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Betel Quid Chewing
Betel nut chewing, also called betel quid chewing or areca nut chewing, is a practice in which areca nuts (also called "betel nuts") are chewed together with slaked lime and betel leaves for their stimulant and narcotic effects, the primary psychoactive compound being arecoline. The practice is widespread in Southeast Asia, Micronesia, Island Melanesia, and South Asia. It is also found among both Han Chinese immigrants and indigenous peoples of Taiwan, Madagascar, and parts of southern China. It was introduced to the Caribbean in colonial times. The preparation combining the areca nut, slaked lime, and betel (Piper betle) leaves is known as a betel quid (also called ''paan'' or ''pan'' in South Asia), but the exact composition of the mixture varies geographically. It can sometimes include other substances for flavoring and to freshen the breath, like coconut, Date palm, dates, sugar, menthol, saffron, cloves, aniseed, cardamom, and many others. The areca nut can be replaced ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Betel 1
Betel (''Piper betle'') is a species of flowering plant in the pepper family Piperaceae, native to Southeast Asia. It is an evergreen, dioecious vine, with glossy heart-shaped leaves and white catkins. Betel plants are cultivated for their leaves which are most commonly used as flavoring for chewing areca nut in so-called ''betel quid'' (often confusingly referred to as "betel nut"), which is toxic and is associated with a wide range of serious health conditions. Etymology The term wikt:betel, betel was derived from the Malayalam language, Malayalam/Tamil word ''vettila'' via Portuguese. Distribution ''Piper betle'' is originally native to Southeast Asia, from India, Philippines, Timor-Leste and Indonesia and Peninsular Malaysia to Indochina, Vietnam, Cambodia, Laos, Thailand, and Myanmar. Its cultivation has spread along with the Austronesian expansion, Austronesian migrations and Austronesian maritime trade network, trade to other parts of Island Southeast Asia, Papua New Gui ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
