Bloated After Every Meal? Greeks Have Chewed This Tree Resin for Digestion for Centuries. Now the Studies Are In.
You've tried the probiotics, the powders and the elimination diets. Here's the one-ingredient resin from Chios, Greece that Europe's medicines regulator lists for indigestion, and what the research found on bloating, digestion and H. pylori.
The tight waistband an hour after lunch. The heavy, full feeling that hangs around all afternoon. The heartburn that shows up right when you lie down.
Gut health has turned into a whole aisle of powders, capsules and pricey drinks. Most of them ask you to add something new to your day, mix it, measure it, remember it.
On the Greek island of Chios, people have done something much simpler for centuries: they chew a small piece of tree resin after meals. Modern researchers have now put that habit to the test.
What the digestion studies found
Source: Dabos et al., J Ethnopharmacol 2010
In a 2025 clinical trial, Mastiha capsules significantly reduced upper-stomach bloating, burning and heartburn in people with indigestion.
Stomach pain, dull upper-abdominal ache and heartburn all improved significantly on Chios mastic vs placebo.
Listed by the European Medicines Agency as a traditional herbal medicine for mild indigestion.
In a 6-month, 3-country placebo-controlled trial of 98 people, Mastiha shifted the makeup of the gut microbiome and lowered an inflammatory gut bacterium.
The stomach bacteria story that started in 1998
Up to half of adults worldwide carry H. pylori, a stomach bacterium. Mastic's link to it first appeared in the New England Journal of Medicine in 1998, and researchers have kept studying it since.
"Mastic gum kills Helicobacter pylori." The title of the first report, published in the NEJM.
In a 2010 randomized pilot study, mastic alone cleared H. pylori in 5 of 13 people on the higher dose, with no serious side effects. Standard triple therapy cleared 10 of 13.
A mastic extract cut H. pylori colonization about 30-fold in mice over 3 months. Researchers traced the effect to mastic's natural triterpenic acids.
If you live with a diagnosed gut condition, read this
Crohn's, colitis, IBS, SIBO, reflux. If you've been told to "manage it," you've probably tried more than most people ever will. Researchers in Greece have run studies on mastic in people with inflammatory bowel disease.
In a 4-week pilot in people with active Crohn's disease, the Crohn's activity score fell from 222.9 to 136.3 on mastic capsules, and inflammation markers IL-6 and CRP dropped too.
In a 3-month double-blind, placebo-controlled trial of 60 people with IBD, the Mastiha group's IBD quality-of-life score improved, and two gut inflammation markers fell.
No powders. No pills. Just chew.
- Warm it. Hold a piece in your mouth for 20 to 30 seconds. It softens instead of crumbling.
- Chew it after meals, or first thing in the morning before your first meal.
- Keep it. Back in the tin between sessions. One piece lasts for days.
| Typical gut routine | Gum of Gods | |
|---|---|---|
| Form | Powders and pills | One piece of resin |
| Prep | Mixed, measured, swallowed | Just chew |
| Ingredients | Blends, fillers, flavors | Chios mastic resin, that's it |
| Research | Often none on the product | 90+ published studies on Chios mastic |
| Pack | Tubs and bottles | Reusable pocket tin |
Digestive, H. pylori and IBD studies used mastic taken by mouth (capsules, powder or extract), not chewed gum. See all the studies.
What chewers say
"Not going to lie, this chios mastic gum is actually legit. It definitely provides an adequate jaw workout/stimulus, and it's good especially for walking or driving. However, I've noticed its positive effects on the gut in realtime - I believe it's truly helped with my digestion."
Ashwin G., verified buyer, Classic Pack"I really enjoy this product and am ordering a bunch for the third time. It has helped with digestion overall and my jawline is legitimate."
Verified buyer"Exactly what I wanted. A clean gum without strange chemicals and fake sugars. I am feeling pretty good about myself for this great find!"
Dawn L., verified buyer, Peppermint Pack"Never far from me! I practice clean intermittent fasting... GOG is perfect- no flavor, nothing artificial, long lasting, and satisfyingly tough."
Jessica C., verified buyer, Classic PackReviews from verified buyers on gumofgods.us (Loox).
Get the 3-month plan →Your questions, answered straight
When should I chew it?
After meals, or in the morning before your first meal. Many people keep one piece going through the afternoon too.
Is it a supplement?
No. It's raw mastic resin from the mastic trees of Chios, Greece, chewed like gum. The Classic Pack has one ingredient.
What does it taste like?
Fresh, woody and a little like pine. If plain resin sounds intense, Peppermint or Maple give it a softer start.
I have a diagnosed gut condition. Can I chew it?
Most people can, but check with your doctor first, especially if you're pregnant, nursing or on medication. Start with one piece after a meal.
Isn't $38.99 a month a lot for gum?
One piece lasts far longer than a stick of regular gum, and you can rinse and reuse it. On the 3-month plan it works out to about $1.30 a day, and you get free gifts worth $114 with it.
Am I stuck in a subscription?
No. Cancel anytime. Questions? Call or text us at +1 (610) 549-4668.
The 3-Month Plan
- 4 free gifts worth $114 with your first order
- Prefer monthly? 25% off ($44.99/mo) + $64 in gifts (tin + The Art of Mastiha)
- Real Chios mastic, one ingredient
- Choose Classic, Peppermint, Maple or Premium
- Cancel anytime
*These statements have not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration. This product is not intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any disease. Digestive, H. pylori and IBD studies used oral mastic (capsules, powder or extract), not chewed gum. Individual results vary.