What a chew can really do

It's bad news for teachers and pavement cleaners, but music to the ears of the nation's 17.5 million adults and 7.7 million youngsters who are devoted to it.

Chewing gum, says the latest research, can actually be good for you. Scientists at the University of Northumbria have found that people's ability to remember lists of words improved by more than a third if they were given a stick of gum.

And that's just plain gum. There are many specially enhanced gums on the market that can, claim the manufacturers, boost your concentration and ...

Clean your teeth

The billions of bacteria in our mouths which feed on sugars and starches from food lead to the formation of plaque and an acid which attacks tooth enamel and causes cavities,. Yet, few people follow an exemplary dental hygiene routine. Clinical trials have shown that chewing sugar-free gum containing Xylitol, a powerful sweetener extracted from the bark of silver birch trees and known for its beneficial effects on dental health, can help reduce tooth decay. The UK's most popular sugar-free gum is Wrigley's Orbit, 21p for a five-stick pack.

Improve your metabolism

Olympus Sport's new Active gum aims to boost your metabolism. Developed by a Leicester-based company called Activator Products, and containing Xylitol, it is packed with four B-vitamins - thiamin (B1), niacin (B3), pantotenic acid (B5) and pyridoxine (B6) - which are clinically proven to aid energy metabolism and assist in activating the release of energy from food. One pack of the gum will provide 100 per cent of the RDA of these vitamins - but don't overdo it: "Excessive consumption," warns the packet, "may produce laxative effects."

? Active gum, 12 pellets for 49p, at Olympus Sport.

Help you lose weight

Slimsteady Chewing Gum is sugar-free, makes your mouth feel clean ... and it's laden with HCA (hydroxycitric acid), an appetite suppressant which is meant to hinder the production of fats from carbohydrates, vitamin B12 and chromium, an essential mineral that helps to stabilise blood sugar levels (it's essential for the controlled release of insulin) and therefore, in theory, should help you beat sugar cravings. HCA is extracted from the fruit garcinia cambogia which has been used by the people of South-East Asia for centuries to make meals seem more filling. Some reports suggest that chewing gum helps dieting because the motion of chewing is said to increase the level of serotonin in the brain, which in turn is said of help satisfy hunger. You can chew up to six pieces of gum per day.

? £7.95 for 72 pieces (to order, call Slimsteady on 0800 072 5727 )

Wake you up

Buzz gum is stuffed with guarana, the pick-me-up favoured for centuries by Amazonian Indians. It gives you a buzz in the way that caffeine does, and like caffeine, the effect it has on you will rather depend on how used you are to it, and how well you tolerate it. So start slowly.

? 99p for 12 pellets, at Holland and Barrett, and other health food stores.

Improve your sex life

Vitrax sugar-free aphrodisiac gum comes in two formulations. The women's version contains herbs and stimulants reputed to have aphrodisiac qualities (such as muira puama, damiana, guarana and antler extract, as well as sweeteners), and it is recommended that two pieces are chewed, three times a day. The men's version contains a remarkably similar list of ingredients but in different quantities.

? £17.61 for 48 pieces, through www.amazon.health.co.uk

Prevent travel sickness

Ginger is well known for it's antinausea qualities. It's described as "carminative", which means that it calms and supports the digestive system. Some people find ginger biscuits help them stop feeling travel-sick, and now the makers of Sea-Band, the anti-nausea-wristbands, have come up with chewing gum that contains ginger oil. If you don't like ginger, you won't go a bundle on this, but it you do, the flavour of this gum is nice and gingery without being too hot.

? £2.99 for 24 pieces, from Boots, Lloyds and other pharmacies.