Betel 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 practice is widespread in Southeast Asia, Micronesia, Island Melanesia, and South Asia. It is also found among the indigenous peoples of Taiwan, Madagascar and parts of southern China. It has also been introduced to the Caribbean in colonial times. The preparation combining the areca nut, slaked lime, and betel leaves is known as a betel quid (also called ''paan'' or ''pan'' in South Asia). 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 itself can be replaced with or chewed with tobacco, and the betel leaves can be excluded altogether. The preparation is not swallowed, but is spat out afterwards. I ...
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