Areca nut

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Betel nut & powder2

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The areca nut is the seed of the areca palm (also known as the betel palm), which grows in much of the tropical Pacific, Southeast and South Asia, and parts of East Africa. It is commonly referred to as betel nut, as it is often chewed wrapped in betel leaves.

Description and Uses

The areca nut is not a true nut but rather a drupe. It is commercially available in dried, cured, and fresh forms. While fresh, the husk is green and the nut inside is soft enough to be cut with a typical knife. In the ripe fruit, the husk becomes yellow or orange, and as it dries, the fruit inside hardens to a wood-like consistency.

Chewing the areca nut and betel leaf is a tradition, custom, or ritual which dates back thousands of years from South Asia to the Pacific. Areca nuts are chewed with betel leaf for their effects as a mild stimulant, causing a warming sensation in the body and slightly heightened alertness, although the effects vary from person to person.

The areca nut contains the tannins arecatannin and gallic acid; a fixed oil gum; a little terpineol; lignin; various saline substances; and three main alkaloids: arecoline, arecaidine, and guvacine, all of which have vasoconstricting properties. The betel leaf chewed along with the nut contains eugenol, another vasoconstrictor. Tobacco leaf is often added to the mixture, thereby adding the effect of nicotine.

Health Effects

While it may have traditional uses, the areca nut is harmful to health and its use is linked to a number of serious illnesses including oral and esophageal cancer. The International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC) has classified betel quid and areca nut, with or without tobacco, as carcinogenic to humans.

Cultivation and Production

Areca nut palm trees are grown in the tropical Pacific, Asia, and parts of east Africa. India is the largest producer of areca nut and at the same time largest consumer also.

Cultural Significance

In many Asian and Pacific cultures, the areca nut is deeply ingrained into the community's traditions and ceremonies. The nut is used in the Hindu religious ritual of puja and weddings.

References

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See Also

• Betel
• Areca catechu
• Oral cancer

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