So you have reached Ketosis; congratulations you have bad breath now. And yes, you want to stay in Ketosis, without being knocked out of it with a random sugary gum to fix that bad breath, right?
You’re in the right place!
In this Athletic Muscle guide, I’ll be covering:
- What is a keto friendly gum?
- Can you chew gum on keto?
- Can you chew gum on a fast?
- What to look for in a keto friendly gum?
- And my top 3 keto gums!
Overall #1 Pick
Updated As of 02/29/20
Sweet tooth cravings can be very hard to beat. However, there’s still a delightful way to curb that sugary longing. And our most satisfying pick is the Pur Gum!
Why?
First and foremost, it is a diabetic friendly gum. This sugar free gum is naturally sweetened and is made of 100% xylitol that helps in preventing tooth decay and dry mouth.
It doesn’t contain any harmful chemical such as artificial sweeteners or flavors. Pur Gum is a minty way to freshen up without the risk of spiking blood sugar levels.
Pur Gum is Non-GMO and is free from soy, nuts, and aspartame.
Keep reading to learn everything there is know about these tasty keto gums!
Top 3 Best Gums for Keto
Check out our below list for a summary of our results. Keep on reading to learn more about your keto gum options!
- Pur Gum (Our Top Pick)
- Spry Fresh Gum
- Epic Dental
Following a ketogenic approach may put some people off after they hear the stories of the dreaded “keto breath”.
Keto breath has a “distinctive smell” to say the least, both for you and those close by.
Those who have experienced keto breath describe it as being a metallic taste in their mouths. In addition to the odd taste, experienced ketoers have mentioned that keto breath can be fruity-smelling or smell somewhat similar to nail polish remover.
The metabolic process of ketosis produces beta hydroxybutyrate, acetoacetate, and acetone. Acetone is the same compound found in some nail polish remover products which explains the strange, metallic smell / taste of “keto breath”.
While undesirable, occurrence of the breath is a great indicator that you’re entering into a ketogenic state and starting to use fat as your primary source of fuel!
Now the obvious quick fix would be more carbohydrate in your diet, but that kind of defeats the point of this whole keto campaign in the first place, right?
Well, enter; keto friendly chewing gum!
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Can You Chew Gum on Keto?
Why of course you can! In fact, you should if you’re training to manage any onset of keto breath!
People believe gum is off the table as it’s typically associated with being sugar sweetened. Over consumption of sugar sweetened foods on a keto diet runs the risk of knocking you out of ketosis, however all the brands we’ve suggested our totally sugar free!
The other reason people may be hesitant on keto gum is to do with the sweeteners it contains. There is no evidence to suggest that sweeteners have any significant effect on our blood sugar / insulin levels that would cause you to lose a ketogenic state!
In terms of health concerns, sweeteners, both artificial and naturally occurring, have been deemed safe for consumption by the FDA.
Read Also: A Comprehensive Guide on Sucralose and Keto Diet
While most sugar free gums contain the artificial sweetener aspartame, these chewing gums which we’ve suggested contain a naturally occurring sweetener called xylitol (found in many fruits and vegetables).
In contrast to common belief regarding sweetener consumption, xylitol may actually confer a number of health benefits when regularly consumed!
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Can You Chew Gum on a Fast?
You can most definitely chew gum on a fast!
The mechanisms of a fast involve an absence of food for a prolonged period of time resulting in the use of internal stores of energy; namely fat in this instance!
Insulin inhibits the actions of certain enzymes which break down fats to be used as energy. Carbohydrate intake, more accurately, easily to digest sugars, will raise our own blood sugars which will then raise insulin levels (insulin signals to a cell to take in circulating glucose for energy or storage).
This is where our gum comes in; most store-bought gums, as we mentioned, do contain many added sugars. Over consumption can spike blood glucose which can in turn elevate insulin and not only knock us out of a fast but even possibly knock us out of ketosis!
We’d advise keeping an eye on the sugar content of your store-bought chewing gums and going with one of our recommend brands; keto AND fast friendly and just as, if not tastier, than their alternatives!
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What to Look for in a Keto Friendly Gum?
First and foremost, you want to ensure that your chosen gum isn’t masquerading as something it shouldn’t be and claiming to be “keto friendly” while having a bunch of added sugars thrown in.
A good indicator of this is if the gum is calorie free or at least five calories or less per serving.
The second primary consideration for any keto dieter is the sweetener used in the gum. If and when we can, we should aim to stick to “natural” sweeteners over their artificial alternatives.
They appear to have some benefit to health over their artificial counterparts which, if over-consumed, have been linked to certain negative outcomes.
Xylitol
We alluded to the sweetener content of our recommended chewing gums earlier; xylitol, a natural sweetener.
Studies have shown that xylitol has negligible effects on blood sugar and insulin levels, making it a perfect choice for keto and or fasting style dieters.
Xylitol has only one tenth of the glycaemic index score of sugar (the index scoring certain foods on how quickly they change blood sugar levels) and 40% of the energy content of sugar.
Read Also: How to Enjoy IHOP While on a Keto Diet
Xylitol has been associated with improved weight management outcomes, reduced visceral fat (fat around the midsection), improved metabolic parameters and even improvements in dental health!
Best Keto Gum Reviews
Pur chewing gum is universally perfect for any kind of diet; vegan, gluten free, whole 30, keto, fasting etc. and it’s also diabetic friendly!
It’s a fantastic solution to keto breath with its great taste, accessibility and affordability!
Pur gum is aspartame free, only containing xylitol (2g a serving; 2 pieces) and boasts freedom from gluten, dairy, lactose, casein, egg, yeast, nut, peanut, sesame and corn.
We love it and so do the 4200 + amazon customers who have rated the gum 4 / 5 stars.
Pros
Cons
Spry’s clinically perfected gum is fantastic for just about any occasion!
Incredibly fresh tasting gum which comes in a range of gorgeous flavours. Spry gum is lauded by health professionals for its beneficial health effects and improvements towards dental health (given its clinically approved dosages).
Sugar free, gluten free, GMO free, this gum is a perfect option for any keto fan!
The 1100 + amazon reviewers giving it a stellar 4 / 5 rating agree!
Pros
Cons
“Better than a toothbrush” is the slogan of Epic Dental’s flavour packed chewing gum and we couldn’t agree more (although still be sure to give your teeth a brush folks!)
Containing 45% more xylitol than its competitors, Epic Dental have created a wonderfully fresh gum which is perfect for any keto dieter given its sugar free, gluten free and free of any nasty additives!
Customers have stated that they feel the flavour lasts longer than alternative xylitol sweetened keto gums and this is reflected in the amazon reviews. Scoring a leading 4.2 / 5 stars, we’d highly recommend trying out Epic Dental’s wonderfully fresh keto friendly gum!
Pros
Cons
Conclusion
Keto friendly chewing gum can be an incredibly versatile and helpful addition to any ketosis fan’s life. Not only can it help stave off the dreaded “keto breath” but the brands that we’ve recommended will have no impact on your ketogenic state and could even improve your health!
Chewing gum can be a fantastic tool for weight management and concentration too and we feel many keto dieters will be worried to include gum in their day to day because of the sugar laden alternatives plaguing the store shelves.
Be mindful when choosing which gum you go with but any of these three choices that we’ve laid out will set you up for a lifetime of fresh breath, better health and a great support for you campaign into ketosis!
