Gum With Ancient Herb Halts Sugar Cravings, Boosts Weight Loss

A chewing gum infused with an ancient sugar-blocking herb may help people lose weight, according to a new consumer study. 

Israeli startup Sweet Victory imbues the Indian botanical gymnema sylvestre into its gum, which blocks the taste receptors for sweetness when it is chewed for just two minutes. The company says that its effects last up to two hours.  

The gum was recently included in a study by New Sense Research, a company specializing in sensory analysis of products, to evaluate its capacity to reduce the desire for sweet treats and its subsequent impact on weight management. 

Among the 80 participants of the two-week trial, 87 percent reported experiencing weight loss, at an average of 1.3 kilos per two weeks. An additional 80 percent of the participants significantly reduced their consumption of sweets by the end of the trial, and said they had “better control” of their food choices. 

The participants involved in the trial were between the ages 25-45, and wanted to lose weight but were not in a dietary process. Each participant received a pack of the Sweet Victory chewing gum and was instructed to chew gum at least three times a day, either after meals, between meals, or whenever a sugar craving emerged.

In addition to completing a daily questionnaire, they were instructed to weigh themselves daily.

“The overall improvement we witnessed was incremental,” said Gitit Lahav, Co-Founder of Sweet Victory. “Significantly more participants felt they were in control of their impulses after four days and at the end of the trial, compared to the beginning.

“Also, a significant decrease in the consumption of sweets was observed from the fourth day until the end of the experiment compared to the first days, suggesting an enduring effect. We further noted relatively even consumption of the gum throughout the day indicating that it can have a positive effect any time of the day,” she added.