Is Gud Gum Really Good Gum? Find Out In Our Review

Did you know many popular chewing gums are packed with plastic? These synthetic bases can’t be recycled and contribute to plastic pollution. Thankfully, a wave of plastic-free gum options is emerging, like Gud Gum, which was even featured on Shark Tank! These brands use natural ingredients like tree sap instead of synthetics.

Gud Gum boasts 100% natural and vegan ingredients, making them a potentially good plastic-free alternative. We put their gum to test in our review lab, evaluating taste, texture, and ingredients.

Are plastic-free gums like Gud Gum worth a try? Let’s find out!

Here’s a quick peek at the Gud Gum flavors we tested : 

What are we looking for? Gud Gum promises a guilt-free chewing experience that’s kind to the environment. But does it deliver on taste, texture, and its eco-friendly claims?

Here’s what we’ll be dissecting:

1. Taste

We’ll be focusing on the initial flavor burst, its intensity, longevity, and whether there’s any unpleasant aftertaste lingering.

2. Texture

A comfortable chew is key. We’ll check for crumbliness, stickiness, and how well the gum maintains its consistency.

3. Other Related Information

• Ingredients: We’ll analyze the ingredients list to verify the brand’s claims of being sugar-free, vegan, and plastic-free. We’ll also identify the main ingredients, sweeteners used, and any added preservatives or artificial colors.
• Packaging: How eco-friendly is the packaging itself? Are there any noteworthy features in terms of sustainability or convenience?
• Price: We’ll compare the price of Gud Gum to traditional chewing gum brands. Additionally, we’ll take note of the product’s shelf life.

Made from Chicle Tree Sap, these chewing gums by Gud Gum are biodegradable. These are made using a combination of essential oils, fruit extracts and natural sweeteners. 

For our Gud Gum review, we tested four flavors – Strawberry, Raspberry, Charcoal Spearmint and Lemon. Each flavor retails at a price of Rs. 99 for 21 gm quantity which holds around 15 pieces of the chewing gum. These have a shelf life of 1 year. 

Appearance-wise, these are slightly different from your regular chewing gums. These are shaped as small cylindrical pellets.

In this section below, we have shared our detailed experience including the features, pros and cons of each variant.

A Breakdown Of The Ingredients: What & Why

Malic Acid, Citric Acid and Chicle Gum base are the common ingredients seen in all the four flavors of these chewing gums. Let us take a close analysis at the ingredient list : 

Chicle gum base is a natural gum extracted from the latex of certain trees, specifically from Manilkara zapota (sapodilla tree). Unlike the other chewing gum brands available in the market, it is a natural alternative and is a viable option for those looking for a more organic experience. It is natural, biodegradable and lends a characteristic chewy texture to chewing gum.

It has a rich history as it was enjoyed for centuries by Mesoamerican cultures. Further, this was said to be the original chewing gum base used commercially until the mid-20th century. However, the production of Chicle is labor intensive and hence it is generally more expensive than most synthetic gum bases.

What role does Malic Acid play? Malic Acid typically helps in enhancing the flavor and is responsible for a tart and tangy taste. This helps in achieving a more realistic and well-rounded fruit experience.

Citric acid vs Malic acid? Citric acid is responsible for the initial flavor burst. While Malic Acid is the one that ensures long-lasting flavor punch and tartness in your chewing gum.

Role of Citric Acid? This ingredient offers an immediate sour taste when you first pop into the chewing gum. In addition, it enhances the flavor, balances the sweetness and blends easily with other ingredients.

1. Strawberry

Our Observations 

This strawberry-flavored chewing gum delivers a very natural berry flavor. The sweetness is balanced and there is a remarkable freshness.

Texture-wise, these might feel hard in the initial bite but after chewing it for 1 to 2 minutes these become soft like most of the commercially available chewing gums.

Product Details 

The Strawberry variant comes in a pink pack with a large strawberry graphic on the front. Inside the cute box, a little plastic pouch holds 15 pellets of chewing gum. 

The main ingredients are – Sweeteners (Xylitol, Stevia), Chicle gum base, Natural strawberry flavor, Vegetable glycerine, Malic acid, Citric acid, Rice flour, and Natural color. 

2. Raspberry

Our Observations 

This has a burst of freshness and a natural berry taste. The raspberry flavor shines through and is not overpowering. The sweetness is desirable, neither too much nor too subtle. The texture is similar to the strawberry variant.

Product Details 

This also has a pink color pack with a large raspberry graphic on the front side. On the inside, a plastic pouch holds 15 pellets of the chewing gum.

Here are the key ingredients – Sweeteners (Xylitol, Stevia), Chicle gum base, Natural raspberry flavor, Vegetable glycerine, Malic acid, Citric acid, Rice flour, and Natural. color

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3. Charcoal Spearmint

Our Observations 

The texture of this variant is similar to the above two. Hard at first but turns soft after chewing for 1-2 minutes. 

This chewing gum has a refreshing and cool minty taste which is not too sharp or overpowering. The taste is delivered to its promise and isn’t oversweet.

Product Details 

This is packed in a dark green color box with a mint graphic on the pack. The 15 pellets of chewing gum are placed in a plastic pouch inside.

Sweeteners (Xylitol, Stevia), Chicle gum base, Natural mint flavor, Vegetable glycerine, Peppermint oil, Menthol, Activated charcoal powder, and Rice flour are the key ingredients seen here.

4. Lemon

Our Observations 

Last but not the least was the lemon flavor! This has a fresh and zesty lemon taste reminiscent of homemade nimbu pani. 

Like the above variants, this chewing gum starts firm but softens after chewing for a minute or two.

Product Details 

A light yellow color pack with a large lemon graphic on the front side is how the packaging of this variant looks like. There is a plastic pouch inside the little box that holds 15 pellets of the chewing gum.

What ingredients are used in the making of this chewing gum? Sweeteners (Xylitol, Stevia), Chicle gum base, Natural lemon flavor, Vegetable glycerine, Malic acid, Citric Acid, and Rice flour.

Is traditional chewing gum made using plastic? 

Traditional chewing gums are not entirely made using plastic, however they do contain certain synthetic elements. One such element found in chewing gums is polyvinyl acetate (PVA). This is a crucial part of the gum base that adds to the chewy texture of the chewing gum. Further, it is also responsible for holding all the ingredients together. 

In addition to PVA, chewing gums also contain resins and waxes. All these elements together make up the gum base on the ingredient list. So do not be surprised if you see the word plastic specifically.

How is Gud Gum different? 

Gud Gum uses chicle tree sap for crafting its chewing gum. These chewing gums are devoid of artificial stuff and make use of essential oils, natural sweeteners and fruit extracts. The best part? All the colors, flavors and ingredients are sourced from natural resources.

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Here are some interesting FAQs on Gud Gum review.

What makes Gud Gum unique from other commercially available chewing gums is the ingredient list. Made using chicle gum, these are 100% plastic-free and are not sweetened using refined sugar. They even highlight how other gums hide plastic!

We would have liked the packaging even more if it was 100% plastic free here too. A note of appreciation for the paper sheets provided to dispose off your chewing gum correctly after use.

Ready to ditch plastic and try a guilt-free chew?

Our reviews are unbiased and all samples used during the reviews were paid for by us. Read our entire ethics statement here.