The dangers of the betel nut
Traveling through the far north of Thailand, I took the photo depicted in this story of one of the ladies belonging to the Akha hill tribe. Her fire red lips and red mouth inspired me to write the following story.
In retrospect, I came to the conclusion that Khun Peter previously wrote on the same subject (Chew betel nut). So you can see how versatile the topics of Thailandblog are. Both stories may complement each other somewhat on certain points and given the dangers that chewing the betel nut can cause, a second story certainly wouldn't hurt.
You will encounter them in abundance, especially among the hill tribes in the north and in rural Thailand, people with bright red lips and ditto mouth. Most take pride in it and see it as an embellishment to their appearance. The red color is the result of chewing on the so-called betel nut. These nuts, which are not actually nuts but the seed of the betel palm, are considered to be drupes, just like coconut. This palm tree with the Latin name Areca Catechu originally comes from Indonesia and can grow up to twenty meters high.
Addictive
The flesh of the little one betel nut is chewed together with burnt lime and sometimes with the addition of tobacco and certain herbs. Crushed shells, coral or limestone rocks serve as raw materials for the lime. To weaken the bitter taste of the betel, honey or sweet fruits can be added to the chewing mixture. Saliva and in particular the added calcium ensure a rapid absorption of the addictive substance arecilin. This substance stimulates the functioning of the central nervous system, giving the user a certain pleasant feeling. By chewing betel, a cheerful and relaxed feeling takes over him or her. Perhaps a bit comparable to the use of alcohol. It is said that all that chewing even produces an erotic feeling. The 'chew packs' are ready-made for sale in Thailand at certain places. As with tobacco smokers, there are many people who prefer their own mixture.
Betel nut
A warning
The regular user can be recognized immediately by red teeth, lips and mouth caused by the juices of the betel nut. Nevertheless, a word of warning is in order, because all that chewing is not only bad for the teeth, but also increases the risk of cancer in the mouth, esophagus and stomach. An increased heart rate, nausea and diarrhea are common side effects of this stimulant.
Nothing new under the sun
Betel chewing is not reserved for the Thai population, but occurs in large parts of Asia. The well-known Dutch merchants of the VOC (1602-1799) saw trade in it in addition to the spices, which formed the main part, and introduced the betel nut in Europe. The coffee shops in the Netherlands have rediscovered the betel nut and a number of them have included the stuff and the inevitable substance lime in their delivery program. Since time immemorial, millions of users of the betel nut can be found in Southeast Asia, especially in India, Pakistan and Indonesia, and annual sales run into the billions of dollars. In short, a widespread custom and extensive trade that cannot be eradicated quickly.
Alain Lauga / Shutterstock.com
Spitting prohibited
Over time, you'll be chewed out and spit out the stuff. A dirty red stain that is difficult to remove remains. Mainly for this reason, betel chewing is prohibited in many places. On one of my trips through Borneo I saw a poster in a restaurant with the text 'No spitting', which text was also indicated in Malay and Chinese. For the sake of clarity, the text also included the image of a spitting man with a red cross through it.
It made me laugh at the time, because who the hell spits on the floor while sitting in a restaurant? It has now become clear to me. If you are going to eat, you have to get rid of the 'betel prakkie' you are chewing. Compare it with the American uncivilized habit of sticking chewing gum to the underside of the tables.
Thanks for another article about betel. But not only in the countryside; as late as the 19th century, the people at court and the upper bourgeoisie also chewed on this stuff.
There are gold and silver betel sets in the museums that were not for, excusez le mot, 'the common people'. Priceless to them. The hotemetots kept servants who carried the betel box and in places where one could not deposit the phlegm on the ground it was 'stored in the spittoon….'.
This habit seems to have been abandoned among townspeople and people with a job and an income. It is also a bit difficult, such a toothless red mouth when you receive or serve a customer….. I do meet them here on the land, but they are very old people.
Increased risk of cancer sounds serious, but how does that compare to eating red meat, or breathing in worn-out rubber particles from car tires?
If the chance of cancer goes up from 1 per million, to 2 per million, I wouldn't worry too much about it, a lot of substances you come into contact with can cause cancer.
50 years ago there was also a sign “Do not spit” in the buses of the Belgian public transport. With us it was about juice from chewing tobacco. So quite similar. “Who the hell spit in a bus?” Funny, right !
