Mastic Gum vs Spruce Gum: Benefits, Differences, and Why Natural Chewing Gum Is Trending Again
For thousands of years, humans chewed natural tree resins. Long before modern commercial chewing gum existed, people across the world turned to trees for a durable, aromatic, and traditional chewing experience.
Today, two natural resins are gaining renewed interest: mastic gum and spruce gum. A new generation is rediscovering these ancestral practices, both for wellness curiosity and for the simple experience of chewing something natural.
In this guide, we explore mastic gum vs spruce gum, traditional uses, modern research interest, and why natural gums are trending again.
What Is Mastic Gum?
Mastic gum is a natural resin harvested from the Pistacia lentiscus tree, native to the Mediterranean region, especially the Greek island of Chios. For centuries, it has been used in cooking, incense, oral care traditions, and natural chewing.
Mastic gum has recently gone viral online as a tough, natural chewing gum alternative, attracting wellness enthusiasts and self-improvement communities.
What Is Spruce Gum?
Spruce gum is the hardened resin from spruce and pine trees found throughout the boreal forests of North America. Indigenous peoples and early settlers chewed spruce and pine resin long before commercial gum existed.
At Alberta Wildcraft, our family wild-harvests spruce and pine resin by hand and purifies it using traditional methods passed down through generations.
Traditional and Researched Benefits of Mastic Gum
Mastic gum has a long history of traditional use, and modern research has explored its natural compounds.
✓ Traditionally used for digestive comfort and oral hygiene
✓ Contains aromatic resin compounds studied for antimicrobial activity
✓ Chewing stimulates saliva production, which plays a role in oral and digestive balance
✓ Research has explored antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties, though studies are ongoing
Historically, mastic gum was valued as both a daily chewing material and a traditional wellness resin.
Spruce Gum Benefits and Traditional Uses
Spruce and pine resin have also been valued for centuries in northern cultures. Beyond chewing, spruce resin was used in folk medicine, survival practices, and daily life.
✓ Traditionally chewed for oral freshness and endurance
✓ Resin compounds have been studied for antimicrobial and aromatic properties
✓ Historically used in salves, poultices, and natural preparations for skin and muscle comfort
✓ Chewing stimulates saliva production and oral activity
Spruce gum represents a northern parallel to mastic gum, with its own deep-rooted cultural tradition.
Why Young People Are Chewing Natural Resin Gum Today
A younger generation is moving away from ultra-processed products and looking for natural, ancestral alternatives. Commercial chewing gum often contains synthetic polymers, artificial sweeteners, and flavorings, leading many consumers to seek simpler ingredients.
✓ Interest in single-ingredient, natural products is growing
✓ Natural resins offer a plastic-free alternative to commercial gum
✓ Traditional practices are trending in wellness and minimalist communities
✓ Chewing natural gum connects people to ancestral habits and nature
Natural Gum and the Jawline Trend
Beyond tradition and wellness curiosity, tough natural gums have become popular in self-improvement and discipline communities. Many people enjoy chewing long-lasting natural gums as part of daily routines.
✓ Tough natural resins provide continuous chewing resistance
✓ Chewing stimulates oral and jaw activity
✓ Some people enjoy chewing as part of discipline, mindfulness, or habit-replacement routines
✓ Natural gums are seen as an alternative to synthetic chew products and commercial gum
This trend has helped bring both mastic and spruce gum back into mainstream conversation.
Mastic Gum vs Spruce Gum: Key Differences
Mastic gum and spruce gum come from different parts of the world and represent distinct cultural traditions.
Mastic gum originates from the Mediterranean and has a mild, resinous flavor often used in culinary and herbal traditions. Spruce gum comes from northern forests and offers a deeper, pine-rich forest taste that many describe as tasting like the wilderness.
Both provide a tough, long-lasting natural chew, though spruce gum often has a more rugged texture due to its resin structure.
Why Spruce Gum Is a Local Northern Alternative to Mastic Gum
Mastic gum is harvested in a limited Mediterranean region and shipped globally. Spruce and pine resin can be sustainably wild-harvested across northern forests when done with care and respect for the trees.
✓ Local, wild-harvested alternative to imported resins
✓ Deep historical roots in North American tradition
✓ Single-ingredient natural resin when properly purified
✓ Long-lasting, tough chew similar to mastic gum
For those seeking a locally sourced, forest-crafted chewing resin, spruce gum offers a unique and authentic option.
What to Expect When Chewing Natural Resin Gum
Natural resin gums chew differently from modern commercial gum.
The resin may break into small pieces at first, but as it warms in the mouth, it softens and comes together. Many people find that adding a second piece helps form a cohesive chew more quickly.
This is chewing gum in its original form—simple, natural, and minimally processed.
A Return to Traditional Chewing
As more people move away from synthetic products, traditional practices like chewing natural tree resins are returning. Whether choosing Mediterranean mastic gum or northern spruce gum, natural resins offer a connection to history, nature, and simpler ingredients.
At Alberta Wildcraft, we continue the northern tradition of spruce and pine resin chewing—wild-harvested, handcrafted, and prepared the traditional way.
Explore Wild-Harvested Spruce Resin Chewing Gum
If you’re curious to experience natural forest-harvested chewing gum, explore our spruce and pine resin collection and discover a truly traditional, plastic-free chew.
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