In Greece it is known as the "tears of Chios," being traditionally produced on that Greek island, and, like other natural resins is produced in "tears" or droplets.
Originally liquid, it is sun-dried into drops of hard brittle translucent resin.
When chewed, the resin softens and becomes a bright white and opaque gum.
The flavor is bitter at first, but after chewing releases a refreshing, slightly piney or cedar flavor.
The word mastic derives from the Greek verb mastichein "to gnash the teeth", origin of the English word masticate.
The word for mastic is a synonym for "gum" in many languages.
Mastic has been used as a medicine since antiquity and is still used in traditional folk medicine of the Middle East.
In Ancient Greece it was given as a remedy for snakebite, and in India and Persia was used to fill dental cavities.
The first century Greek physician Pedanius Dioscorides mentions the healing properties of mastic in his book De Materia Medica.
Hippocrates wrote that the mastic is good for prevention of digestive problems and colds and Galenus suggested mastic was useful for bronchitis and improving the condition of the blood.
For more everyday applications, mastic was highly valued in medieval times by sultans' harems, as a breath freshener and tooth whitener.
Mastic contains antioxidants, and also has antibacterial and antifungal properties.
Mastic may also have some value in preventing tooth decay and gingevitis as chewing mastic reduces oral bacteria levels.
Regular consumption of mastic has been proven to absorb cholesterol, thus easing high blood pressure and reduce the risk of heart attacks.
Mastic oil is widely used in the preparation of ointments for skin disorders and afflictions.
It is also used in the manufacture of adhesive bandages.
Mastic is used in ice cream, sauces and seasoning in Lebanon.
In Egypt mastic is used in the preparation of different vegetable preserves, as well as jams with a gummy consistency, and in meats and soups. In Morocco, mastic is used in the preparation of smoked foods.
In Turkey mastic is widely used in desserts such as Turkish Delight, dondurma, puddings, salep, soft drinks and in the preparation of Turkish Coffee on the Aegean Coast.
In the Maghreb countries mastic is used mainly for cakes, sweets, pastries, and as a stabiliser in meringue and nougat.
In Greece mastic is used to prepare mastic liqueurs, a spoon sweet known as "vanilla", beverages, chewing gum, cakes, pastries, sweets, desserts, breads, and in cheese production.
It is also a binding material or material preparation stabilizer for oriental sweets or mastic gum ice cream, and is suitable for preparing a pudding.
In desserts, as an ingredient of jam or cakes, mastic is used to replace cornstarch and gelatin.
It can also be used to stabilize ice creams.