Why do Vietnamese people eat tree resin?
At first glance, you might think this Vietnamese person is collecting latex from a rubber tree. But in fact, they’re harvesting a rare natural resin secreted from the trunk of the Sterculia urens tree. To collect it, locals use a special tool to make small holes in the bark, then attach recycled plastic bottles to catch each drop. The clear resin slowly drips out and gradually solidifies inside the bottle, looking like translucent jelly.
Afterward, they carefully pull the resin out by hand or with scissors, then dry it under gentle sunlight until it becomes hard and brittle. The dried resin is then cut into small pieces, sorted, and packaged for sale. When soaked in water, Sterculia urens resin expands into transparent, jelly-like chunks that feel cool and refreshing.
This resin is rich in fiber and plant-based polysaccharides, helping to detoxify the body, cool the liver, and aid digestion. Thanks to its high nutritional and economic value, Sterculia urens resin has become a unique specialty of Vietnam.
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