We know that chewing gum improves blood flow to the brain and increases alertness, focus, and cognitive function.
But now researchers in South Korea have discovered that another substance may be even more beneficial for the brain: wood.
A new study has found that chewing a wooden stick for five minutes increases levels of the brain’s primary antioxidant glutathione, which plays a key role in protecting against oxidative stress.
According to the study’s authors, this is the first report to indicate that chewing can change antioxidant levels in the human brain and that increased brain antioxidant levels are associated with cognitive function.
Fifty-two healthy university students in South Korea were divided into two groups for the study, twenty-seven of whom were given chewing gum and the other twenty-five were given wooden sticks.
