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Betel nut fruit hanging from the tree.

Betel nut, also known as Bettlenut, Paaku, Pinang, Areca nut or Cau in Vietnamese, Chalia in the Hindi language, Supari in Bengali language and Bīnláng in Taiwan, is the seed of the Betel palm (Areca catechu). Betel nuts can be chewed for their effects as a mildly euphoric stimulant, attributed to the presence of relatively high levels of psychoactive alkaloids. Chewing it increases the capacity to work, also causes a hot sensation in the body, heightened alertness and sweating. Chewing betel nuts is an important and popular cultural activity in many Asian countries.^{[citation needed]} It is also used as an offering in Hinduism. In East and North-east India, Betel nut is chewed with Paan (Betel leaf). Betel nut and betel leaves are different in chemical compositions. Betel nuts contain arecaidine and guacine whereas the betel leaf oil contains a number of terpeneols. Image File history File links Broom_icon. ... Image File history File links Download high resolution version (590x788, 117 KB) Summary Licensing File links The following pages link to this file: Betel nut ... Image File history File links Download high resolution version (590x788, 117 KB) Summary Licensing File links The following pages link to this file: Betel nut ... Hindi (हिन्दी) is a language spoken mainly in North and Central India. ... Bengali or Bangla (IPA: ) is an Indo-Aryan language of the eastern Indian subcontinent, evolved from the Magadhi Prakrit, Pāli and Sanskrit languages. ... Binomial name L. Areca catechu, known commonly as Betel palm or Betel nut tree or Pinang is a species of palm which grows in much of the tropical Pacific, Asia, and parts of east Africa. ... Binomial name Areca catechu L. Areca catechu, known commonly as Betel palm or Betel nut tree is a species of palm which grows in much of the tropical Pacific, Asia, and parts of east Africa. ... Chemical structure of ephedrine, a phenethylamine alkaloid An alkaloid is, strictly speaking, a naturally occurring amine produced by a plant,[1] but amines produced by animals and fungi are also called alkaloids. ... This article deals primarily or exclusively with the definition of Asian in English-speaking countries, mainly referring to immigrants or descendants of immigrants living therein. ... Hinduism (known as in modern Indian languages[1]) is a religious tradition[2] that originated in the Indian subcontinent. ... Betel pepper (Piper betle) vines Shopkeeper making Paan in an Indian store Paan, pan (in many Indic languages, हिन्दी : पान ), or beeda (in Tamil) is a type of Indian snack, which consists of fillings wrapped in a triangular package using leaves of the Betel pepper (Piper betle) and held together with a... Binomial name Piper betle L. The Betel (Piper betle) is a spice whose leaves have medicinal properties. ...

Uses

Photo of a ripe areca nut.

Image File history File links Metadata Size of this preview: 800 × 600 pixelsFull resolution (2048 × 1536 pixels, file size: 985 KB, MIME type: image/jpeg) File historyClick on a date/time to view the file as it appeared at that time. ... Image File history File links Metadata Size of this preview: 800 × 600 pixelsFull resolution (2048 × 1536 pixels, file size: 985 KB, MIME type: image/jpeg) File historyClick on a date/time to view the file as it appeared at that time. ...

Modern day consumption

In India (the largest consumer of betel nut), the betel nut is cut into small pieces using a special instrument called sarota, and the husk is wrapped in a "betel leaf" along with lime and may include clove, cardamom, catechu (kattha), etc. for extra flavouring. Betel leaf has a fresh, peppery taste, but, depending on the variety of betel pepper from which it comes, it can be very bitter. Experienced chewers might mix the betel nut with tobacco (the drug effect of the nicotine in tobacco resembles that of betel nut). This preparation of betel leaf with or without betel nut is commonly referred to as paan in India and Pakistan, and is available everywhere. It has been suggested that Portlandite be merged into this article or section. ... Binomial name (L.) Merrill & Perry A single dried clove flower bud Cloves (Syzygium aromaticum, syn. ... This article is about the herbs. ... Catechu is an extract of any of several species of Acacia—but especially Acacia catechu—produced by boiling the wood in water and evaporating the resulting brew. ... Binomial name Piper betle L. The Betel (Piper betle) is a spice whose leaves have medicinal properties. ... This article is about the chemical compound. ... Betel pepper (Piper betle) vines Shopkeeper making Paan in an Indian store Paan, pan (in many Indic languages, हिन्दी : पान ), or beeda (in Tamil) is a type of Indian snack, which consists of fillings wrapped in a triangular package using leaves of the Betel pepper (Piper betle) and held together with a...

