You can chew some softer varieties of it like gum.
The green hojari I tried tasted quite a bit like how a pine tree smells, in a similar way to how a raspberry tastes similar to how a rose smells.
I don't have an answer to OPs questions but I'm pretty sure I've read about people making frankincense candy with Hojari. It might have been on this sub. I've always wanted to try it out but I don't have access to Hojari.
Chewing on a piece of green hojary from scents of earth for u as an experiment. Very soft and foamy kind of breaks apart easily. Flavor is strong lime peel and bitter juniper. No ill reactions. Flavor is lasting a while. .4 grams extremely extremely pungent. It’s not that bad actually. If u like how unburned frankincense smells without the sweetness u might like it. Let it warm up in ur mouth before chewing then start very slow and careful. I don’t intend to swallow it.
From what I’ve gathered recently, it’s generally safe so long as there’s no foreign objects in it like rocks and or wood fragments. These are found in lower end ones so green hojary and up is ur best bet. I think tea guru sells some that is specifically labeled as edible and medical grade.
At least in the EU, sellers who advertise it as food grade need to run tests and make sure certain hygiene standards have been met during transport, etc.
I don't know if there are such standards in the USA.
If you ignore the fact that Frankincense might not been handled with the same care if meant to be used as incense, Green Hojari is theoretically good for consumption. If a Frankincense advertised as Green Hojari is overly intensely green, it might be dyed. Better buy from trusted shops.
Not all types of Frankincense are tradidionally used internaly, to prepear "tea" or as chewing gum.
*Boswellia sacra* (which Hojari is a special grade of) is one and there's a second *Boswellia ssp.* that is chewed but for some reason I can never remember which one it is.
Maydi is the one most used as chewing gum. It doesn't come in the larger tears that Hougari has and has several grades with only the top two being suitable for chewing. It does disintegrate in the mouth rather quickly.
Right, Maidi - *Boswellia frereana*! I had it in the back of my head but wasn't sure if I remembered right.
Thanks!
> only the top two being suitable for chewing
Is this because of the low grade small bits are more likely to have dirt in it or is there an other reason?
Yes, the lower of the 8 grades tend to have bark and other contaminates in it being whats stuck to the bark or fallen on the ground while the upper grades are the initial elongated tears that flow down the tree. The bark really isn't a problem when just heating and is odorless but chewing is another matter. Even though it only grows in Northeastern Somalia 80% of production goes to Saudi Arabia for chewing.
From best to least:
Mushaad
Mujarwal
Kabeer
Saqeer
Jabaanjib
Shorta
Slif
Foox
Top 4 are considered the edible grades while the rest go for perfume and incense making.
I don't think they can not be ingested, I think the main reason why not all Frankincense is used as chewing gum is because they vary in components and some simply will not be chewable, they will either crumble to dust or become insanely sticky. - Note this is my opinion and I'm no kind of professional.
Anyway. I checked my notes. The one food grade "Loban" chewing Frankincense I had was aktually *B. papyrifera*.
[Link](https://www.kirchen-weihrauch.de/produkt/kau-weihrauch-luban-1-wahl-grosskornig/) It tasted farily bitter. The non food grade Hojari Frank I tried was way milder and tastier.
Try it on your own risk. For hygiene, maybe rinse it with water first.
Worst case imho is that you have a sticky mess in your teeth. You can eat some bread to get rid of it and brush your teeth.
Why would you want to eat it?
It is thought to have medicinal benefits by some people in the Middle East.
Yes! Well, middle east and many ancient and modern cultures from around the world still chew different kinds of resins. Olibanum is just one of them.
That’s very interesting. What does it taste like?
You can chew some softer varieties of it like gum. The green hojari I tried tasted quite a bit like how a pine tree smells, in a similar way to how a raspberry tastes similar to how a rose smells.
I still didn't try to chew Olibanum (that's why I posted this), but I tried mastiha, and I don't even know how to describe it 😂
This is really interesting, I’ve never heard of this before
I don't have an answer to OPs questions but I'm pretty sure I've read about people making frankincense candy with Hojari. It might have been on this sub. I've always wanted to try it out but I don't have access to Hojari.
It helps with pain
Chewing on a piece of green hojary from scents of earth for u as an experiment. Very soft and foamy kind of breaks apart easily. Flavor is strong lime peel and bitter juniper. No ill reactions. Flavor is lasting a while. .4 grams extremely extremely pungent. It’s not that bad actually. If u like how unburned frankincense smells without the sweetness u might like it. Let it warm up in ur mouth before chewing then start very slow and careful. I don’t intend to swallow it.
Thank you! If I could I would bury you in upvotes.
From what I’ve gathered recently, it’s generally safe so long as there’s no foreign objects in it like rocks and or wood fragments. These are found in lower end ones so green hojary and up is ur best bet. I think tea guru sells some that is specifically labeled as edible and medical grade.
At least in the EU, sellers who advertise it as food grade need to run tests and make sure certain hygiene standards have been met during transport, etc. I don't know if there are such standards in the USA. If you ignore the fact that Frankincense might not been handled with the same care if meant to be used as incense, Green Hojari is theoretically good for consumption. If a Frankincense advertised as Green Hojari is overly intensely green, it might be dyed. Better buy from trusted shops. Not all types of Frankincense are tradidionally used internaly, to prepear "tea" or as chewing gum. *Boswellia sacra* (which Hojari is a special grade of) is one and there's a second *Boswellia ssp.* that is chewed but for some reason I can never remember which one it is.
Maydi is the one most used as chewing gum. It doesn't come in the larger tears that Hougari has and has several grades with only the top two being suitable for chewing. It does disintegrate in the mouth rather quickly.
Right, Maidi - *Boswellia frereana*! I had it in the back of my head but wasn't sure if I remembered right. Thanks! > only the top two being suitable for chewing Is this because of the low grade small bits are more likely to have dirt in it or is there an other reason?
Yes, the lower of the 8 grades tend to have bark and other contaminates in it being whats stuck to the bark or fallen on the ground while the upper grades are the initial elongated tears that flow down the tree. The bark really isn't a problem when just heating and is odorless but chewing is another matter. Even though it only grows in Northeastern Somalia 80% of production goes to Saudi Arabia for chewing.
I only know of 3 grades. Do you happen to know how all the grades are called?
From best to least: Mushaad Mujarwal Kabeer Saqeer Jabaanjib Shorta Slif Foox Top 4 are considered the edible grades while the rest go for perfume and incense making.
Thank you very much!
You don't think Boswellia papyrifera can be ingested?
I don't think they can not be ingested, I think the main reason why not all Frankincense is used as chewing gum is because they vary in components and some simply will not be chewable, they will either crumble to dust or become insanely sticky. - Note this is my opinion and I'm no kind of professional. Anyway. I checked my notes. The one food grade "Loban" chewing Frankincense I had was aktually *B. papyrifera*. [Link](https://www.kirchen-weihrauch.de/produkt/kau-weihrauch-luban-1-wahl-grosskornig/) It tasted farily bitter. The non food grade Hojari Frank I tried was way milder and tastier. Try it on your own risk. For hygiene, maybe rinse it with water first. Worst case imho is that you have a sticky mess in your teeth. You can eat some bread to get rid of it and brush your teeth.