> > >Would you classify chewing tobacco
> > > as "food," just because it goes in your mouth
> > > and you chew it up, and sometimes you
> > > accidentally swallow it? Absolutely not.
> > >
> >
> > This is the best analogy ever, and clearly proves that gum IS NOT FOOD.
>
> Except that typical tobacco chewing involves spitting out the juice. When was the last time you spit out gum juice? You may not swallow the gum mass, but you certainly consume the sugars and other ingredients that are drawn from it.
> As has been noted, these have nutritional value when they are consumed.
>
> It is food.

Exactly! This is what I'm basing the gum=food thing on, too.