Chewing gum is one of the oldest sweets known to man beginning as a chewy tree sap from the Mastiche trees of ancient Greece. Across the world even the Mayans of South America liked chewy treats. It was in the 1800s that entrepreneur John Curtis introduced chewing gum to the US with his small sticks of "Maine Pure Spruce Gum."
Chewing gum has its own benefits. In fact, during the World War I soldiers were given gum to relieve stress and improve concentration. Today, chewing gum even helps to keep your teeth healthy with antibacterial agents.
The first chewing gums
The original sap based gums were replaced by gums made from paraffin wax, the same stuff used to make candles. Then, was it like chewing candles? No, sugar was added to these gums to give it an added sweetness. But the problem was that these gums were not chewy enough. The solution - Chicle, a natural rubber sap from the Sapodilla tree of Central America. This gave the gum the chewy feel. Chicle was later popularized by General Santa Anna.
The original sap based gums were replaced by gums made from paraffin wax, the same stuff used to make candles.
Comment on the questions:
Did ancient folks like chewing?
What similarity do candles and gums have?
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