gum

Many breastfeeding mothers wonder if it's OK to take caffeine. In fact, many nursing mothers just avoid caffeine in case it would keep their babies fussy, jittery and awake.

The answer is yes, you can take caffeine while breastfeeding, as long as you don't go over about 300 mg a day.

It's an important question because caffeine is in so many products, and taking coffee, tea, or soda is such a common ritual.

And breastfeeding mothers may be tempted to take caffeinated products because they are deprived of sleep by their newborns' odd sleep schedule.

You might think gum chewing is an activity with little or no benefits besides the pleasure and flavor, but think again. Chewing gum has several benefits.

In addition to freshening your breath, sugar-free gum can help prevent cavities and contribute to overall oral health. But that's just the beginning.

Chewing gum to lose weight may be a viable method for some people, scientific studies have shown. It works in part by controlling appetite.

A study published in the scientific journal Appetite concluded:

"Overall, chewing gum for at least 45 min significantly suppressed rated hunger, appetite and cravings for snacks and promoted fullness (p<0.05). This study demonstrated some benefit of chewing gum which could be of utility to those seeking an aid to appetite control."

You may have been chewing gum all of your life, but you don't know what's in it. Chewing gum has four main ingredients: gum base, flavors, colors, and sweeteners.

Around the mid-1900s, chemists learned to make synthetic rubber. This became the base ingredient for most brands of chewing gum, says the site Chewing Gum Facts. That said, some companies use both natural and artificial ingredients in the base.

The history of chewing gum advanced from chewy substances found in nature thousands of years ago, to chicle centuries ago in Central America, to mid-19th century Maine when the modern product was first mass produced in a factory.

The gum of centuries and millennia ago would not have been like what we chew today. In fact, neither was the stuff of the 1840s and '50s.

When’s the ideal time to drink coffee? How many minutes before caffeine kicks in Those are valid questions. In fact, caffeine takes some time before it goes into full gear. If you want to know how long does it take for caffeine to work, read more