Chewing gum before a meal is often recommended as a way to reduce hunger and eat less. But a recent study published in the journal Eating Behaviors debunks this belief. The study showed gum chewing not only had no effect on calories consumed, but chewing mint-flavored gum reduced the intake of healthy food (fruit) and increased the likelihood of eating junk food such as potato chips and candy. Researchers believe the minty flavor of the gum gave fruits and vegetables a bitter flavor, Fox News reports.

Try sipping a cup of green tea before a meal to curb your appetite instead, which can even help you lose weight.

Chewing gum can lead to symptoms of temporomandibular joint disorder (TMJ), which includes jaw pain associated with the chewing muscles and joints that connect your lower jaw to your skull. “Overuse of any muscle and joint can lead to pain and problems,” says Don Atkins, a dentist in Long Beach, California.

Eat an apple instead, which satisfies the urge to chew and reduces your risk of cardiovascular disease at the same time.

You could develop GI problems

“Chewing gum can contribute to Irritable bowel syndrome, as excess air can be swallowed, which contributes to abdominal pain and bloating,” says Dr. Patrick Takahashi, chief of gastroenterology at St. Vincent Medical Center, Los Angeles, California. In addition to swallowing air, artificial sweeteners such as sorbitol and menthol can cause diarrhea in otherwise healthy people.

You’ll rot your teeth

In an effort to avoid the laxative effect of artificially sweetened gum, switching to sugar-sweetened gum may sound logical, but it’s fraught with its own issues. “Sugar-sweetened gum bathes the teeth in sugar and is a source of tooth decay,” says Atkins.

Lanolin, an ingredient found in skincare products, keeps chewing gum soft. It doesn’t sound too bad until you find out it’s a yellow waxy substance secreted by the sebaceous glands of sheep.