Think Gum was in attendance of the E 2.0 fair in White Plaza yesterday on Stanford campus.  Thanks to everyone who came by our booth to get some free samples and learn more about how and why Think Gum works.  Stanford students:  Think Gum can be found at both the Coho and at the Stanford Bookstore.  If you are affiliated with another cafe on campus that wants to carry Think Gum, we would be happy to have you as a retailer.

Many people have asked me, “how did you manage to start, fund and launch a chewing gum company while being a full time PhD student?”  It hasn’t been easy, but it has been very educational and after many years of hard work, profitable too!  Think Gum was just profiled on the Shoestring Venture Blog.  In the article you can read about how and why I founded the Think Gum LLC, how I have dealt with failures and success and where Think Gum is headed in the future.

If you have an infant scholar, please send us a picture of him or her with a pack of Think Gum to be eligible for the 2013 Infant Scholarship Award.

Happy Shopping!

50% off Think Gum for Black Friday

It’s that time of year again…no not Thanksgiving….I’m talking about Black Friday!  Yes, this is the time of year when we celebrate our mutual love of a great deal.  This year is no different from the last.  We will be offering 50% off display boxes of Think Gum.  You read correctly, with 200 pieces of gum per box, you will be paying just 8 cents per piece of brain-boosting Think Gum.  Keep this deal a secret, as like all good things it will not last.  Only the first 50 customers will get this special rate and you must use the code “Turkey” to get the discount applied to your order. Order your gum here while supplies last.

Happy Shopping!

We have BIG news to report today.  As some people may know, over the past 2 years we at Think Gum LLC have been conducting a study to determine if Think Gum® really works and, if so, how well it can improve memory.

The study was just published in the peer reviewed Journal of Appetite and demonstrates that Think Gum® can be used to improve aspects of memory.  In the study, 62 students chewed either no chewing gum, regular bubble gum or Think Gum® during a series of paper-based and online tests used to measure concentration and memory.  For example, one test asked the chewers to memorize a list of 15 random words.  After taking the tests, students were asked to rate their alertness, concentration and performance.  The following day the same students chewed no chewing gum, regular bubble gum or Think Gum® and completed additional follow-up memory tests to measure long-term memory.

The students who chewed Think Gum® performed significantly better in the memory tests.  The magnitude of memory improvement was dramatic.  On average, the students in the Think Gum® group remembered over 25% more than those students who chewed regular chewing gum.  Additionally, those students in the Think Gum® group felt significantly more alert, felt that they could better concentrate and felt enhanced performance as compared to the other groups.

This study suggests that Think Gum® “would also improve information recall in real-world situations, such as during standardized testing, and would therefore be a beneficial study aid.”

The full study can be read online or in the Journal of Appetite:

Davidson, M. G. Herbal-caffeinated chewing gum, but not bubble gum, improves aspects of memory. Appetite (2011), doi:10.1016/j.appet.2011.04.019

We are thrilled by the results of this study and want to tell the world about it!  If you would like more information about the study or want a quote or interview please send an e-mail to Press@ThinkGum.com

Chewing Gum Improves Math Scores

A recent report published in the Journal of Adolescence has shown that students who chewed sugar-free gum over the course of the school year significantly improved their test scores.  The study, conducted by the Baylor College of Medicine, randomly assigned eighth grade students to either a “gum group” or “no-gum-control group”.  These students chewed gum during math class and during math homework.  By the end of the year, the students in the gum group improved their math scores more than that control group (p=0.03).  Although statistically significant, the increase was relatively modest ~ a 4%.  This would translate into a third of a grade increase ex. B+ to a A-.

The full study can be read here:  Johnston CA, Tyler C, Stansberry SA, Moreno JP, Foreyt JP.  Brief report: Gum chewing affects standardized math scores in adolescents.  J Adolesc.2011 May 25.

Imagine you are taking a math test, but you just cannot concentrate.  This is why we need gum. Everyone wants that refreshing piece of gum within his or her mouth during school.  There are many benefits to acquire gum at school. These benefits can help you perform better in school and help you learn more. Although some say that chewing gum is a horrible idea, when one views the research, they will discover there are great advantages.

One reason we must include gum at school is because it helps in keeping students awake.  When I am at school, I witness many students looking sleepy or wanting to fall asleep.  The solution to this predicament is gum. According to a scientific study by Kathleen Melanson from University of Rhode Island, when you chew gum your metabolism increases by 20 percent.(Source:  www.medicalnewstoday.com) When someone’s metabolism is raised, they are more likely to stay awake. This evidence shows that gum needs to be allowed at school to help students stay awake.

Second, permitting gum chewing at school will help improve your test scores.  According to research conducted by the American Society for Nutrition, they found out that students who chewed gum during class during a 14-week period, had a significant increase in test scores and received a better finishing grade compared to those who did not chewed gum.  This example supports that schools need to tolerate gum in order for students to improve on tests.

Several people might say that gum is unhealthy and is not good for you. On the contrary, gum is pretty healthy and actually lots of different types of gum are sugar-free and have xylitol.  Some evidence explains that xylitol reduces cavities by 70 percent (Trident Company.)    That is a great bonus.  Clearly, you should be able to chew gum at school, because you can get healthier and stronger teeth.

Lastly, gum can assist students concentrate.  Research has exposed that the movement you make when you chew gum makes your brain think it is going to get food.  Then, insulin, which enhances learning and memory, is released to the brain and helps it focus. (Andrew Scholey, Swinburne University, www.medicalnewstoday.com)  In the U.S. military, soldiers have chewed gum since World War I to improve their concentration. (Wrigley Company)  With the research stating these facts, it is clear that gum needs to be allowed at school to improve your concentration.

It is essential to recognize that chewing gum includes many great benefits, such as improving students’ test scores, concentration, and metabolism.  Before one sees the research, gum-chewing might sound like a horrific idea. In fact, chewing gum really is a great thing to allow at schools.  So, if people want to improve students’ ability to do better in school, gum-chewing should be allowed at schools.