North America made the old-fashioned way using chicle. Chicle is a natural tree sap harvested sustainably from the rainforests of Central America.
All chewing gum used to made with chicle, but today most gum is made entirely from synthetic stuff. Glee Gum uses chicle because it is an eco-friendly way to help conserve the rainforest.
Glee Gum has a sugar free version made with xylitol and they have gum that will put you back a mere FIVE calories with sugar in it.
For example, their cinnamon flavor has sugar, glucose, gum base, rice syrup, natural cinnamon flavor, gum arabic, red beet color, resinous glaze, beeswax and carnauba wax and it is five calories for 2 pieces. Check out Glee Gum's store locator to find it near you.
Both of these gums are great options but they are not ubiquitous. I could not find an aspartame free option at my local Stop & Shop so you are going to have to go out of your way to get your hands on these brands of gum.
Do you want to avoid asparame laden gums?
These products were received for review consideration. No other compensation was provided.
Glee Gum Peppermint, 18-Piece Boxes (Pack of 12)
$13.79 $11.99
Want to read about snacks?
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17 Comments:
I have seen Glee Gum at my local natural food store, but it is quite expensive. I have to applaud them for making an all-natural chewing gum. I hate aspertame!
Cristina - An Organic Wife on April 5, 2011
I love Glee gum! I actually get headaches from fake sweeteners. My doctor's advice: don't eat them! It's hard for me to find gum w/out fake stuff.
Leah on April 5, 2011
Glee is sold at Whole Foods and Trader Joes (so not out of your way per se if you live near one of those stores!)
Leah on April 5, 2011
Doesn't Trident use Xylitol in their gum? I remember the dentist mentioning it to me. I avoid the Extra's and Orbits but ususaly allow the kids to chew on Trident? Maybe I am wrong on this one :)
Allison on April 5, 2011
There's also Spry gum - http://www.xlear.com/xylitol-gum.aspx
comes in several different flavors and uses xylitol...it loses flavor a little quicker than most gum but definitely another aspartame-free option and it's sold at Whole Foods and other natural health food stores, I believe...
Julie on April 5, 2011
I haven't chewed a piece of gum in over 2 years because of the aspartame. I have always hated it though when my breath needed a freshener. Thanks for sharing these options!!
Stephanie on April 5, 2011
We are big gum chewers... I like Trident, it is made with Xylitol. My son chews Trident too and the dentist said it is good for your teeth. The dentist gives out xylitol suckers to the kids after their check ups. This is an interesting post though. Thanks!
Stephanie on April 5, 2011
I just bought a pack of a new gum at our health food store yesterday. It is called treehugger gum and it is a bag of gumballs for .99! Ingredients are cane sugar, dextrose, gum base and then natural flavors.... you can read more about it at www.treehuggergum.com
My kids love it and it looks like gumballs.
5 flavors come in each bag.
Sara
http://cookwith5kids.blogspot.com/
sara on April 5, 2011
never heard of it and don't remember seeing anything like it @ my whole foods market. too bad u don't have any free samples.
Bev M. on April 5, 2011
Beware that xyllitol is harmful for your pets. I chew the Spry gum myself, but am very careful about not leaving it around. I don't think my dog would like it anyway- he's more into spoiled meat!
Beth on April 5, 2011
I LOVE PUR Gum! Have tried Spry too and it's great. Will be excited to find some "Glee" gum and give it a go too. Thanks for this one Snack Girl :)
Leanne on April 8, 2011
I can't tolerate Xylitol. I bought some mint gum online with xylitol. It was very expensive. It gives me horrible gas and a stomach ache, even one piece. It's good for your teeth, so that's a shame.
I wish there was gum with Stevia. Love it!
nathanzmom on August 4, 2011
I've tried Spry and Glee Gum but the flavor only lasts for like 2 minutes (whereas Extra lasts for like 20 minutes or more). You also can't blow bubbles with Glee Gum and Spry. I'll check out the Treehugger and Pur gum (if I can even find them). If not, I guess I'll just stick to Extra gum till I find a better alternative that's as pleasing.
Marisa on August 25, 2011
Be very careful with Trident. Go here to read what else is in their gum. http://www.umm.edu/altmed/articles/phenylalanine-000318.htm
It's something called PHENYLALANINE and it scares me because I have been chewing this gum for years. Somehow it's related to ASPARTAME which is also in their gum. Thanks for listing the other gums. I will be checking them out as I recently discovered some health issues I have been having may be aspartame related.
Andrea on October 9, 2011
Because I have Celiac I read the ingredients in everything. I am also allergic to Aspartame. I could not believe how many gums they are now making with aspartame in them! You will be as surprised as I was when you read the ingredients on your favorite gums. I am so glad to find there are gums made without aspartame.
Louise on November 7, 2011
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Ace Dong on March 15, 2012
I looked through lots of major maker gums and found that for some reason Dentyne Fire Spicy Cinnamon contains no Asparatame / Nutrasweet, i.e., PHENYLKETONURICS: CONTAINS PHENYLALANINE Lots of names for one toxic ingredient. All Dentyne's other gums do. You can verify by looking here: http://www.dentyne.com/NutritionalInformation.aspx
I've bought it for quite a while as I can't afford more natural gums.
Scott Yamasen on March 18, 2012
