Healthy things you can chew on

[generic mutant]

[edit - this post about liquorice. Cinnamon added later in post below. Not sure if it'll show up in edited title anyway]

No nicotine, obviously.

But I thought I'd put a suggestion out there for anyone looking to keep their hands / mouths busy.

You chew little bits of it - a bit like natural chewing gum. It takes a bit of getting used to, but is actually really nice, quite sweet (not from actual sugar though, so no tooth decay concerns. Some claim it's good for your teeth / gums).

There are medical concerns if you consume *massive* quantities of it, but chewing it raw I'm not sure it'd be realistically possible to get to those levels.

It also makes really damn good tea if you grind it up into a powder and pour boiling water, maybe a bit of honey, in...

 

[generic mutant]

Another contender is cinnamon sticks, though you have to get the right sort.

Is Too Much Cinnamon Bad for You? | Food Your Way
http://www.ceylon-cinnamon.com/Identify-Cinnamon.html

Actually has a stimulant effect too - people do better in memory tests etc. if they've just eaten some cinnamon.

 

[generic mutant]

Miswaks!

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Miswak

Parts of trees used for oral hygiene (like a toothbrush / toothpaste) in Islamic tradition. Mine is from the Peelu or Arak tree, though others such as olive are available. Conflicting claims as to whether they're roots or twigs, though mine looks more root-like to me. Maybe both are used?

You either chew or cut off the bark, then chew it until it forms fibrous bristles. You can then clean your teeth with it.

Similar texture to the liquorice, perhaps unsurprisingly, but much more subtle flavour. I'm pleasantly surprised: it's quite neutral, with a nutty hint of bitter / savoury.

It may actually be better for you than the 'conventional' Western method too! Comparative effect of chewing sticks a... [Oral Health Prev Dent. 2003] - PubMed - NCBI