Does Gum Have Calories When You Chew It? The Truth Revealed

December 25, 2025 •

3 min read

Chewing gum has been a common habit for thousands of years, and today's versions are no exception to the age-old question: does gum have calories when you chew it?. The answer is more complex than a simple 'yes' or 'no', as it depends entirely on the type of gum and how your body processes its ingredients.

Quick Summary

The calories in chewing gum come from its digestible ingredients, which are absorbed through saliva as you chew, regardless of whether you swallow it. Sugar-sweetened gums deliver more calories than sugar-free varieties, which contain sugar alcohols with lower calorie content and partial absorption.

Key Points

Calories are released while chewing: The sweetening ingredients in gum, such as sugar or sugar alcohols, are dissolved by saliva and absorbed into the body, whether or not the gum is swallowed.
Gum base is indigestible: The non-caloric, chewy gum base, made of synthetic polymers and resins, passes through the body without being digested or absorbed.
Sugar-free gum contains fewer calories: Sugar-free gum uses sugar alcohols that provide fewer calories per gram than regular sugar, resulting in a significantly lower calorie count per piece.
Excessive sugar alcohol consumption can cause issues: Ingesting too many sugar alcohols from sugar-free gum can lead to digestive discomfort like bloating or a laxative effect.
Swallowing gum adds no extra calories: Since the gum base is indigestible, swallowing it does not increase your caloric intake beyond what was already absorbed from the sweeteners.

Understanding How Calories Are Absorbed While Chewing

To understand whether you get calories from chewing gum, it's essential to know how the body absorbs calories in general. Digestion begins the moment food enters your mouth, with saliva starting to break down certain components. In the case of chewing gum, it is a non-nutritive substance made of a gum base and added ingredients. The gum base itself, which is often a synthetic blend of elastomers and resins, is indigestible and passes through your system without being broken down, meaning it provides no calories. The calories come from the soluble sweeteners and flavorings that are absorbed through your saliva and swallowed as you chew.

The Caloric Impact of Sugared Gum

Traditional, sugar-sweetened gum contains regular sugar (sucrose) and corn syrup, which are carbohydrates with 4 calories per gram. As you chew this type of gum, the sugar quickly dissolves in your saliva. You then swallow this sugar-infused saliva, allowing your body to absorb those calories and potentially causing a blood sugar spike. The calories listed on the nutritional label for a piece of sugar-sweetened gum reflect the amount of digestible sugar it contains. For example, a single stick of sugar gum can contain around 11 calories.

The Caloric Impact of Sugar-Free Gum

Sugar-free gum replaces traditional sugar with sugar alcohols, such as sorbitol, xylitol, or maltitol, and sometimes uses artificial sweeteners like aspartame or sucralose.

Sugar Alcohols: These carbohydrates are only partially absorbed by the small intestine, providing fewer calories per gram than regular sugar (around 1.5–3 calories per gram). Their incomplete absorption is why excessive consumption can cause digestive issues like bloating or a laxative effect.
Artificial Sweeteners: Sweeteners like aspartame are intensely sweet but are not metabolized by the body for energy, providing virtually zero calories. They are absorbed but don't contribute to caloric intake.

A single stick of sugar-free gum can contain anywhere from 2 to 6 calories, depending on the sweeteners and other ingredients used. These calories come from the partially absorbed sugar alcohols and other minor components like glycerin.

Chewing and Swallowing: What’s the Difference?

Many believe that since you spit out the gum, the calories don't count. This is a myth. As long as the gum is flavored and sweetened with digestible ingredients, those calories are released and consumed during the chewing process. The gum base that is eventually discarded is nutritionally inert. Swallowing the gum base adds no further calories, as it is indigestible and simply passes through your digestive system.

Comparison Table: Sugared vs. Sugar-Free Gum


Feature	Sugared Gum	Sugar-Free Gum
Caloric Source	Sugar (sucrose, corn syrup)	Sugar Alcohols (sorbitol, xylitol), Artificial Sweeteners
Calories Per Piece	Higher (typically 10-25 kcal)	Lower (typically 2-6 kcal)
Effect on Blood Sugar	Can cause a blood sugar spike	Minimal effect on blood sugar
Dental Health	Contributes to tooth decay due to sugar	Increases saliva flow, which can help prevent cavities
Digestive Impact	Minimal unless consumed in large, undigestible quantities	Can cause bloating, gas, and a laxative effect in large quantities due to sugar alcohols

The Bottom Line on Gum and Calories

So, while the gum itself won't end up on your waistline, the sweet ingredients are a definite caloric intake. For those mindful of their calorie count, choosing sugar-free options is a better choice, not only for calorie reduction but for dental health as well. However, a piece of gum here and there is unlikely to have a significant impact on your overall diet, whether it's sugar-free or not. It's the cumulative effect of a habit that should be considered. Moderation remains key for any food item, even one you don't fully swallow.

Conclusion

In conclusion, chewing gum does contribute calories to your daily intake, but the amount depends on the type of gum. The calories come from the digestible sweeteners, not the indigestible gum base. When you chew, your saliva extracts the sugar or sugar alcohols, which you then swallow and absorb. Sugar-sweetened gum contains more calories than sugar-free alternatives, where the use of lower-calorie sugar alcohols or non-caloric artificial sweeteners results in a much smaller energy intake. Therefore, the popular belief that calories don't count if you spit out the gum is incorrect for the sweeteners, though it is true for the base. For those monitoring their calorie intake, particularly during weight management or fasting, being aware of the small but present caloric value of gum is important.

Frequently Asked Questions

Yes, sugar-free gum contains a small number of calories, typically 2 to 6 per piece. These come from partially absorbed sugar alcohols like xylitol or sorbitol, not from artificial sweeteners which are non-caloric.

Yes. The calories are derived from the soluble sweeteners and flavorings, which dissolve in your saliva during chewing. You then swallow this saliva, and the calories are absorbed into your system.

Contrary to a common myth, swallowing gum is generally harmless. The indigestible gum base simply passes through your digestive tract and is excreted from your body like other insoluble fibers.

Yes. Regular gum with sugar can have 10 or more calories per piece, while sugar-free gum typically has fewer than 6 calories. The difference is due to the type of sweetener used.

Some small studies suggest chewing gum may help curb appetite and reduce cravings, potentially leading to a small reduction in calorie intake. However, it is not a significant weight-loss tool on its own and cannot replace a healthy diet and exercise.

For most intermittent fasting, a piece or two of sugar-free gum with minimal calories will not break a fast. However, stricter fasts or those that prohibit any caloric intake would not allow for gum.

The act of chewing does burn a very small number of calories, but the amount is negligible. Some estimates suggest it might burn around 11 calories per hour, but this is less than what is consumed from a single stick of sugared gum.