I purchased this gum because I love the flavor of black licorice, and it’s made with xylitol, which helps me cut out sugar from my diet. The gum is sweetened with birch xylitol that has been extracted from sustainable forests in the U.S. The natural sweetener is actually known to aid in fighting the bacteria that causes tooth decay, so that’s a bonus. This is also a soft chewing gum that doesn’t stick to your teeth or dental work. All of the above are the positive points and benefits associated with sugar-free Black Xylichew Licorice Chewing Gum…and then it stops there.
I did not expect the gum to taste so unappetizing. The initial flavor from the first bite tasted like cardboard. As you chew a bit more, you get a momentary rush of black licorice flavor, but then there’s still this lingering cardboard-like taste that I cannot get over. I am well aware that real, natural black licorice root has a barky, tree-like licorice flavor (like when you chew on the sticks), but this is different. It reminds me of the off-putting cardboard flavor you’d taste on ice cream packaged in those old-school cartons. I am not a fan.
One piece of gum is 5 calories, and contains 1 gram of xylitol.
On a scale of 1 to 5, I am giving this product 3 stars for its positive benefits, such as being sugar free, GMO free, and made with xylitol, but if I judge this xylitol gum on the taste alone, I’d give this gum a 2 because it’s still mildly edible…just not as enjoyable as I’d like it to be.
I’m actually upset that I paid full price for this gum.