Consumers spend $22.2 billion on chewing gum annually, and it is expected to grow by 3.2%, according to expertmarketresearch.com. What’s pushing this? It is driven by “stress-relieving properties,” “a growing shift from sugared gums to sugar-free gums,” and an “increasing preference for products that offer dental benefits.” And you thought it just tasted good.
Trident, Orbit, Mentos, Eclipse, Extra, Stride, Dentyne. These brands are helping lead the way. But if you haven’t noticed, gum packaging has changed. Sure, you can still buy the smaller packages, but the 40-piece plastic dispensers seem to fill the shelves in convenience stores now.
This isn’t the bubble gum of my youth. Dubble Bubble and Hubba Bubba were those choices, which was pushed by the amount of advertising for the brands on Saturday-morning cartoons. Remember trying to see who could blow the biggest bubble, and then struggling to peel the gum off your face?
Mom preferred Doublemint, Big Red and others that came in individual foiled wrappers in five-stick packs. Do I dare mention Fruit Stripe Chewing Gum? That brittle stuff tasted so good for about 10 seconds and then.. .nothing. Big League Chew? My friends and I thought we were just like the professional baseball players when we dipped into a pouch of this stuff.
I still chew gum today, but not the sugary stuff. Regardless, I sometimes crave it. That’s the effects of Aspartame, I am told. But chewing gum isn’t all bad. Flavored chewing gum can relieve bad breath. Chewing sugar-free gum after eating can help reduce tooth decay risk. Whitening chewing gums can coat the teeth to help prevent staining. The additional saliva that is created by chewing gum may relieve symptoms of acid reflux. And, best of all, chewing gum may help burn 11 calories per hour AND relieve stress.
Modern chewing gum is made up of fillers, emulsifiers, softeners and a “gum base,” which may include any of 46 FDA-approved products including plastics, natural latex, synthetic rubber, wood glue, vegetable oil and talc, according to treehugger.com. Seriously.
You may wonder if chewing gum is biodegradable, but you already know the answer, which is evident on city sidewalks and the underside of desks. This litter is the most concerning to me. According to GetGreenNow, up to 90% of ABC gum (already been chewed) is “disposed of improperly with most dropped on the ground or stuck onto a surface.” This means thousands of pounds of gum are littered every year, and that doesn’t even include the packaging.
Meanwhile, I keep buying and I keep chewing, but my teeth don’t seem whiter, the acid reflux continues, and I don’t feel less stress. And I have yet to meet any of the four-out-of-five dentists who recommend sugarless gum to their patients who chew gum.
Have a wonderful Wednesday, and thanks for reading.
Shane Goodman
President and Publisher
Big Green Umbrella Media
shane@dmcityview.com
515-953-4822, ext. 305
www.thedailyumbrella.com
See Shane Goodman's previous columns here. |
|
|
| CITYVIEW's Best Of Des Moines® | | | The polls have closed and a record number of readers have cast their votes in the latest CITYVIEW'S Best Of Des Moines readers' poll — the metro's original and largest poll of its kind.
Winners will be announced in the February 2024 issue of CITYVIEW! |
|
|
Your Clear Mortgage forecast
Expect snow to continue through early afternoon. We’ll see about an inch of snow total, with most of it coming in occasional bursts. Most of this will accumulate on grass, and a little will stick to pavement in a slushy fashion. The rest of the forecast looks dry.
For help with pre-approvals or refinancing, get in touch with Originating Branch Manager Carrie Hansen at carrie.mortgage. |
|
|
| Featured home for sale | | | |
$645,000
12519 G58 Highway
Indianola, IA 50125
The updates in this 4-plus bed 3-plus bath home are perfectly executed and exactly what you have been searching for. Your guests will rave at the curb appeal, but it won't stop there — the inside is even better. The kitchen boasts newer appliances, center island, refaced cabinets, improved lighting and a wall was removed, making entertaining easy. The walk-thru pantry adds extra storage and a wine fridge.
| | | See More Homes For Sale |
|
|
2023 winners - people and things that made Des Moines better
Beth Howard. The top chauvinist for Iowa pie branched out from books, podcasts and blogs to film making. Celebrities in Hollywood hire her to come make pies. Her pie career began as therapy for personal tragedy, and now it's her gift to Iowa.