It's a nice story. But I never heard of it being mixed with lime made from crushed shells or coral. How did the men in the mountains of Chiangmai Chiangrai and so on get those shells? And I see a lot of old people here in the north of Thailand who have been chewing betel nuts all their lives. So, as with so many things, the danger of cancer is greatly exaggerated.
According to some people, anything but apples will give you cancer. And yet we are getting older
I've looked into it some more. That 'chewing betel' consists of different ingredients, as you can see in the video below. Basic is the leaf of the climbing plant 'betel vine', which also has a stimulating effect. Pieces of the 'betel nut' (actually Areca nut) and various other things such as slaked lime, peppers and sometimes tobacco are then folded into it.
หมาก so make is the betel nut, better Areca nut, grows on a palm, they are next to my house.
พลู phloe: is the leaf of the betel vine creeper, I think what is called 'plue' in the article, so that is not the 'betel nut'.
You can't swallow the liquid after chewing, hence all that spit. My grandfather chewed tobacco and in his house there were spittoons that he often spit next to…
https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=J5dQdujL59Q
Betel cutting was also very popular in noble circles. King Chulalongkorn loved it and always had to whiten his teeth before traveling to Europe. Back then, betel was like drinking coffee with us: "Will you come and chew some betel with me later?"
It was Field Marshal Phibun Songkraam who, just before WWII, banned betel nut chewing as uncivilized (Only Europe was civilized and that deserved imitation). Funny to read how people then circumvented that ban….
That Phibun had more strange thoughts.
Not only his warm feelings for the ideas of wrong people during the Second World War, but before that war Thailand was deep in the opium trade and fortunes were made.
Because of that war, users switched to other substances such as kratom and due to loss of income, it was found necessary in 1943 to criminalize this tree.
Now everything can be said and thought about the reign of the past 4 years, but the legislation is now so far that the use of kratom as a cultural "heritage" will soon be legal again.
The future is less bright for the betel nut, as other resources are produced for younger users in Myanmar, among others.
my Thai ex-mother-in-law in Isaan did the same, but now it turns out, according to my daughter who visited there in December 2018, that she would have stopped doing that by now.
I have also seen the old woman and her neighbor friends often use it along with a white powder that I didn't know what it was until now.
a disgusting custom and especially when they spit out that “plum” and leave a nasty mess on the floor…
Quite a few Indians live in my apartment building in Brussels who stay there to work in IT. They also spit everywhere they can… I hung a note in the elevator myself and they understood it. They spit everywhere and used to be a lot with us. Now it is mainly the North Africans who spew the place. I don't know if they want to get rid of some stimulants...
In India and Pakistan a lot of “paan” is chewed. From high to low. Such a pea plum is quite large. A mouthful.
I quite like a 'normal' paan. However, in every city you can find vendors who add special ingredients.
Those pans are more expensive and usually not for sale to a foreigner,
I do own a (modern!!) silver “paandaan” (pan box) and a number of “couples” as the sellers and people at home also have. The use does not easily become a topic of conversation among foreigners. Only if it is clear that you already know everything…..
You can also buy “paan” as a brand in a can. nice yes! but not like fresh!
I also came across this when I was on New Guinea, all Papuans used this, especially in the small villages, where the ground was littered with the red juice that was spewed out. The main reason there was that you were less hungry, for the simple reason that there was not enough food.
Here at our residence, Thai women recommend betel nut paste to soothe the terrible itching of sand flies. A paste made from 'red lime' also has the same effect.
Thanks for explaining what it is.
The times I visited the family with my wife, I was always amazed by that filthy blood-like chewing and spitting. I made it clear to her that I would not accept that in our relationship and luckily she feels the same way. Mom-in-law chews and spits like she wants to. Our young son doesn't like it either and is also disgusted by grandma's behavior. I have already indicated that I find it disgusting and fortunately my mother-in-law takes it into account. All her teeth didn't like it either and have now left her. Strange ritual. I also have a lot of trouble with smokers, but I prefer that. Behavior that is destructive to health is difficult to eradicate, especially if the condition only becomes active after a longer period of time and there is some social commitment attached to it.
Cultural differences of course.
I am already 75 and remember that there used to be a sign on the bus saying “No spitting” so it hasn't been that long ago. Of course it wasn't by chewing begging nuts but by chewing tobacco. Connoisseurs of the Lucky Luck comics will undoubtedly know this too and in the US bars there are also spit jars for the juice of that chewing tobacco...