So a few days ago I retracted my comment of how chewing delays the hunger signal, but I am not so sure anymore. While I was in the shower, the study of how smelling a banana instead of eating it was able to reduce hunger popped into my head. And if what RayAlome tells me is true, then the scent of banana should also have told the stomach to get ready to ingest some banana.
A quick search on Google with the keywords chewing and hunger returned conflicting results.
Here’s a few excerpts from articles I found from the first page of results:
The researchers, led by Marion Hetherington, D.Phil., Professor of Biopsychology at Glasgow Caledonian University in Glasgow, found that chewing gum can help reduce cravings and control appetite.
Hunger and desire to eat were significantly suppressed by chewing gum at one, two and three hour intervals after lunch.
An easy way to control those hunger pangs would be to pop a chewing gum into your mouth before an afternoon snack, say researchers.
A research study to be presented at the 2007 Annual Scientific Meeting of The Obesity Society, found that chewing gum before an afternoon snack helped reduce hunger, diminish cravings and promote fullness among individuals who limit their overall calorie intake.
Of course all these are based off the same research and I came to the conclusion that either chewing gum helps control hunger or that India really wants to sell gum.