Gum: Nutra-Trim

Gum: Nutra-Trim Weight Management Gum
Flava: Berry

Chew-Time: Not very long. The gum goes through several distinct and consistent phases* in my mouth- but all pass within 3 minutes and the gum becomes bland and hard.

Packaging:




*gum phases explained:

Skittles Black

Gum: Skittles Xtreme Fruit (black box) Gum

Chew-Time: 3- the flavor fades xtremely fast

Packaging: 8- It's cute and fun and more up to date than most


Consistency: This part is confusing to me because the taste and feel of skittles in my mouth makes me want to do what people do with skittles- chew, swallow, repeat. Thus, this gum doesn't last long partly due to past experience and habit. This gum doesn't dissenegrate in mouth but I kind of want it to- just because it tastes like it should. And when the flavor disappears (roughly 5 minutes) there is no reason for it to remain in my mouth. I give it a 3


Overall Recommendation: I feel like I love this gum- because it tastes like skittles. But do I actually love skittles gum or just skittles? Every time I chew this gum I feel like I wish I could swallow it. Or make it sugar free. One positive- one package of skittles gum has 150 calories (as opposed to a package of skittles candy which has 210 or 250?)
I give it a 6.459

Gum #9: Bubblicious- Lebron James Lightning Lemondade

Chew Time: This one is a record-breaker. Seriously. I will take a moment to explain what's happening here. Taste buds have pores which convert the taste into a nerve impulse and sends the impulse to the brain by a sensory nerve fiber. Upon receiving the message, your brain classifies the different kinds of taste. This is how you can distinguish the difference between say, the taste of chewing gum and that of a ham sandwhich.
Unfortunately with Lebron James Bubblicious Lighening Lemonade Gum, the impulse you receive does not coincide with the expectations created by the packaging. In fact, in the world of Lebron James, lemonade must equal ham sandwich. HAM SaANDWICH.
THIS IS DISTURBING. It gets an 8 for its foolery.

Packaging: 5- Looks like all Bubblicious brand gums- circa 1988. It kinda brings me back to the safe womb of childhood.


Consistency: Not sure. Forced to dispose of gum due to ham sandwich suprise.

Overall Recommendation: It's interesting and wierd. an experience for a boring day- give a piece to someone you hate.

Gum #8: Ace It Test Performance Gum

Chew Time: I guess however long it takes to finish that exam- if you're as hyped as the gum says you'll be- probably not too long. I give it a 3

Packaging: Okay its really 1995 here- decorated with a (number-2?) pencil sharpened to perfection, early 90's- rebel teen font that just screams "angst!!!" , and if you look closely- scantron bubbles enhancing the background with a real educational "chew this gum for your future" feel. It gets a 6. Oh- and not sure where to mention this- but it was also sold with a fine layer of dust encasing the entire package- making me feel like I had finally uncovered zack's permanent record. I revise my previous score- it gets an 8.

Consistency: Starts off hard and crusty- tasting like it looked on the shelf- but quickly springs back to life. tastes like chemicals. chemicals and like i should've studied harder. eh- just swallowed part of it- this doesn't bode well. i give it a 3.

Overall Recommendation: I'm kinda stumped on this one. I better skip it and come back if I have time.

Gum #7: C.Howard's Violet Gum...or....

who the hell put a old person in a wrapper and sold it as gum! that's sick. let the dead (or nearly dead) rest in peace.


Chew Time: 1 (I give it until the first physical compression of molars in which gum is smooshed for the very first time- instantly releasing odor and taste of doom)

Packaging: 1: Looks like the last container of this gum was manufactured in the depression era or maybe during prohibition (which should have included Chowards cause it tastes more volitale than Georgi Vodka) It gets one point for not being just naked on the shelf.

Consistency- Does not dissenegrate in mouth. Boo. I give it a 2.

Overall Recommendation: I give it a 1.5- or 2 if you're into self- punishment. I mean seriously though- it tastes like a nursing home. i am just too young for retirement.
if you are like me- and not over 95 years old- just skip this one.

Gum #6: Orbit and Eclipse Big E Paks

Brand Name: Looks like BingePak- which is pretty much what you're gonna do given that the container houses 60 pieces of gum.

Flava: I've seen bubblegum flava, spearmint and peppermint. Not sure about others

Chew Time: Orbit and Eclipse White last a good long time - both in flavor and consistency - I give it a 7.5

Packaging: 6: Kinda upsetting that I keep reading BigEPak as BingePak. I do like that there's lots of gum here though- you may even feel so gum-rich - you will be inspired to share. But maybe not.

Consistency: Does not disinitgrate in the mouth. yay. 8

Overall Recommendation: 7.5 If the word binge bothers you - stay away from this gum because with 60 pieces of gum - you will be thinking/reading that word a lot.

Quench Gum Follow-Up

After doing a little research on the sad experience that was Quench Gum, I found some interesting claims... Thanks for the misinformation quenchgum.com. ugh.

New and improved Quench® chunks are now 38% bigger
and maintain flavor longer. Three delicious lemon, orange
and fruit flavors appeal to active people of all ages.

Quench Gum the original sports gum for active people! Quench is America's #1 Sports Gum and has numbers to prove it!


• Quench Gum has been used by teams in all of the major sports leagues - MLB, NFL, NHL & NBA as well as NCAA teams for over 30 years.

• Quench 300pc. Tubs ranked #1 in sales per unit in all sporting goods stores for the last three years.

