Humans have been chewing gum for thousands of years, long after the flavor fades and without clear nutritional benefit, according to historical and scientific reports.
The practice dates back at least 8,000 years to Scandinavia, where people chewed birchbark pitch. Ancient Greeks, Native Americans, and the Maya also chewed tree resins for pleasure or soothing effects, National Geographic reported.
In the late 19th and early 20th centuries, William Wrigley Jr. popularized chewing gum through marketing that promoted it as a way to calm nerves, curb hunger, and stay focused. By the 1940s, studies suggested chewing could reduce tension, though the underlying mechanisms were not understood.
A 2025 review by the University of Szczecin in Poland analyzed over 30 years of brain-imaging research to examine how chewing affects the brain. Using MRI, EEG, and near-infrared spectroscopy, researchers found that chewing activates motor and sensory regions, as well as higher-order areas tied to attention, alertness, and emotional regulation.
EEG studies indicated brief shifts in brain-wave patterns associated with “relaxed concentration,” while experiments showed chewing reduced anxiety during mildly stressful tasks such as public speaking or mental math. However, gum did not consistently reduce stress in high-pressure situations or improve memory performance, and the effects generally faded once chewing stopped.
The review concluded that while gum can modulate brain function, the neural changes cannot yet be directly linked to behavioral benefits. Experts also caution that excessive or flavored chewing may have dental risks despite potential cavity-reduction benefits from sugar-free gum.
