Mastic gum is the gummy resin of the mastic tree – Pistacia lentiscus, a relative of the pistachio tree. The mastic tree is found almost exclusively on the Greek island of Chios, the birthplace of Hippocrates, the traditional father of medicine. Mastic gum has historically been used in medicine to fight gastric and intestinal inflammation.
In modern society, mastic gum has proven useful for fighting gastritis and heartburn as well as overall gastric and intestinal inflammation. Studies have found that supplementing with mastic gum not only relieves the symptoms of these painful conditions but can actually help heal the stomach, possibly by killing H. pylori bacteria. Mastic gum is an excellent natural alternative for those who have experienced the negative long-term side effects of antacids, proton pump inhibitors, antibiotics and other medications that treat the symptoms of heartburn but not the cause.
