For thousands of years, people have chewed all sorts of gums from paraffin wax and tree resin to Juicy Fruit. Several studies claimed that chewing gum can boost your mood, reduce stress levels and increase alertness. However, a new study concluded that chewing gum is actually bad for your health.
Based on the findings of a study carried out by researchers at Binghamton University, long-term exposure to a food additive found in chewing gums makes the body prone to infections.
The popular food additive known as titanium oxide or E171 causes damage to cell structures inside the intestines. As a result, it makes a person more susceptible to harmful bacteria that thrives in the digestive system and prevents certain nutrients from being absorbed by the body.
To arrive at this conclusion, researchers subjected a small intestinal cell model to equivalent of a meal’s worth of titanium oxide nanoparticles for more than four hours. For chronic exposure, they used the same model and subjected with three meal’s worth for five days.
The results of the study published in the journal NanoImpact showed that chronic exposure to titanium oxide had a negative effect on the intestinal cells called microvilli. They discovered that microvilli, which help absorb nutrients, weakened and had difficulty in absorbing iron, zinc and fatty acids.
Moreover, the study also found that the body’s ability to break food down turned out to be worse after chronic exposure to titanium oxide.
“To avoid foods rich in titanium oxide nanoparticles you should avoid processed foods, and especially candy. That is where you see a lot of nanoparticles.,” Professor Mahler said.
Titanium oxide, which is commonly used for white pigmentation in paints, plastics and papers, can enter the digestive system through toothpastes, donuts, skimmed milks as well as chocolates.
--Mini, The Summit Express
Based on the findings of a study carried out by researchers at Binghamton University, long-term exposure to a food additive found in chewing gums makes the body prone to infections.
The popular food additive known as titanium oxide or E171 causes damage to cell structures inside the intestines. As a result, it makes a person more susceptible to harmful bacteria that thrives in the digestive system and prevents certain nutrients from being absorbed by the body.
To arrive at this conclusion, researchers subjected a small intestinal cell model to equivalent of a meal’s worth of titanium oxide nanoparticles for more than four hours. For chronic exposure, they used the same model and subjected with three meal’s worth for five days.
The results of the study published in the journal NanoImpact showed that chronic exposure to titanium oxide had a negative effect on the intestinal cells called microvilli. They discovered that microvilli, which help absorb nutrients, weakened and had difficulty in absorbing iron, zinc and fatty acids.
Moreover, the study also found that the body’s ability to break food down turned out to be worse after chronic exposure to titanium oxide.
“To avoid foods rich in titanium oxide nanoparticles you should avoid processed foods, and especially candy. That is where you see a lot of nanoparticles.,” Professor Mahler said.
Titanium oxide, which is commonly used for white pigmentation in paints, plastics and papers, can enter the digestive system through toothpastes, donuts, skimmed milks as well as chocolates.
--Mini, The Summit Express
