betel palm
Quick Summary
The betel palm (Areca catechu) is an Asian palm tree cultivated for its seed, known as the betel nut. The betel nut is the fourth most commonly used psychoactive drug globally, after nicotine, alcohol, and caffeine.12
A betel quid is made by wrapping a piece of betel nut in a betel pepper leaf with slaked lime. This mixture causes salivation and releases stimulating alkaloids. Betel chewing is addictive and can lead to mild euphoria, but it is also linked to serious health issues like oral and esophageal cancer. The practice results in red-stained saliva and can temporarily dye the mouth and lips. The betel palm itself has a slender trunk and large fronds, and its fruit contains the hard seed or nut.1
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