Betel nut is also sold in ready-to-eat pouches called Pan Masala. It is a mixture of many spices whose primary base is betel nut crushed into very small pieces. Sometimes Pan Masala also includes a small quantity of tobacco; in this case, the product is called gutka. Gutka street vendor, India Gutka (also spelled gutkha, guttkha, guthka) is a preparation of crushed betel nut, tobacco, and sweet or savory flavorings. ...

Betel leaf is a different species of plant than the betel nut, and not in the areca family, but the Piper family (same as pepper and Kava). Binomial name Piper betle L. The Betel (Piper betle) is a spice whose leaves have medicinal properties. ... Binomial name L. Black pepper (Piper nigrum) is a flowering vine in the family Piperaceae, cultivated for its fruit, which is usually dried and used as a spice and seasoning. ... Binomial name G.Forst. ...

Tradition

Leaf-wrapped Betel Nuts, appearing as commonly prepared and sold in Taiwan

Betel chewing is a tradition which dates back thousands of years. The bitter poultice is an acquired taste, and, although it is not clear why the people of the Pacific originally began to chew betelnut, the habit has been passed down through the generations and now provides a cultural link to their past. Image File history File linksMetadata Betelnuttw. ... Image File history File linksMetadata Betelnuttw. ... A poultice is a soft moist mass, often heated and medicated, that is spread on cloth over the skin to treat an aching, inflamed, or painful part of the body. ...

The betel and betel juice play an important role in many countries including Myanmar (where it is called kunya), the Solomon Islands and Vietnam. The betel leaves and areca juices are used ceremonially in Vietnamese weddings. Betel leaves and areca juices start the talk between the groom's parents and the bride's parents about the young couple's marriage. The betel and areca are such important symbols of love and marriage that in Vietnamese the phrase "matters of betel and areca" (chuyện trầu cau) is synonymous with marriage. There is a folk tale explaining the origin of this Vietnamese tradition.[1] Binomial name Piper betle L. The Betel (Piper betle) is a spice whose leaves have medicinal properties. ...

In northeast India Betel leaves (pan) with a bit of lime and raw betel nut (called Tamul in Assamese, Sopari in Gujarati, and Kwai in Khasi) are consumed by a majority of the people. In Assam it is a tradition to offer Pan-tamul (Betel leaves and raw betel nut) to guests after tea or meals in a brass plate with stands called a Bota. In Assam betel nuts also have a variety of uses during religious and marriage ceremonies, where it takes on fertility symbolisms. It is also a tradition, especially in Upper Assam, to invite guests to wedding receptions by offering a few betel nuts with leaves. During Bihu, the husori players are offered betel nuts and leaves by each household and their blessings are solicited. Assamese ( ) (IPA: ) is a language spoken in the state of Assam in northeast India. ... Gujarati (ગુજરાતી GujÇŽrātÄ«; also known as Gujerati, Gujarathi, Guzratee, and Guujaratee[3]) is an Indo-Aryan language descending from Sanskrit, and part of the greater Indo-European language family. ... The Khasi are a tribe in Meghalaya, India and in parts of Bangladesh, who call themselves Hynniew trep (which means the seven huts in the Khasi language). ... Assam   (Assamese: অসম Ôxôm) is a north eastern state of India with its capital at Dispur, a part of Guwahati. ... Assam   (Assamese: অসম Ôxôm) is a north eastern state of India with its capital at Dispur, a part of Guwahati. ... Bihu is the most important (non-religious) festival of the Assamese culture and of the state of Assam which is situated in the northeastern region of India. ...