Bill & Kathy Fehrman. For their retirement, this couple gave Des Moines the precious gift of Oak Park. That Ingersoll restaurant is brilliant. The couple raided Des Moines, Chicago, Omaha and Las Vegas' best restaurants for talent. They sent seven staff members to sommelier school and built a 7,000 bottle wine cellar. They went to Barcelona for a steak grill and Virginia for a customized flat top.
Brian Sather. The KCCI general manager had a challenging year and aced everything. Star weather man Chris Gloninger retired from the news after death threats. Sather not only replaced him well, but he added a super anchor desk for the 5 and 6 p.m. newscasts with Jodi Long and Laurel Terrell, who bring glam and smarts. He hired a promising young sports reporter in Shannon Ehrhardt and paired main anchor Stacy Horst's grace with Ben Kaplan's gravitas. KCCI has dominated local ratings for decades and that isn't likely to change anytime soon.
— Jim Duncan, jd91446@aol.com |
|
|
FROM KCCI: Christmas rainfall record: Rain breaks 140-year-old mark in Des Moines
DES MOINES, Iowa — The Christmas rain in Des Moines broke a record from the 1800s.vThe capital city saw 0.80 inches of rain on Dec. 25, 2023, which beat the previous record of 0.57 inches set in 1882. ... READ MORE FROM KCCI
FROM WHO-TV: How to watch Cyclones in the Liberty Bowl
MEMPHIS, TENNESSEE — The Iowa State Cyclones are hoping to be partying like its 2017 again in Memphis this week. The 2023 Liberty Bowl will be a rematch of the game from six years ago with the Cyclones once again taking on the Memphis Tigers in their home stadium... READ MORE FROM WHO-TV
FROM WOI-DT Local 5: 2023 year in review: Local sports
IOWA, USA — Let's start back in January, where former Cyclone fan favorite Tyrese Hunter returned to Hilton Coliseum ... as the enemy. ...READ MORE FROM WOI-DT Local 5 |
|
|
| From the Iowa Living magazines | | | Outdoor amenities a big draw
Kems enjoys move to home with a view.
By Lindsey Giardino
Nicole Kems and her husband, Jason, have lived in Winterset for 27 years.
They were drawn to the quaint, small town in part because of its beautiful historical houses and eye-catching downtown square.
“We wanted to start a family and raise them in a small town but be close to the metro so we could commute easily,” Nicole shares. “We bought a Victorian house, restored it and lived there for 10 years.”
Then, a decade ago, the couple found a piece of land overseeing the North River Valley. The couple liked the location because of the gorgeous view in the timber its proximity to the highway so they wouldn’t have to drive too far on gravel.
Read more in the December Winterset Living magazine. |
|
|
| Birthdays and notables! | | | Happy Birthday Sara Goodman!
These celebrities were born on this date: Timothée Chalamet, Hayley Williams, Walker Hayes, Brock Purdy, Salman Khan, Olivia Cooke, Emilie De Ravin, Chloe Bridges, Pleasure P
SUBMIT: Send your birthday greetings and congratulatory notes to: tammy@iowalivingmagazines.com |
|
|
The answer to yesterday's riddle:
What do you call the owner who won't sell her tavern? A BAR KEEPER! - Jolene Goodman, Brendan Comito, Peri Van Tassel. Also sending answers: Rex Post
Today's riddle
Why didn't the bartender serve the snake?
Have a guess? Email tammy@iowalivingmagazines.com |
|
|
To advertise in this daily newsletter, contact Jolene Goodman at jolene@iowalivingmagazines.com, or call 515-953-4822 ext. 319.
©Big Green Umbrella Media, Inc., all rights reserved.
www.biggreenumbrellamedia.com. Add webmaster@dmcityview.com to your address book to ensure delivery. Did someone forward you this newsletter? Click here to get it delivered to your inbox for FREE! |
|
|
This email was sent to:
email@example.com
Big Green Umbrella Media, Inc.
8101 Birchwood Ct Suite D
Johnston, Iowa 50131
|
|
|
|
