Wacky Wednesday - Who Knew?

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Did you know that most chewing gum contains plastic and other materials, such as rubbers and waxes, that aren't edible?

The plastic is non-digestible which means it simply doesn't break down in your body and you just carry it with you. It only seems logical then that a plastic-free gum would hit the market eventually.

1. Simply Gum

Simply Gum's base is made of harvested chicle (tree sap) instead of plastic and it contains no artificial ingredients. The founders of Simply Gum were disgusted by the fact that conventional gum is made with “the same components used in the manufacture of car tires, plastic bottles, and white glue.” Their product is handmade in New York City and contains only vegetable glycerine, raw sugar, organic rice flour, and natural flavoring.

2. Chicza Chewing Gum

Chicza is made in Mexico by chicleros. These farmers harvest the gum from Chicozapote trees in the Mayan rainforest, living trees that can produce gum continuously for up to 300 years. The gum contains only 5 ingredients. (Chicza. Its texture is slightly different from regular gum, but you quickly got used to it.)

3. Glee Gum

Glee Gum has recently changed its base formula to plastic-free. It’s been a long process, but owner Deborah Schimberg told Beth Terry of My Plastic-Free Life that consumer pressure was strong enough to warrant the change. The new base is made from chicle, calcium carbonate, candelilla wax, and citrus peels. Better yet, Glee Gum is available in biodegradable packaging, which means no more awful blister packs.