Betel nut, also known as Pinang or Areca nut, is the seed of the Betel Palm (Areca catechu). Betel nuts are often chewed for their intoxicating effects, which are caused by the relatively high levels of alkaloids in the seed. Chewing Betel nuts is an important and popular cultural activity in many Asian countries. It is also used as an offering in Hinduism.

Contents
1 Uses
     1.1 Betel chewing
     1.2 Other uses
2 Availability

3 Betel Nut Handmade Art
4 Active compounds
5 Effects on Health
    5.1 Carcinogenicity
    5.2 Teeth
    5.3 Habit-forming
    5.4 Other harmful effects
    5.5 Positive effects
6 Tradition
7 Structure
8 Modern day consumption



Uses

Dried and half-cut Betel nuts are given as gifts and offerings, while the betel nut powder is flavoured with spices and chewed for pleasure.

Betel chewing

Betel chewing is a part of many Asian and Pacific cultures and is often chewed 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 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.


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.

Availability

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Active compounds

The most important active principles of betel nut are arecaine and arecoline, alkaloids which are comparable to nicotine in its stimulating, mildly intoxicating and appetite-suppressing effects on the mind. It also contains the alkaloids arecaidine, arecolidine, guracine (guacine), guvacoline and a number of others that have not yet been studied extensively. When consumed on a regular basis betel chewing is likely to have harmful effects on health including cancers of the stomach and mouth and damage to gums.


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 [1], 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 28 times higher risk of acquiring oral cancer [2]. 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 [3]. However a british study reported in 2004 has tried to establish that there is a genetic angle to this. Betel-nut chewers with faulty gene have higher risk of mouth cancer .


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 the rotting of gums (leading to total removal of teeth) caused by betel chewing outweigh any positive effects.


Habit-forming

Betel chewing is addictive, and some practitioners consume vast quantities of the drug. 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. To explain the reason, it might contribute to the betel nuts chewing culture is widespread, people can get them quite easily at a very low price.


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, hypotension, and tachycardia'. 'Studies of Asian populations have linked pre-cancer conditions of the mouth and esophagus to betel use ("oral submucous fibrosis"). There may be a higher risk of cancers of the liver, mouth, 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.


Positive effects

MedlinePlus indicates 'poor-quality research' showing a possible beneficial effect for sufferers of anaemia during pregnancy. 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.

Tradition

Leaf-wrapped Betel Nuts, appearing as commonly prepared and sold in TaiwanBetel chewing is a tradition which dates back thousands of years. The bitter poultice is an acquired taste, and although it's 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.

The betel and betel nut play an important role in Vietnamese culture. The betel leaves and areca nuts are used ceremonially in traditional Vietnamese weddings. Based on a folk tale about the origins of these plants, the groom traditionally offer the bride's parents betel leaves and areca nuts (among other things) in exchange for the bride. The betel and areca are such important symbols of love and marriage such that in Vietnamese the phrase "matters of betel and areca" (chuy?n tr?u cau) is synonymous with marriage.


Structure

According to the botanical classification, the betelnut tree belongs to the same family as oil palm and talipot palm, the Arecaceae; however, their outer appearances are quite different. Oil palm and talipot palm are tall and mighty with thin and long leaves, looking like tall men; while the betelnut tree is thin and elegant, looking like a shy girl. Here is another story about betelnut: long, long ago, a Dai youth fell in love with a beautiful girl. The girl got lost and the young man looked for her everywhere. On his tough journey, he encountered a betelnut tree. He went to the betelnut tree to ask his love’s whereabouts. The betelnut tree raised its nose up and gave him coldly a disappointing answer. The young man was quite angry and he cursed the betelnut tree: “You will stand high and never grow thick and sturdy”. Many years have passed; until today, the betelnut tree is still so thin.


Modern day consumption