The city Guwahati (guwa betel nut; haat market-place in Assamese) in Assam is named after this nut. , Guwahati (Assamese: গুৱাহাটী) is a major city in eastern India, often considered as the gateway to the North-East Region (NER) of the country and is the largest city within the region. ... Assamese ( ) (IPA: ) is a language spoken in the state of Assam in northeast India. ... Assam   (Assamese: অসম Ôxôm) is a north eastern state of India with its capital at Dispur, a part of Guwahati. ...

Vernacular names

• Chamorro: pugua (Areca catechu), papulu (Piper betel), åfok (lime)

Betel chewing

Betel chewing is a part of many Asian and Pacific cultures and often takes place at ceremonies and gatherings, and preparation techniques vary from region to region. The nut is either slivered or grated, often flavoured with spices according to local tradition, and usually wrapped in a betel leaf (note that betel leaf comes from the betel pepper plant Piper betle, which is not botanically related to the Betel Palm), along with some lime (calcium oxide or calcium hydroxide) to better extract the alkaloids. Some people also chew tobacco with betel nut. After about 20 minutes of chewing, the fibrous residue which remains of the nut is spat on the street, where it remains visible due to its characteristic bright red pigment. Trails of bright red sputum lining the sidewalks are a sure indication of the popularity of betel chewing in an area. In Papua New Guinea and the Solomon Islands, fresh betel nut is sold on street corners, is chewed with a fresh leaf or 'fruit leaf' (daka in PNG) and mixed with lime. In these countries, dried or flavoured betel nut is not popular. Betel nut chewing has recently been introduced into Vanuatu where it is growing in popularity, especially in the northern islands of the country. In Guam, Betel nut (called Pugua' in the native Chamorro language) is a social pastime as a means to extend friendship, and can be found in many, if not most, large gatherings as part of the food display. Binomial name Piper betle L. The Betel (Piper betle) is a spice whose leaves have medicinal properties. ... Calcium oxide (CaO), commonly known as lime, quicklime or burnt lime, is a widely used chemical compound. ... Shredded tobacco leaf for pipe smoking Tobacco can also be pressed into plugs and sliced into flakes Tobacco is an agricultural product processed from the fresh leaves of plants in the genus Nicotiana. ... Natural Ultramarine pigment in powdered form. ... Chamorro (Chamoru in Chamorro) is the native language of the Chamorro or Chamoru of the Northern Mariana Islands and Guam. ...

Other uses

Powdered betel nut is used as a constituent in some tooth powders. Other medicinal uses include the removal of tapeworms and other intestinal parasites by swallowing a few teaspoons of powdered betel nut, or by taking tablets containing the extracted alkaloids. Modern toothpaste gel Toothpaste is a paste or gel used to clean and improve the aesthetic appearance and health of teeth. ... Orders Subclass Cestodaria Amphilinidea Gyrocotylidea Subclass Eucestoda Aporidea Caryophyllidea Cyclophyllidea Diphyllidea Lecanicephalidea Litobothridea Nippotaeniidea Proteocephalidea Pseudophyllidea Spathebothriidea Tetraphyllidea Trypanorhyncha In biology, Cestoda is the class of parasitic flatworms, called cestodes or tapeworms, that live in the digestive tract of vertebrates as adults and often in the bodies of various animals...

Availability

Shopkeeper making Paan in an Indian store

In South Asia, betel nuts are often chewed as an ingredient in a snack called Paan. Also popular in India is a concoction of ground (or thin sliced) betel nuts (supari), tobacco and flavourings known as gutka. The Shimoga District in Karnataka is the largest producer of betelnut in India. Download high resolution version (819x614, 178 KB)Shop keeper making Paan I, the creator of this image, hereby release it into the public domain. ... Download high resolution version (819x614, 178 KB)Shop keeper making Paan I, the creator of this image, hereby release it into the public domain. ... Map of South Asia (see note on Kashmir). ... Betel pepper (Piper betle) vines Shopkeeper making Paan in an Indian store Paan, pan (in many Indic languages, हिन्दी : पान ), or beeda (in Tamil) is a type of Indian snack, which consists of fillings wrapped in a triangular package using leaves of the Betel pepper (Piper betle) and held together with a... Gutka street vendor, India Gutka (also spelled gutkha, guttkha, guthka) is a preparation of crushed betel nut, tobacco, and sweet or savory flavorings. ... Shimoga District is in southern part of Karnataka state in India. ... , Karnataka (Kannada: , IPA:  ) is a state in the southern part of India. ...

