One Ingredient Natural Chewing Gum and Other Benefits of Spruce

Spruce Branch Sample Displaying Cones

Did you know that there is a natural gum that you can make easily using one ingredient found outside? Not only is it natural and chemical-free, but it also cleans your teeth as you chew! A much better option compared to the artificial gum which can give you cavities from the high sugar content. White spruce (Picea glauca) is a common Canadian tree, stretching all the way up to the arctic. It can grow from 40 to 60 ft in well drained areas, living from 200-300 years old.

The older, harder, and pink sap or pitch from spruce can or picked and eaten as a chewing gum. It is so safe that the indigenous people would give it to their children while picking berries. The juices and sap can be swallowed without worries. The sap is actually great for teeth health as it is antibacterial and helps remove plague all the while freshening the breath. In addition, the act of chewing can be calming and strengthen the jaw muscles. The young, clear spruce sap is more liquidy and hence more difficult to use as a chewing gum. However it can be used to soothe the skin, heal cuts and help prevent infection.

Besides the oral health properties, indigenous peoples believed that the spruce cones offered the most health benefits. It could be made into a tea to help eliminate colds and sore throats. Spruce has high vitamin C, so it is great at supporting the immune system. Spruce cones were sometimes boiled with the needles and the longer they boiled the more powerful the medicine. This tea is a great daily drink to support regular health upkeep.

How to Make Spruce Gum

Spruce gum can be made from white or black spruce, it depends on personal preference. You must first collect the dried sap in a bowl until you feel comfortable with the amount you have. Bring it home or to a camp site and pick out all the debris. The next step is to strain it; heat the sap up until it is melted, then strain it through a fine sieve. It may take a while for the sap to run, so you may want to let it slowly drip out while it is still hot.

Some people will let the sap drip through the sieve in the oven so it continues to maintain heat. The strained liquid can be poured into a mold and cut into bite sized pieces. The final step is to put corn starch on all the pieces to prevent them from sticking, then you’re done! Your very own homemade natural gum with only two common ingredients. When chewing, you should be constantly chewing to prevent the gum from clinging to your teeth; it’s much more sticky compared to store bought gum.