• New for 2005 - our 10-stick shelf talker display is ranked #6 in sales per unit which gives Quench Gum two items in the top 10 (300pc Tub #1).

• Quench Gum has #1 Market share (45%) for units sold in the Sport Nutrition category in Sporting Goods YTD 2005.

Gum #5: Quench Gum

Gum Brand: Mueller Quench Gum: Thirst Quenching Gum For Active People

Flava: Double Orange & Fruit Punch

Chew Time: 3- starts off with a kick of sweet and sour but that quickly fades away- leaving me to chew the rest of the pack.

Flava: 3- its just not that great (i mean- at first its good- but so disappointing when it turns gross that it really overwhelms the goodness of the first taste)

Packaging: 3. It's like the early 90's- Bright orange and pink (two colors that do not complement well) and lettering in yellow and red? ugh! What interested me was the "thirst quenching" claim (totally not true by the way) and "for active people" because I like to think I am pretty active and deserve a special gum.

Physical Consistency: 7. It doesn't disenigrate but trust me- you will wish it would once the flava is all gone (in about 3 minutes).

Overall Recommendation: 3.5. Just not as special as I wanted it to be. Oh- and its not even sugar free so it just increases thirst and cavities. yuck!

Its Time for A Little History Lesson!

HISTORY OF GUM: LESSON 1

* The ancient Greeks chewed mastiche - a chewing gum made from the resin of the mastic tree.
* The ancient Mayans chewed chicle which is the sap from the sapodilla tree.
* North American Indians chewed the sap from spruce trees and passed the habit along to the settlers.
* Early American settlers made a chewing gum from spruce sap and beeswax.
* In 1848, John B. Curtis made and sold the first commercial chewing gum called the State of Maine Pure Spruce Gum.
* In 1850, Curtis started selling flavored paraffin gums becoming more popular than spruce gums.
* On December 28 1869, William Finley Semple became the first person to patent a chewing gum - U.S patent #98,304.
* In 1869, Antonio Lopez de Santa Anna introduced Thomas Adams to chicle.
* In 1871, Thomas Adams patented a machine for the manufacture of gum.
* In 1880, John Colgan invented a way to make chewing gum taste better for a longer period of time while being chewed.
* By 1888, an Adams' chewing gum called Tutti-Frutti became the first chew to be sold in a vending machine.

Gum #4: Trident White: Spearmint

Brand Name: Trident White

Flava: Spearmint

Chew-Time: I give it an 8. Read previous Trident White posts for info.

Flava: I sometimes purchase this gum when the peppermint variety is sold-out (usually because of me) or when I mistakenly convince myself that spearmint is almost just like peppermint and that I will love it as such. Alas no- I am not a big fan of spearmint. I give it a 7.

Packaging: I confuse this one with peppermint (green and blue) maybe because I feel peppermint should be green. Why? Maybe another brand of gum packages their peppermint in green. I will research it. Packaging gets a 5.

Physical Consistency: Like all Trident White gums- it lasts and lasts. I rate it as an 8.

Overall recommendation: If you love spearmint as much as I love peppermint- this gum is for you. I give it a 7 simply because its not my favorite.

Gum #3: Trident White - Peppermint

Gum Brand: Trident White

Flava: Peppermint

Chew Time: For-like-Ever. Its the longest lasting gum I have found. I give it an 8 because I think there might be more advanced gums out there (maybe in the future). The flava lasts and lasts and the consistency remains near perfect.

Flava: Peppermint is the best all-around flava. I give it a 9 simply because in the future a more crack-type- addictive flava may be discovered and manufactured in mass.

Packaging: It's okay- its easy to spot in an aisle of gum. I find the blue color calming and peaceful. Like the ocean. Its quite restorative. I give it a 5.5 however- due to the problem crinkling sound with all Trident White gums.

Physical Consistency: 8.5 Its just Great- lasts through the night- and is reliably chewable the next morning. A fantastic night sleep partner who won't forget your name or leave you feeling used. Also nice if you plan to make out with someone after waking and are concerned about your terrible night sleep breath. Wake up and Make out while feeling peppermintly refreshed!

Overall Recommendation: I rate it 8 overall. This gum is really good for bad breath. And the whitening factor actually works. A friend of mine spent lots of money getting a professional whitening- and swears that my teeth are so much whiter than hers. And I agree. I even went a period of time not brushing my teeth out of rebellion (a post-teenager thing) and my teeth remained white and cavity free. Wahoo! This gum is also good to chew while running or exerting lots of physical energy.

Gum #2: Trident White

Gum Brand: Trident White
Flava: Cool Colada

Chew Time: I give it a 5.5 on average length of chew. Like all Trident White gum flavas- this one lasts a good amount of time. However- what brings the score down is not that it runs out of flava- but that I run out of interest in chewing it. I got tired of the flava- it was just too much!

Flava Yeah: You definately have to be in the mood for a beachy-summer tasting experience to enjoy this chew. Its a 7 on flava- but it def. depends on your mood

Packaging: 5. I can spot it quickly and easily in the store. However- the crinkly sound is annoying when I am trying to be discrete at work- or in a quiet classroom- it draws all eyes and open hands to me. Annoying!

Physical Consistency: 7. This gum lasts a good long time. I have chewed it through the night (a good 8 hours) and upon waking- find the gum still all together (not lost in the molar region) and still tasty!

Overall Recommendation: 6.5 Its a good gum to chew when bored or caught in snow storm- because it takes you on a little beach vacation in your mouth. The crinkling is annoying though so don't chew this one if you don't want to share it.

CHEW on!