Yeah, I said it, and I meant it. We should all stop chewing on plastic. Did you know that almost all commercial gum found in stores contain loads of plastics?
The gum that have available in most stores, the gum that our children go crazy over, contains plastic as it's main base. Called gum base. And it is considered safe for human consumption because of the simple fact that gum is not meant to be swallowed. However we all have that one kid who chews and eats gum like it is candy. My 2 year old will eat an entire pack of bubble gum if allowed to. It's just so tasty !
Here is a closer look at just some of the ingredients used in gum base:
-Butadiene-styrene rubber
-Isobutylene-isoprene copolymer (butyl rubber)
-Paraffin
-Petroleum wax
-Polyethylene
-Polyvinyl acetate
Those do not sound like something I want to chew on, or have my children chew on daily. Sadly we do, the global chewing gum industry rakes in 16.5 BILLION dollars annually! That is completely insane.
Well, thats ok, because It is my hopes to maybe help bring back something a bit old fashioned ... Something a little better for you then chewing on plastics, something that feels good and tastes good! Something that was used originally in gum in the late 1800s, Spruce pitch !!
Spruce pitch was one of the very first resins used as a gum base, in fact, even before the commercialization of the chewing gum industry, spruce and pine pitch was used by regular people, spending time in the woods with their family members. Back then they would literally just pull pieces off the tree trunk and start chewing- a practice that still happens today.
One of the most common things I hear from people is that chewing raw spruce gum is a core childhood memory for them.
I love not only using spruce pitch, but also pine! Pine has such a soft golden hue to it and the scent it like no other. Together, the two saps make a wonderful combination. Every time I head out to the woods, I always taste test the liquid golden sap dripping down from the tree trunks. My kids also have all tried it too. That being said, chewing the raw sap doesn't quite hit the same as the gum that I make. Raw sap more sticky , very strong tasting and disolves quickly.
So what else does this natural handmade gum have over commercial chewing gum?
Besides the obvious ( plastic free) let's talk about the health benefits that spruce and pine pitch have for our mouths !
First and foremost, the best thing that I have learned about eating spruce gum is the fact that it helps clean your teeth like nothing else. Spruce and Pine pitch contains antibacterial properties that can help to fight against the bad bacteria in your teeth and gums, leaving your mouth feeling fresh and clean after every chew. Now, keep in mind, we are all accustomed to fresh and clean feeling that is made by mints. Spruce gum has none of that flavor. So do not be fooled just because something is minty, doesn't mean its going to clean, Its only giving you the short term illusion of clean... When it comes to chewing on something that actually has antibacterial and antiseptic properties, the clean feeling will not come from an artificial flavor like mint, it will come from the constituents actually doing their jobs and cleaning your mouth like a little undercover army scrubbing and cleaning away, and in the long run you'll have fresher breath, fresher gums and bad breath will get better!
Another great reason to chew pine/spruce gum, is that it is reusable! That can be good in the long run as it saves you money being able to chew the same piece for multiple days! One tin of gum can last 75 days if you chew one peice per 3 days. That's a huge cost savings! Especially for those that are habitual gum chewers like myself, or for those who need to chew long term to help to quit smoking.
Which brings me to my next point! Chewing a reusable gum like pine/spruce gum can potentially help you to quit smoking. The constant chewing motion can be helpful to take your mind off of needing a cigarette in your hand. It can keep your mouth and brain focused away from the cravings. But be careful, as chewing the gum can be an addition in itself !
Chewing this gum is great for power chewers, or those with weak jaw muscles. My jaw line has become very muscular since I started to chew, making my neck stronger as well. My jawline is more pronounced and the flabby fat under my chin has shrunk by 50% !! Another change I have noticed in my face is that my cheekbones are more visible now. It's almost like I am getting a free face lift!
Ok so let's talk about anxiety now. I. have. Anxiety. It's been a pain in my arse for years and due to this I have a terrible hand and finger picking habit. It is my bodys coping mechanism. Rather looking like an anxious ball of whatever you want to call it, I will hold my hand together and my fingers will pick the fingers hidden under one hand. Nobody can see, because it's hidden, but I am picking. Not picking skin away, I am poking my nails with my other in a repetitive motion. It's calming for the rest of my body. I can apear to be sitting completely still, all while poking at my fingers. It's years in the making and nothing has ever worked to curb the behavior.
Until now. I can chew my gum and my hands are now free! It's truly amazing to me. I can grow my nails now too. It's really been a game changer in my life.
These are just some of the reasons why I chew this gum daily, aside from the fact that's it's completely cleared up my gingivitis, this gum has had a profound affect on my life in a positive way, and I hope that it can help yours too.
The last thing that I wanted to talk about is the ingredients in my gum. And why I use them. In my gum there are 3 ingridients. I like to keep things simple for two reasons.
Life is hard enough, so the more simplicity we have in our lives, the better.
In order for others to be able, or want to make things for their own family, it has to stay basic! Too many ingedients or fancy things needed to make something good for you, the less interest people have.
So that's why I keep my products simple! My ingredients are:
Pine pitch
Spruce pitch
Natural local beeswax.
Now don't get too excited as I won't be sharing my exact recipe for the gum today-It took me alot of trying in order to find the perfect blend. But you can simple just play around with it until you make something that you like. The power is in your hands!! The reason why I use beeswax , is because the pitch alone makes a very hard, rock solid gum that shatters like glass in your mouth. I do not find that ideal. As it warms up, it comes together into a piece of gum, however! Pure pitch gum is HARD to chew and is really hard on the mouth. It scrapes and digs and hurts after a while.
So I like to add my beeswax, giving the final product the perfect combination of hardness and softness. It's a beautiful shatter, and then comes together into a nice textured gum that is soft enough to chew all day without sticking or being too hard. It also helps to stifle the overwhelming flavour of pure pitch, as alot of people truly can not chew something so bitter all day.
That being said, It did take me a while to make a recipe that did not stick like glue to your teeth. My first batches had the potential to make quite the mess if your mouth ran hot. Thankfully Those days are in the past now however, and I have come so far with the gum and its potential to be helpful to so many people!
I really do hope that you enjoyed my blog today about this amazing gum, and I hope that you learned a few new things from it! If you have made your own gum, or even purchased some of mine, let me know in the comments section about your experience!
And as always, with love,
From my family to yours !
#sprucegum #pinegum #sprucechewinggum #sprucepitch #pinepitch #naturalchewinggum #masticgum #organicgum #wildgum #healthygum
Kommentare