Chewing gum curbs sugar cravings

May 11, 2023

FoodTech start-up Sweet Victory’s botanical chewing gum is designed to curb sugar cravings and according to the company, demonstrates the potential to support weight loss. The results of a consumer study revealed that more than 80% of the participants reported cutting down on their intake of sweets.

The chewing gum is available in a range of flavours and was developed by the start-up’s two founders Gitit Lahav and Shimrit Lev in an effort to create a tasty and convenient solution that can be used to bolster consumers’ resistance to sugar cravings.

The ingredient responsible for this effect is an Indian botanical gymnema recognised in traditional medicine for its capabilities in sugar suppression. The plant extract works by blocking the taste receptors for sweetness and slows intestinal absorption of sugars.

New Sense Research conducted a home-usage experiment to evaluate the chewing gum’s capacity to reduce desire for sweet treats and considered its impact on weight management.

A two-week trial involved 80 participants aged 25-45 who expressed interest in losing weight but weren’t in a dietary process. Each participant received a pack of 45 units of chewing gum and was instructed to chew gum at least three times a day, completing a daily questionnaire and were instructed to weigh themselves daily.

Among 80 participants, 87% reported experiencing weight loss and 80% reduced their consumption of sweets by the end of the trial.

“The overall improvement we witnessed was incremental. 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,” said Gitit Lahav, Co-Founder of Sweet Victory. “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.”

A survey of the users’ perceptions of the gum yielded good results, as 70% reported that the product fulfilled its role of maintaining weight balance.

“We created Sweet Victory gum to help consumers break their sugar habits in a fun and user-friendly way,” added Shimrit Lev, Co-Founder of Sweet Victory. “Sweet Victory currently is working on diversifying the product’s delivery formats, including exploring new gum flavours to join the existing peppermint, spearmint, bubble-gum and watermelon flavoured gums in order to provide even more options for our customers.”

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