Modern chewing gum was originally made from the sap of the sapodilla tree.

The sapodilla tree, or Manilcara zapota, produces a natural latex known as chicle. For over 1,000 years, the Maya and Aztecs harvested this substance by making zig-zag cuts in the bark and collecting the dripping resin. They used it to quench thirst, clean teeth, and stave off hunger. In the mid-19th century, former Mexican President Antonio López de Santa Anna brought chicle to New York, hoping to sell it as a rubber substitute.Santa Anna teamed up with inventor Thomas Adams to create a rubber alternative for tires. When those experiments failed, Adams realized the material was better suited for chewing. In 1871, he patented a machine to mass-produce chicle-based gum, leading to the creation of 'Adams New York No. 1.' This product revolutionized the market because chicle was more elastic and held sugar better than the paraffin wax gums used at the time.By the early 20th century, companies like Wrigley's and Beech-Nut were using massive amounts of chicle imported from Mexico and Belize. However, the high demand eventually led to over-tapping and the decline of the wild sapodilla forests. Following World War II, the industry shifted toward synthetic bases like polyethylene and polyvinyl acetate, which are cheaper and more consistent. Today, while most commercial gums are plastic-based, some organic brands still use traditional harvested chicle.