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Topics: Food and Drink, Science, Health
Lucy Devine
As kids, we were always told that if we ever swallowed gum, it would stay in our stomach for several years.
We can't remember why, but it certainly stopped us from ever even thinking about swallowing the stuff.
One expert has explained exactly what happens when we swallow gum, and where the idea of it taking seven years to pass through our bodies actually came from.
Turns out, it's probably just a myth, similar to the one about eating the crusts on our sandwiches and having curly hair.
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Or the one about our eyes turning square from too much TV.
Simon Travis, professor of clinical gastroenterology at the University of Oxford in the UK, explained that swallowing gum is usually harmless.
“I’ve no idea where the myth came from,” Travis told CNN.
“I can only imagine that it was suggested because someone wanted to stop their children from chewing gum.”
Simon explained that gum can't be digested, however, so if you do swallow it, it would be likely pass through your system and out the other end with little change.
“If you swallow chewing gum, it’ll go through the stomach, and go through into the intestine, and pass out unchanged at the other end,” he said.
“There are cases of chewing gum lodging in the intestines of infants and even children if they’ve swallowed a lot, and then it causes an obstruction. But in over 30 years of specialist gastro practice, I’ve never seen a case.”
While professionals don't advise swallowing gum, unless you're swallowing approximately three or more pieces a day, it's unlikely to do any harm.
“It has no nutritional value,” added Dr Aaron Carroll.
“Gum is made out of gum-based sweeteners, flavoring and scents. Gum base is a mixture of elastomers, resins, fats, emulsifiers and waxes. So I wouldn’t say it’s healthy.”
According to McGill University gum, like other undigested foods, gum will usually pass through your system within 24 to 48 hours.
Mayo Clinic explains: “Folklore suggests that swallowed gum sits in your stomach for seven years before it can be digested. But this isn't true.
“If you swallow gum, it's true that your body can't digest it.
“But the gum doesn't stay in your stomach. It moves relatively intact through your digestive system and is excreted in your stool.”