For our ancient ancestors, gum ... the sapodilla tree — to stave off thirst and hunger as well as clean their teeth. Indeed, it was chicle that helped spur on our modern fixation with chewing ...

The ancient Mayan and Aztec people are believed to be the first groups to discover chewable resin from the bark of sapodilla ...

Swallowing chewing gum isn't really going to plant trees ... Ancient Mayans and Aztecs harvested resin from the Sapodilla tree. They would dry it into a 'cha', and chewed it to stave off hunger.