What is chewing gum made of?
Up until WWII, chewing gum was made of a substance called chicle mixed with flavorings. Chicle is a latex sap that comes from the sapodilla tree (native to Central America). In other words, chicle is a form of rubber. Just like rubber bands don't dissolve when you chew them, neither does chicle. Chicle is a good bit softer than rubber bands and happens to soften more when it gets warm in your mouth. If you freeze chicle with ice, it gets very stiff -- chicle hardens and softens over a pretty narrow temperature range.
 David De Lossy/Getty Images Gum bases are mixed with sugar and other flavorings to make chewing gum. |
After WWII, chemists learned how to make artificial gum bases to replace chicle. These gum bases are essentially synthetic rubbers that have the same temperature profile as chicle.
Gum bases (either natural or artificial) are mixed with sugar and other flavorings to make chewing gum. When you chew it, the rubber releases these flavorings into your mouth.
Lots More Information
Related HowStuffWorks Articles
- How do they make maple syrup?
- How Food Works
- How many sheets of paper can be produced from a single tree?
- Why do newspapers turn yellow over time?
- How much does 20-pound bond paper weigh?
More Great Links