In Taiwan, betel nuts are known as binlang. Bags of 20 to 40 betel nuts are purchased fresh daily by a large number of consumers. To meet the steady year-round demand, there exist two kinds of betel nut shops, each of which sells cigarettes and drinks including beer in addition to their primary purpose of supplying betel nuts. On one hand, there are small mom and pop shops that are often poorly maintained and often do not stand out from other stores nearby. On the other hand, the second provides a sight unique to Taiwan. Such a shop often consists of nothing more than a single free-standing room, or booth, elevated one meter above the street that measures less than 3 meters by 2 meters. Large picture windows comprise two or more of the walls, allowing those who pass by a complete view of the interior. The interior is often painted brightly. Within such a shop, a provocatively dressed young woman can be seen preparing betel nuts (see betel nut beauty). Shops are often identified by multicolored (commonly green) fluorescent tubes or neon lights that frame the windows or that are arranged radially above a store. Customers stop on the side of the road and wait for the girls to bring their betel nut to their vehicles. Betel nut fruit hanging from the tree. ... A small business may be defined as a business with a small number of employees. ... This article does not cite any references or sources. ... Fluorescent lamps in Shinbashi, Tokyo, Japan Assorted types of fluorescent lamps. ... A neon lamp is a gas discharge lamp containing neon gas at low pressure. ...

In the United States, betel nut is not a controlled or specially taxed substance and may be found in some Asian grocery stores. However, importation of betel in a form other than whole or carved kernels of nuts can be stopped at the discretion of US Customs officers on the grounds of food, agricultural, or medicinal drug violations. Such actions by Customs are very rare.

In the United Kingdom the betel nut is readily available in Asian grocery stores.

Effects on health

Carcinogenicity

The International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC) regards betel nut to be a known human carcinogen. In countries and communities where betel is consumed extensively, there are vastly higher levels of oral cancer [2], and in Asian countries where it is consumed, oral cancer forms up to 50% of malignant cancers. Betel nut chewers in Taiwan were found to have a twenty-eight times higher risk of acquiring oral cancer [3]. In addition, the mixing with chewing tobacco provides the same dangerous properties as normal chewing tobacco. Although a substantial proportion of the cancers are caused by the tobacco rather than the betel nut and leaves in the quid, according to WHO, betel chewing without tobacco also leads to cancer of the mouth [4]. A British study reported in 2004 has tried to establish that there is a genetic aspect to this. Betel-nut chewers with faulty gene have higher risk of mouth cancer . The International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC, or CIRC in its French acronym) is an intergovernmental agency forming part of the World Health Organisation of the United Nations. ... The hazard symbol for carcinogenic chemicals in the Globally Harmonized System. ... Look up who in Wiktionary, the free dictionary. ...

Teeth

Regular betel chewing causes the teeth and gums to be stained red. It is believed to reduce the incidence of cavities, and toothpastes were once produced containing betel extracts. However, the increase in mouth ulcers and gum deterioration (leading to total loss of teeth) caused by betel chewing outweigh any positive effects.

Habit-forming

Betel chewing is addictive, and some practitioners consume vast quantities. There is some alarming news released from the BHP (Bureau of Health Promotion) which shows that the habit of betel nut chewing is entering younger age groups and spreading across different professions^{[citation needed]}.

The government of Pakistan has ruled that packets of betel nut must carry health warnings similar to those on cigarette packs, reports Asiaweek magazine. The magazine notes that millions of people in southern Asia are addicted to pan masala, a mixture of betel nut and various oils and other ingredients wrapped in a betel leaf. This is meant to be chewed. India had already placed warnings on packets of betel nut because of a reported link with cancer of the mouth. Children have also been known to choke to death on betel nut. Pakistan’s new laws will forbid the selling of betel nut to children under five years of age.^{[citation needed]} At one stage during the early 2000 period betel nut was being offered in nightclubs in S.E Australia at an alarming rate. Prices ranged from $1-2 per nut. Its street name is "hurry".

