Sick of paying for heartburn meds at the drugstore? The New York Times says you might be able to find a cheaper remedy for the ‘burn by picking up some chewing gum at the checkout counter.

Writes the Times:

Chewing on a piece or two of gum, it seems, helps force fluids back into the stomach and flood the esophagus with alkaline saliva, neutralizing acids that cause the characteristic burning sensations.

The pieces cites a pair of studies: One in which participants fasted before eating a meal intended to cause acid reflux. Some were then chosen to chew sugar-free gum for 30 minutes. The study found that acid levels were significantly lower in the two hours following the meal when the participants chewed gum.

The other study looked at people who had been diagnosed with GERD and those with normal stomach behavior. The study found that chewing sugarless gum for an hour after a large breakfast reduced acid reflux in both groups for up to three hours, particularly in the heartburn group.

Remedies: Chewing Gum for Heartburn [NYT]

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