Chewing gum might do wonders for waistline

Chewing gum might help you remember names, whiten your teeth, relieve your stress, and make you thinner. What? Yep, the sticky stuff holds so much promise as a health food that the Wrigley Company last year formed the Wrigley Science Institute to fund gum studies around the world. Is it that good, really? Seems it could be.

In one 2002 study, gum-chewers performed better than non-chewers on memory tests. The act of chewing gum apparently causes your heart to pump more blood to your brain, which results in more oxygen.

Another study, this one in 2006, suggests chewing gum results in less snacking and fewer calories consumed throughout the day. It might minimize cravings for sweets too.

Don't get your hopes up too high just yet -- research is still in the early stages and sometimes different studies turn up different results -- but try a stick or two a day and see what gum does for you. At the very least, it should help you fight cavities and bad breath. Just make it sugar-free and remember that chewing gum will never be a suitable replacement for good nutrition and exercise.