Extra Gum - Peppermint — DUMP
Munch or Dump rates Extra Gum - Peppermint by Extra DUMP — score 17/90.
Sugar-free gum built on a stack of sugar alcohols, two artificial sweeteners, artificial color, and BHA. It's a lab formula you chew and spit out, not food.
Why this verdict
- Five different sweeteners stacked: three sugar alcohols plus aspartame and acesulfame K
- Contains BHA, a synthetic antioxidant flagged as a possible concern
- Artificial color E171 (titanium dioxide) plus glazing waxes
- Sugar alcohols can cause bloating, gas and a laxative effect (the pack warns of it)
- Fully engineered NOVA 4 formula, not a real food
Ingredients (13)
- sorbitol (moderate) — Sugar alcohol used as a humectant; can cause GI upset in quantity.
- maltitol (caution) — Sugar alcohol that still raises blood sugar and is a well-known cause of bloating and diarrhea at bar-sized doses.
- mannitol (moderate) — Sugar alcohol; laxative and bloating effects, part of the multi-sweetener stack.
- aspartame (moderate) — Artificial sweetener ~200x sweeter than sugar. Approved but heavily debated; keeps the drink at zero calories.
- Acesulfame K (moderate) — Artificial sweetener stacked on top of aspartame to boost sweetness cheaply.
- Gum base (contains soybean lecithin) (moderate) — Synthetic chewable matrix; not digestible, contains soy lecithin emulsifier.
- Calcium carbonate (glazing agent) (safe) — Mineral filler and glazing agent; inert.
- Glycerol (Humectant) (moderate) — Added to hold moisture and keep the wrap 'soft' for weeks; a marker of a processed, texture-engineered product.
- Gum arabic (thickener) (safe) — A benign natural fiber gum used to bind the coating.
- Flavourings (moderate) — Undisclosed added flavor compounds engineered to mimic BBQ ribs.
- Colour E171 (titanium dioxide) (concerning) — Artificial whitening color banned as a food additive in the EU over genotoxicity concerns.
- Carnauba wax (glazing agent) (safe) — A plant wax used for the shiny hard shell; inert.
- BHA (antioxidant) (concerning) — Synthetic preservative listed as reasonably anticipated to be a human carcinogen.