Mastic
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? Mastic |
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 Mastic foliage and
flowers
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| Pistacia
lentiscus L. |
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Mastic (Pistacia lentiscus) is an evergreen shrub or small tree growing to 3-4 m tall, native to the Mediterranean region from Morocco and Iberia east to Turkey.
A hard, brittle, transparent resin, also known as mastic, is obtained from the tree. The resin is collected by bleeding from small cuts made in the bark. When chewed, the resin becomes bright white and opaque.
Mastic resin is a relatively expensive kind of spice, used in liquors ( mastica alcoholic drink) and chewing gum pastiles. It is also a key ingredient in dondurma, a Turkish ice cream, and Turkish puddings granting that confection its unusual texture and bright whiteness. It was the Sultan's privilege to chew mastic, and it was considered to have healing properties. Mastic is also used for pastry making, drinks, baked goods, chewing gum, cosmetics such as toothpaste, lotions for the hair and skin and perfumes.
The best period for harvesting is July and August. After the mastic is collected it is spread out to dry while it is washed manually.
The best qualities grow in the Greek island of Chios in the Aegean Sea, where it is also known by the name "Chios Tears". People in the Mediterranean region have used mastic as a medicine for gastrointestinal ailments for several thousand years. The first century Greek physician and botanist Dioscorides wrote about the medicinal properties of mastic in his classic treatise De Materia Medica ("About Medical Substances").
Within the European Union, Chios Mastic production is granted protected designation of origin (PDO) and a protected geographical indication (PGI) name. The 'Mastichohoria' (mastic-producing villages) are located in the southern part of Chios.
In recent years, university researchers have provided the scientific evidence for the medicinal properties of mastic. A 1985 study by the University of Thessaloniki discovered that mastic can reduce bacterial plaque in the mouth by 41.5 percent. A 1998 study by the University of Athens found that mastic oil has antibacterial and anti-fungal properties. Another 1998 University of Nottingham study published in the New England Journal of Medicine found that mastic can heal peptic ulcers.
Apart from its medicinal properties and culinary uses, it is also used in cosmetics and high grade varnish.