Natural Chewing Gum Collection

Around the world and since the beginning of time, humans have used tree resins as chewing gum. Many types of natural tree resins are beneficial when chewed. Not only do they deliver therapeutic compounds to our bodies, but mastication also increases saliva and enzyme production in the mouth, stimulates our gums to keep them healthy, and cleans our teeth.

If you do a little online research, you will discover that when chewed, both Chios Mastic (Pistacia lentiscus) and Frankincense Frereana resins help kill the H. Pylori bacteria that cause stomach ulcers. 

Most tree resins also deliver their special aroma and flavour.

Our Western market is flooded with synthetic chewing gums made of petroleum byproducts and Polymers such as butadiene-styrene, polyvinyl acetate, polyethylene and Butylated hydroxytoluene.

The increase in inquiries about natural chewing gum and the rise in sales of Chicle, Mastic Chios, and Frankincense Frereana at the shop indicate that the market for a natural alternative to synthetic chewing gum is growing.

While most natural tree resins are chewed locally where they grow, those that contain resin or oleo-resin, with no water-soluble gum, are best.

General directions for making a Gum Base from resin 

I will post an in-depth tutorial on how to make a natural gum base in the near future. For the time being, here are some of the basic materials and principles. 

It is fairly simple to melt a pure tree oleoresin with a small amount of beeswax to give it pliability, and add flavour or essential oil, along with a sweetener, to create your own healthy alternative to synthetic chewing gum. Confectioner's sugar and Xyletol are two common additives used to sweeten natural chewing gum.

In the water bath, 1-2 parts of beeswax and 1 part of a brittle resin are dissolved together. 

The higher the proportion of Beeswax, the softer your chewing gum will be. If in doubt of the proportion of Beeswax to resin, start with a ratio of 1:1 and add extra Beeswax in small increments if needed. Keep track of exactly how much beeswax and resin are in your final formula-(Always keep clear notes!) You can test the consistency and texture of your product by doing "Drop tests." Drop or dab a small amount of your product onto a room-temperature surface and wait for it to cool. If it is too hard, add a bit more Beeswax. If it is too soft, add more resin to your blend. 

It is best to melt the Beeswax first, then add the resin once it is liquid. Once it is homogeneously blended  and the desired consistency, you can add flavour, essential oil and/or sweetener. Depending on the consistency of your finished product, it can be poured onto parchment paper or rolled into lengths that can be cut into smaller pieces and stored in confectioner's sugar or Corn Starch. 

A water bath is essential for heating resins and helps prevent overheating. One must remember that some of these materials are flammable and can burst into flame or burn you if not handled properly. 

That's it in a nutshell.

Keep in mind, there are plenty of wonderful, ready-to-chew tree resins available in the shop. There is much room to explore, experiment and enjoy the process!

I will divide the resins in this section into 2 groups.

1-Pure resins and oleoresins can be chewed as is.  I usually start with a small piece of resin about the size of a pea. Warm it in your mouth for 20-30 seconds to soften it. Then it can be chewed for extended periods without deteriorating. These are the pure resins and oleoresins that contain no water-soluble gum

• Frankincense Frereana
• Mastic Chios Grade A
• Mastic Chios Grade B
• Terribinth tears
• Cypress Resin tears
• Chicle
• Pine Rosin
• Sandarac Resin tears

2-Oleo gum resins, such as most types of Frankincense, contain water-soluble gum. They will slowly break down with chewing and saliva. Most contain therapeutic compounds, so there is no need to worry about swallowing the liquid residue. In most cases, you can save the resin portion that doesn't dissolve in your mouth and use it as incense, or dissolve it in a warm carrier oil for topical applications where it has an affinity for the skin and joints.

Enjoy!!

And remember, if you create your own gum base, always keep clear notes!

Your future self will thank you.

Dan