If you swallow gum, it stays in your body for seven years. Fear mongering from your parents, or is there a kernel of truth in it?
Chewing gum breaks down more slowly
In most cases, your body can break down natural ingredients more easily. The sweeteners and flavors from your chewing gum may break down fairly quickly, but the base of the chewing gum is not natural and your body can process it less well. Chewing gum therefore moves through your system a lot slower than other foods. So it takes longer than with vegetables or fruit, for example, but it eventually comes out the other side.
Sensitive bowels
Do you have sensitive bowels? Then swallowing chewing gum can pose a greater risk. The poorly digestible parts of chewing gum then cause a blockage more quickly, which in turn can lead to cramps and other complaints. Children are smaller and have smaller organs, which causes constipation more quickly. Maybe that's why your parents kept insisting on it in the past.
