Mastic: that’s behind the gum resin

Mastic is used in various foods, cosmetic products and as an adhesive. Here you can find out more about the extraction, effectiveness and sustainability of the raw material.

Mastic: characteristics and extraction

Mastic is the resin of the mastic bush. The plant is also known under the name Pistacia lentiscus. It becomes about two to three meters high and grows relatively slowly: it only reaches its full size after 40 to 50 years.

1. To get to the viscous resin, harvest workers cut into the trunk and thicker branches with a sharp tool. Then the juice flows out like tears. This is the reason why mastic is also known as “Tears from Chios“Is known. Chios is the name of a Greek island where the shrubs are native.
2. The resin first drips onto the floor. There it dries out and can be collected after a few weeks.
3. It is then cleaned and can now be further processed as required.

To gain a kilogram of mastic you have to be loud National Geographic cut into about ten bushes. This complex process is also reflected in the relatively high price of the resin.

Mastic is used for this

Mastic is crystalline after hardening and tastes slightly bitter at the beginning. However, the bitter aroma quickly disappears. Instead, a slightly bitter taste remains, reminiscent of the smell of pine needles. The consistency of the resin depends on the environmental conditions: If the viscous juice could continuously emerge from the trunk, larger and soft resin lumps will form. If this is not the case, the mastic tears will become smaller and harder.

Due to its tough consistency, mastic is particularly suitable for the production of natural chewing gum. The people of ancient Rome and Greece already knew how to use this: According to National Geographic, they too had already chewed on the solidified resin to clean their teeth and improve their breath smell.

Due to its intense aroma, mastic is also used in many other products. You can find it in drinks, chocolate, spreads or (especially in Arabic cuisine) as a spice. It is also found in natural cosmetic products such as toothpaste, creams, soaps and adhesives. You can also take mastic in capsule form or just buy the extracted essential oil.

How healthy is mastic?

Especially due to its antibacterial properties, mastic is said to be the Promote dental health and Bad breath can reduce. In addition, mastic is considered Remedies versus:

• Abdominal pain (tip: Home remedies for stomach ache)
• Heartburn (tip: Home remedies for heartburn)
• Stomach ulcers
• Intestinal inflammation
• high cholesterol (tip: Lower cholesterol)
• and high blood sugar levels.

Mastic is also said to be able to prevent the development of cancer cells. These effects are especially attributed to the antioxidant, anti-inflammatory and antimicrobial ingredients of the resin. So far, however, studies have only been able to confirm the effect against tooth decay and abdominal pain. For all other possible effects, there are so far only indications and no sufficiently scientifically founded evidence.

So far, researchers assume that mastic no dangerous side effects Has. Nevertheless, pregnant women, breastfeeding mothers and children should avoid the chewing gum resin, as this assumption is not yet sufficiently confirmed.

How sustainable is mastic?

Today, mastic bushes are grown almost exclusively on the Greek island of Chios and the Turkish Çeşme peninsula. Compared to other superfoods or the chewing gum raw material chicle, the transport routes are still relatively short. Even so, mastic is not a regional product.

However, selling mastic is an important livelihood for many family businesses. Traditional mastic cultivation is even part of the intangible cultural heritage of UNESCO. This is particularly due to the fact that the harvest is still largely carried out by hand, as there are hardly any suitable machines for it.

When buying, you should try to use organic goods. So you can be sure that no chemical-synthetic Pesticides or fertilizers were used.

You can buy pure organic mastic at, for example Etsy or the Herbathek.

Read more on Techzle.com:

• Chewing gum: fresh breath thanks to petroleum
• Chicle: This is how the tree sap becomes plastic-free chewing gum
• Regional alternatives to superfoods