Now, surgeons at University College London Hospital are asking patients booked for bowel cancer surgery to bring supplies of sugar-free gum with them, to be chewed three times a day, for an hour, after their operation, BBC News reported.

Consultant colorectal surgeon Alastair Windsor said the trial is part of a program to find new ways to help patients recover from treatment.

He said many patients undergoing many types of surgery likely to affect their digestive system could benefit from bringing gum to hospital but advised them to ask their own doctor first.

Windsor said, "One of the things that delays people recovering from surgery is that they get what is called an ileas -- where the bowel goes to sleep.

"It seems that chewing gum can stimulate the saliva, which starts enzyme production in the pancreas, and that then stimulates gastro-intestinal activity."

The trial, which began six months ago, has yet to publish results, but the surgeon said so far patients were responding well to it.

Windsor said, "Patients seem to like it and in particular to like the fact they are doing something to aid the recovery. We don’t yet know how far it is speeding up their recovery, but there doesn’t seem to be a downside to it."

"If I was a patient going into hospital for surgery, I would say talk to your medical team first, but from all the research done, it seems that chewing gum is something that can help patients and for most people, it is certainly unlikely to do any harm," the surgeon added.

However, researchers said, it is not known whether chewing gum works as a placebo, improving patients’ sense of well-being, and reducing stress -- which could in itself improve bowel function -- or whether the impact is physical.

From the June 28, 2011, Prepared Foods' Daily News.