Puredent Gum from The Madison Company -- sweetened naturally with stevia extract and contains magnolia bark extract to kill oral bacteria -- is a breakthrough for consumers who are concerned about their health and are sensitive to artificial sweeteners, according to a company press release
Stevia extract is from a plant native to South America that produces a substance 300 times sweeter than sugar but without the insulin-spiking effects or caloric content of other sweeteners. Stevia extract has been used for centuries as a sweetener and has no side effects, the release noted. Magnolia bark is a natural, clinically-proven antibacterial extract that is safe to eat and kills bacteria that cause bad breath, the company said. In addition, Puredent doesn't contain BHT, a food preservative that is widely used in most chewing gum products but has potential health risks, according to the company.
"When we decided to create a gum, we wanted to put everything we had into it. We didn't think it was impossible to make a natural, great-tasting, sugarfree gum, but a year and a half of trial and error taught us that it was difficult," said CEO Mark Wilson in the release. "A lot of gum has some natural ingredients but also powerful artificial chemicals to make their product feel and taste the way consumers want them to. This was not an option for us."
Puredent will launch on October 27 and will be initially available in two flavors, peppermint and spearmint.
