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.
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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.
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