Description

Betel nut is a combination of three ingredients. People roll small pieces of the nut from Areca catechu, more commonly called betel palm, in a leaf from the Piper betel vine, then add powdered slaked lime or limestone paste, and chew it. The substance is popular in certain parts of the world, primarily Asia and Africa, as a recreational drug due to its psychoactive and stimulant effects. Some components of betel nut have pharmacological properties, but little evidence supports its use for any therapeutic purpose, according to the U.S. National Institutes of Health. Additionally, betel nut use can worsen high or low blood pressure and irregular heart rate, as well as asthma. Chronic use may increase t
he risk of certain cancers. The NIH notes that toxic effects of betel nut may outweigh any possible benefits.