Friday, October 3, 2025

BETEL NUT [Areca nut]

 BETEL NUT   [Areca nut]

A very common item among Indians of all cultural shades –being the primary accompaniment of betel leaves liberally chewed [often as a habitual munch] and in western India, Chewing has amplified into a grand effort of using different additives based on betel nut variedly processed to confer a certain degree of flavor and thrill to the very act of chewing.

 Too often ‘the chew’ is made complex by using tobacco shreds or amalgams with several additives.

Irrespective of the version of ‘chew’ it is betel nut a regular ingredient next only to the betel leaf. Betel nut is botanically named Areca catechu      Large territories of land are availed of to raise Areca plantations.

 Fruits are harvested, de-husked and seeds  cut to pieces before further processing with added flavor to make chewing a pleasurable act.     

Areca nuts have tannins and alkaloids .Tannins are ‘areca tannins’. Procycandins  are condensed tannins. Alkaloids are  Arecadines and Arecolines that can render a mild sense of intoxication upon chewing the nut.

The habituation [addiction] to chewing is more due to tobacco components and prolonged addiction can cause sub-mucosal fibrosis that can potentially amplify into malignancy –oral cancer.

Betel chewing [without tobacco] is said to help digestion and so, a regulated approach to betel chewing is said to be a positive help.     

******************************************************************

1 comment:

  1. அதோட பாக்கு துவர்ப்பு சுவை இருக்கறதால இரத்தம் ஊர்வதற்கும் உதவியாக இருக்கும். மேலும் சுகர் குறைவதற்கும் ஒரு உதவியாக இருப்பதாக சொல்வதுண்டு. மேலும் நமது சாப்பாட்டில் இந்த சுவையை அதிகம் சேர்த்துக் கொள்வதில்லை. அந்த குறையை பாக்கு நீக்குகிறது.

    லக்ஷ்மணன் கண்ணன்

    ReplyDelete

GOOD- BUT LESS KNOWN -12

  GOOD- BUT LESS KNOWN -12 நல்ல ஆனால் அறியப்படாதவை-12                         I do not wish to say anything . Please listen and drawyo...