Probably more than once a week, you take a delicious chewing gum, but you have never wondered exactly what you are eating or where it originates from, despite chewing it so naturally. Since ancient times, before our era, archaeologists have found records that in Greece and Egypt, they already chewed the resin of some trees for medicinal purposes. But the truth is that the origin of modern chewing gum is located in one of the civilizations that inhabited and dominated a large part of the American territory. It was the Mayans who, after a simple process, obtained a chewable rubber that they used for various reasons.
If you travel to the Riviera Maya, a paradisiacal region of the Mexican Caribbean, where the beauty is stirring in absolutely every aspect, you will notice that there is an abundance of trees there known as Chicozapote, a key element for the production of chewing gum that grows amidst the dense and exotic tropical vegetation of Yucatan, the state of Quintana Roo, and some other sites in Mexico and Central America.
The natives of these lands would make cuts on the trunks of these plants in a zig-zag pattern, causing the resin to flow to the surface. This resin was collected and, through a drying process, created a chewable material they used for hygiene purposes, that is, cleansing the teeth through chewing. It is also said that it was consumed in fasting rituals to suppress hunger. What is certain is that it was this ancient culture that took the fundamental step to allow us to enjoy this sweet treat today.
It should be clarified that the different flavors we know today and the sweetness of chewing gum are the result of a modern production process. None of this was part of the ancient “sicte,” the name given by the Mayans to this gum, which they consumed without the characteristics we know today.
What is certain is that chewing gum, the popular sweet of Mayan origin, reached the hands of Adams, a North-American photographer who, after failing in his attempt to create an elastic and resistant material, decided to sell this paste as a dental hygiene product. Within a few years, its popularity grew significantly, and sweeteners and flavorings began to be added to this new treat introduced to the market. Today, the whole world enjoys this chewable delight that comes in many flavors and shapes.
It is incredible how many things we don’t know about the peoples who inhabited these lands before the arrival of the Spaniards. You can discover more secrets in the beautiful Riviera Maya, a place where culture and nature blend to offer tourists unparalleled alternatives for spending the best days of their lives. Many more secrets and legends of the pre-Hispanic world await you in this true tropical paradise. Travel and discover every one of its charms!
Portuguese Versión: O chiclete: um popular doce de origem Maya
