Chios Mastiha Tears Greek 100% Natural Mastic 20gr Medium Tears

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A person can chew mastic gum like normal chewing gum, or they can ingest it in capsule or powder form. Essential oil from mastic gum is also available.

Kishimoto R, Kato N, Koike M, Iwashita N, Takagi Y, Fukuyama T. Topical treatment with mastic (resin from Pistacia lentiscus) elicits anti-inflammatory and anti-pruritic responses by modulating keratinocyte activation in a mouse model of allergic dermatitis. Phytomedicine 2021;91:153679. View abstract. Kartalis, A., et al. (2016). Effects of Chios mastic gum on cholesterol and glucose levels of healthy volunteers: A prospective, randomized, placebo-controlled, pilot study (CHIOS-MASTIHA) [Abstract]. Belles, Christos (2005). Mastiha Island. Athens: Ellinika Gramatta Press. pp.212–13. ISBN 978-960-89048-9-7.

Some evidence suggests that mastic gum could also help with inflammatory bowel diseases (IBD) such as Crohn’s disease. One review notes that mastic gum improved some markers of Crohn’s disease in people who had active disease.

Although Greece was officially neutral, the island was occupied by the British during World War I, on 17 February 1916. This may have been due to the island's proximity to the Ottoman Empire and the city of İzmir in particular. [45] When the Ottomans took over in the 16th century, they kept the monopoly. Only in 1840 were mastic producers finally allowed to trade independently what they’d cultivated, and less than a century later they joined forces to create the Chios Mastiha Growers Association (CMGA), a cooperative active to this day. During this period, the island also had become the largest exporter of Greek wine, which was noted for being of relatively high quality (see " Chian wine"). Chian amphoras, with a characteristic sphinx emblem and bunches of grapes, have been found in nearly every country with whom the ancient Greeks traded. These countries included Gaul, Upper Egypt, and Southern Russia. [27] Roman period [ edit ] The aromatic, ivory-coloured resin, also known as mastic, is harvested as a spice from the cultivated mastic trees grown in the south of the Greek island of Chios in the Aegean Sea, where it is also known by the name "Chios tears". Originally liquid, it is hardened, when the weather turns cold, into drops or patties of hard, brittle, translucent resin. When chewed, the resin softens and becomes a bright white and opaque gum. Mahmoudi, M., Ebrahimzadeh, M. A., Nabavi, S. F., Hafezi, S., Nabavi, S. M., and Eslami, Sh. Antiinflammatory and antioxidant activities of gum mastic. Eur.Rev.Med Pharmacol.Sci 2010;14(9):765-769. View abstract.No studies have proven that mastic gum can treat any conditions. That said, there is some evidence to suggest that it may help with issues such as stomach upset and dental cavities. Mastic resin is a relatively expensive kind of spice; it has been used principally as a chewing gum for at least 2,400 years. [8] The flavour can be described as a strong, slightly smoky, resiny aroma and can be an acquired taste. In the Maghreb, mastic is used mainly in cakes, sweets, and pastries and as a stabilizer in meringue and nougat. In Morocco, mastic is used in the preparation of smoked foods. [ citation needed]

Chios was one of the original twelve member states of the Ionian League. As a result, Chios, at the end of the 7th century BC, [19] was one of the first cities to strike or mint coins, establishing the sphinx as its symbol. It maintained this tradition for almost 900 years. Dimas, K., Hatziantoniou, S., Wyche, J. H., and Pantazis, P. A mastic gum extract induces suppression of growth of human colorectal tumor xenografts in immunodeficient mice. In Vivo 2009;23(1):63-68. View abstract. Triantafyllou, A., Bikineyeva, A., Dikalova, A., Nazarewicz, R., Lerakis, S., and Dikalov, S. Anti-inflammatory activity of Chios mastic gum is associated with inhibition of TNF-alpha induced oxidative stress. Nutr J 2011;10:64. View abstract.Not that the future of mastic cultivation is in any danger, with an estimated 5,000 current producers arranged in communities and cooperatives amongst more than 20 “mastic villages” (the mastihohoria). Among them are Mesta, Pyrgi and Armolia, which are beautifully preserved, but the list is a long one. Yes, you won't find the mastic gum, which is known for its beneficial effects on digestion, anywhere else. There may be mastic trees growing elsewhere in the Mediterranean, but only on the island of Chios is mastic a miracle drop. This is due to a combination of 3 factors: