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Mastic
Cost per kilo 230,00 €
Chios mastic or mastiha, is a natural resin obtained from the mastic tree's bark and branches. In pharmacies and nature shops the resin may be found as Arabic gum or Yemen gum. In Greece it is known as the “tears of Chios”, being traditionally produced and harvested on the greek island of Chios. The soil's composition and the perfect wheather conditions have made it so the island is the perfect place for the Mastric tree to thrive. Like most other natural raisins, it is produced in “tears”.
Mastiha is mostly known for its unique aroma and taste but also for its singular therapeutic properties. Mastic raisin is used to make chewing gum, confectionery fragrance, licqueur, mastic essential oil, which besides its culinary usage it is also useful in cabinetry. Also, it is commonly used in baked goods, sweets, jams, ice creams, chocolate, candy, dairy products, pasta, sauces, the traditional greek alcoholic drink ouzo, wine, oral health products, oral floss, compresses applied to burns, soaps, cosmetic products, candles, painting varnishes and many an array of many other products.
Folklore describes that when Saint Isidore martyred from the Romans around 250 in Chios island, the mastic trees started shedding their valuable resin.
Mastiha, has given its name to the broader area where the tree is growing, which is naturally called Mastichochoria (Μαστιχοχώρια) and is located in southern Chios. This is the only place in the entire island that the mastic trees thrive and the exploitation of the resinous product the trees shed has been the main source of income for the inhabitants to this day.
The establishment of the settlements dates back to the Byzantine era, when mastiha producing becomes systematised. Today, the “tears of Chios” are considered a Greek cultural heritage.
Mastiha has been recorded as the first natural chewing gum of the ancient era and it was used to clean and sterilise the oral cavity and freshen the breath. It was also used for cosmetology purposes to cleanse both the face and the body. It has been the main active ingredient in a variety of pharmaceutical perscriptions and nostrums, which have been recorded by international pharmaceutical corporations.
Medicinal applications:
- It contributes in oral health and hygiene.
- It soothes stomach pain caused by ulcers and helicobacter pylori.
- It is anti-inflammatory, antioxidant and antimicrobial.
- It helps protect the cells from free radicals.
- It helps the skin be redeveloped.
- It prevents LDL cholesterol's oxiditation.
- It protects and cleanses the liver.
We inform you that we are not doctors but traders. What is written in our online store has a simple informative character and in no way replaces medical science. Always consult your doctor about your health issues.
