Kristi King, wtop.com

WASHINGTON – Talk about lazy exercise.

Twenty minutes of chewing gum is supposed to have the same effect as mild exercise when it comes to increasing blood flow to your brain. In fact, myriad studies link chewing gum to increased alertness, mood and intelligence.

Forbes calls it “chewing yourself a better brain” in a column detailing the growing pile of research touting the varied benefits of chewing gum.

People who start smacking 20 minutes before taking a test end up performing better. The study making that finding theorizes that the chewing is a “warm-up” for your brain.

Gum researchers call it “mastication-induced arousal,” according to Forbes.

Chewing gum also is found to lower anxiety by reducing the stress hormone cortisol.

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