All You Need To Know About Bubble Gum

History Of Bubble Gum

 The history of Bubble Gum traces way back from the ancient Mayans to the Greek time. The Mayans and Greeks used to chew the resin of medicinal trees for fresh breath and treatment purposes. Then came the Native Americans who were followed by Europeans. 

The invention of bubble gum

The Chicle

There are many stages in the Invention of Bubble Gum. Santa Ana, the general who bought the ‘chicle’, the Spanish call gum even today. He introduced chicle to New York where he was exiled. He gave some chicles to Thomas Adams. He was the one to modify and market it in the form of candy. The candy was named Chiclets. Chicle was a gum base, sap of the sapodilla tree. 

Blibber Blubber

Frank Fleer is considered to be the main person in the Invention of Bubble Gum. Frank Fleer coated the gum with sugar in 1900 and then ‘Blibber Blubber’ was invented in 1906. But it was very sticky, so it didn’t get into the market. 

Fleer’s experiment of adding a new ingredient- the chicle to the gum resulted in bubble gum that could be blown into bubbles. 

Accidental invention

Gumball machines came in 1907 when sugar-coated chewing gum was sold in the market. It is said the gumball was created accidentally by a New York grocer when he threw flat gum furiously and fell into a sugar barrel.  In 1928, Walter Diemer working for the Frank H. Fleer Gum Company discovered bubblegum by accident. It was during an experiment made by him in the lab during his breaks. It was named Dubble Bubble. 

During that particular time, only pink color was available. Since then bubble gum has remained pink. International Chewing Gum Association says that during WWII bubblegum was gifted by US military personnel which spread its popularity among Europe, Africa, and Asia. Dubble Bubble was a part of the US military ration kit.

The first patent

There are many varieties of chewing gum that came up before bubble gum but it was in 1906 Frank Fleer filed the first patent for a particular type of bubblegum. The chewing gum was not an immediate success, and that made Fleer struggle to find a market for it.

Fun facts about bubble gum

• Bubble gum has been banned in many schools in concerns about the child’s behavior.
• In 2004, a record of the largest bubble blown was made by Chad Fell. The size of the bubble was 20 inches in diameter.
• The pink color got so much associated with the product that it has been given the name ‘bubble gum pink’ for a particular color. 
• There are different flavors of bubble gum available in the market apart from the classic bubblegum flavor such as watermelon, grapes, strawberry, etc
• The largest collection of chewing gum wrappers is held by a man named Gary Doss, who has over 600,000 different wrappers in his collection.

Health benefits of bubble gum

Apart from being a fun treat, bubble gum has certain health benefits such as,

• Improvement in oral health

The act of chewing bubble gum can increase salivation, which helps to wash out dangerous oral acids and guard against tooth decay. Moreover, xylitol, a sugar replacement that has been demonstrated to lessen the number of dangerous bacteria in the mouth and enhance oral health, is a component of several varieties of bubble gum.

• Lowering stress and anxiety

Some people have shown that chewing bubble gum can assist lower their levels of tension and anxiety. This may be due to the relaxation-promoting and brain-blood-flow-improving effects of chewing gum, which can enhance cognitive function and lessen feelings of stress.

• Improve digestion

By boosting the synthesis of digestive enzymes in the stomach, chewing gum can also aid in better digestion. By doing so, you may be able to digest your meals better and keep digestive problems like bloating and constipation at bay.

Safety note

Bubblegum is a favorite treat for many among friends and family. One safety measure to remember is that the bubblegum is not for children and make sure to be out of their reach. Because they may swallow it accidentally.