Question:
Gum ..... calories and carbs?

DO we actually absorb the calories and carbs from gum? I hope not as I chew about 20 pieces a day. Only for like 10 min a piece but theres a carb in each piece! Does anyone know of carb free gum? I love gum it makes me not hungry    — Sabrina H_NC (posted on June 14, 2003)

June 14, 2003
Don't worry about it. My surgeon encourages us to chew gum from the first day post-op. Not only does it give you the satisfaction of chewing, it stimulates and helps digestion.
   — Patty_Butler

June 14, 2003
My surgen told me to never chew gum because if you swallow it you could clog up something because it does not digest. so if it gets stuck somewhere that is where it will stay.
   — dave B.

June 14, 2003
Hi..I'm like Dave..my surgeon said no gum whatsoever (shows you how different they are - the first poster's doc encourages it). If it gets swallowed by accident, it could get stuck in the small dime-sized stoma that is created in the pouch, and the only way to get it out is a lovely trip to the E.R. for an endoscopy. I haven't chewed gum in almost 2 years...Denise 316/153
   — lily1968

June 14, 2003
I was told never to chew gum after surgery. I definately won't try it because I was always a gum swallower pre-op. Like the other posters said, it could get stuck if accidently swallowed and cause major problems. There have been a few here on the board that have had problems due to swallowing gum even farther along post-op.
   — candymom64

June 14, 2003
I think you are worrying about something silly. I find it extremely difficult to "accidentally" swallow a piece of gum. Even when I have tried to swallow it in the past, it has been a difficult task! I chew sugarless gum, pretty much most of the time, especially after meals (good for your teeth) and I have never noticed it affecting my weight loss. There are far worse habits to develop. But...if your doc says no, then you should do what he/she says.
   — missmollyk

June 14, 2003
Molly - yes, you would have to make a deliberate swallowing attempt of the gum. However, there are people out there that are gum-swallowers - like me. I went down to WDW in December. My wife gave me a piece of Trident gum and I chewed it for a it until the flawor was out and then I swallowed it w/o even thinking about it. Being 1000 miles from home, I was freaking out all day that it was going to get stuck, but it didn't. I'll never eat another piece of gum again....JR
   — John Rushton

June 14, 2003
to answer your question, you should count the carbs (and calories) IF your a carb counter. The carbs/calories typically comes from the sweetener (or artificial sweetener) that is in it and you consume that when you swallow saliva.
   — [Deactivated Member]