Scientist Peter Lucas ate over three kilos of carrots fifteen years ago to determine whether he could meet his dietary requirements only via the consumption of this root vegetable. Unfortunately, we had to abandon the experiment and feed the bunnies carrots. Many at the time believed his study to be odd, but Inverse reports that other aficionados found it motivating and carried on nonetheless.

Two of Lucas’s old Ph.D. students thought it would be a good idea to redo the experiment. The researchers got to work with cutting-edge measuring tools and plenty of flavorless gum.

Twenty-one volunteers participated in the study, and their energy expenditure was tracked by having their heads enclosed in capsules (not unlike spacesuit helmets). After the subjects rested for 45 minutes in the capsule (during which the researchers measured their resting metabolic rate), they were given two different varieties of gum to chew, one of which was much harder than the other.

Researchers concluded that the average quantity of energy used is increased by 10-15% due to chewing. Fantastic outcome! It has been shown that consuming celery regularly may aid in weight loss. Unfortunately, the typical individual spends just 30-35 minutes chewing each day.

Scientists have determined that the amount of energy used by chewing is little, amounting to less than one percent of the average person’s daily total. Animals, however, are a very other story. In comparison to the 6.6 hours an orangutan spends chewing, a cow may chew for eight hours, while a panda can eat bamboo for 12 hours straight.

By doing so, the researchers disproved the widespread belief that celery and other negative-calorie meals are miraculous. Although such chemicals do occur in nature, human beings probably wouldn’t like chewing on them. Dietitians claim that grass is a food with negative calorie content since it is inedible.

Researchers learn more about how modern humans vary from our ancient predecessors by looking at how much longer the latter spent eating their meal. The findings provide light on how our physiology has progressed through time; for example, cooking food cuts down on the amount of time spent chewing, and hence the amount of energy used, during digestion. That extra vitality could then be put toward learning new things that will help with survival and making offspring.

Also, the group’s source of creative energy, Peter Lucas, gave his stamp of approval to the new research. However, he thinks that genuine food is preferable than chewing gum. As a rough estimate, though, it should suffice.