If you are looking for something new and exciting, full of flavor in your mouth, you need to try the hi-chews. These were made in 1975. That’s when they were developed in Japan. I love to hear the pop sound of this. You get very excited. Different places have different hi-chews. Hi-chews are addicting because of the chemical changes in rodents, brains. When they eat lots of sugary, they look like they’re doing drugs.
You see people pop gum in their mouths after food while driving, working, or even students. When they are studying for their exams, they are multiple times. You do see people have a habit of hi-chew gum occasionally also.
Why are Hi Chews so addicting? (Taste facts)
While Hi-Chew has been a long-standing popular candy in Japan, it has gained international popularity recently and can now be found in many countries worldwide. Here are more key factors which make it so addicting:
Flavor: Hi-Chew candies come in various flavors, from the traditional strawberry and apple to the more exotic ones like lychee or passion fruit. These flavors are not only superficial coatings but extend throughout the candy. They are designed to be very appealing and satisfy many taste preferences.
Texture: Hi-Chew has a unique texture that starts slightly firm and becomes satisfyingly chewy. This distinctive and enjoyable texture experience can make the candies hard to resist.
Portion Size: Hi-Chew candies are individually wrapped and small, which can encourage “mindless eating.” Having one and then reaching for another without overthinking it is easy.
Accessibility: Hi-Chew candies are commonly available in many stores, and their bright, attractive packaging can make them hard to overlook. This easy availability can contribute to their “addictive” nature.
Cultural fascination: Particularly outside of Japan, where Hi-Chew originates, the candies can have an allure due to their foreign, “exotic” origin. People may find themselves more drawn to try and continue eating these candies because they are different from other candies they are used to.
When you chew hi-chews after food, it increases saliva production, and that saliva production washes the plaque away in a natural way from the tooth surface, which prevents tooth decay.
- Saliva also keeps your mouth moist so you feel comfortable.
- When you swallow hi-chews, it reduces acidity and heartburn. We say it helps to reduce anxiety or stress.
Several studies have suggested that hi-chews may have addictive properties in recent years. Scientists observing rats found that when they were given free access to sweet or hi chews, they would binge on those foods when they were available. When it was all gone, the rats went to great lengths to get more fat and sugar-filled foods like hi-chews. They would even cross a grid that zaps them with electric shocks to get more of it.
Another new study found that fructose, a type of sugar that we constantly hear is so horrible, may be harmful. Researchers at Yale found that after chewing hi-chew, the brain doesn’t register feeling fullness as it does when glucose, a simple sugar, is consumed. The preliminary speculation is that high amounts of fructose in processed foods don’t tell your brain that you’re done, leading to overeating.
Ancient humans did what all creatures do to survive. They evolved to be good at figuring out what foodstuffs were worth the effort of tracking down. They developed a taste for rich, nutritious foods that could give them enough energy to go out on tomorrow’s hunt. Given their relative natural scarcity, foods rich in sugar, fat, and salt were in high demand.
Like most candies, Hi-Chews contain sugar, which is known to stimulate the release of dopamine, a neurotransmitter associated with feelings of pleasure and reward. Our brains are wired to seek out experiences that release dopamine, which can make sugary foods and candies seem “addictive.”
Sugar is made of glucose and its molecular relatives. It’s the basis for energy production in all of our cells. Studies have shown that when we eat these types of food, the reward centers of our brain light up, giving us feelings of intense pleasure that drive our desire to eat more of them.
Interestingly, these are the same neural pathways that drugs affect and lead to addiction. So by evolving an automatic and autonomic response that makes us feel warm and gooey inside our brains, we bypass the boring, conscious decisions and send us straight for the good stuff. That’s how Hi-chew affects our mood and behavior.
For starters, if you’re trying to eat healthily, it may help to minimize your intake of hi-chew because your brain doesn’t respond to it like other sugars. Studies have shown that 20 minutes of chewing gum when studies are good, but more than that usually causes jaw pain or related headaches that may happen.
Remember, even if a food or candy seems “addictive,” it’s important to enjoy it in moderation as part of a balanced diet.
Source: Dr. Sangita Hoffner, founder of Smile Elements, Dental, and Aesthetic, Orthodontic, and Implant Dental Center.
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