Other harmful effects

According to Medline Plus, "Long-term use has been associated with oral submucous fibrosis (OSF), pre-cancerous oral lesions and squamous cell carcinoma. Acute effects of betel chewing include asthma exacerbation, hypertension, and tachycardia. There may be a higher risk of cancers of the liver, mouth, esophagus, stomach, prostate, cervix, and lung with regular betel use. Other effects can include a possible effect on blood sugar levels, possibly increasing the risk of type 2 diabetes. Biopsy of a highly differentiated squamous cell carcinoma of the mouth. ... For other forms of hypertension, see Hypertension (disambiguation). ... This article or section does not cite any references or sources. ... In medicine, blood sugar is a term used to refer to levels of glucose in the blood. ... This article is about the disease that features high blood sugar. ...

When done regularly, betel chewing is considered likely to have harmful effects on health including cancers of the stomach and mouth and damage to gums. Whether this is due to, or exacerbated by, lime being used in betel preparations and the addition of tobacco (in the case of gutka) or other impurities is open to question. It is well known in betel consuming countries that various items, such as opiates and tobacco, can be added to betel preparations to increase the addictive properties, and thus to bolster sales. Lye is a caustic solution used for glass and soap making. ... An opioid is any agent that binds to opioid receptors found principally in the central nervous system and gastrointestinal tract. ...

Very few studies exist of the use of a "pure" paan preparation: betel nut, betel leaf, and lime, and fewer studies exist of betel nut alone.

Medical literature at this stage (even though highly anecdotal) seems to indicate that regular, addiction-driven use (for example, eight pinches a day) of betel nut in the preparations popular in India, Pakistan, New Guinea, and Taiwan can be harmful. Regarding the preparation methods used in Vietnam and Guam, and regarding occasional usage, there seems to be no strong indication one way or another.

Betal Nuts are known to be a high anti-thiamine factor.

Positive effects

MedlinePlus indicates "poor-quality research" showing a possible beneficial effect for sufferers of anaemia during pregnancy.^{[citation needed]} However, it counsels against betel nut chewing due a possible risk of spontaneous abortions. It also indicates "poor-quality studies" showing a possible beneficial effect on schizophrenia and for stroke recovery. This article discusses the medical condition. ... This article is about human pregnancy in biological females. ...

Structure

According to the botanical classification, the betelnut tree belongs to the same family as oil palm and talipot palm, the Arecaceae, but their outer appearances are quite different. Species Elaeis guineensis Elaeis oleifera The oil palms (Elaeis) coomprise two species of the Arecaceae, or palm family. ... Binomial name Corypha umbraculifera L. The Talipot palm (Corypha umbraculifera) is one of the largest species of palm tree in the world. ... Genera Many; see list of Arecaceae genera Arecaceae or Palmae (also known by the name Palmaceae, which is taxonomically invalid. ...

See also

• Arecoline- main psychoactive alkaloid
• Areca catechu
• Betel nut beauty
• Jatropha incentives in India

Arecoline is an alkaloid-type natural product found in betel nuts from the betel palm (Areca catechu). ... Binomial name Areca catechu L. Areca catechu, known commonly as Betel palm or Betel nut tree is a species of palm which grows in much of the tropical Pacific, Asia, and parts of east Africa. ... This article does not cite any references or sources. ... Jatropha plant cultivation and subsequent production of bio-fuel is a crucial part of Indias plan to attain energy sustainability. ...

External links

• Areca Nut, Betel Nut, Pinang as a commodity traded in India
• Indian states ban some betel nut products for health reasons.
• Betel nut: an essay
• Palm-Nut Problem: Asian chewing habit linked to oral cancer
• Erowid
• Information on betel nut and many photos of the tree and the nut itself