The areca palm tree produces a tiny, hard nut that is eaten by combining slices of the nut with lime, tobacco, and spices and wrapping the entire thing in a betel leaf.
This is not eaten, but rather pressed against the cheek and chewed gently to allow the juices to flow.
- Its most popular name, pan (“drinking”), comes from this technique of progressively absorbing the juice.
- The nut gives the spit a brilliant red hue, which is why many Indian structures have unique crimson stains.
In a nation where intestinal disturbances are still prevalent, chewing betel is generally thought to be beneficial to the digestive system, which is a legitimate worry.
- Folding betel is one of the sixty-four skills described in the Kama Sutra, and chewing betel is such a deeply entrenched part of sophisticated Indian cultural life that it even has its own aesthetic.
You may also want to read more about Hinduism here.
Be sure to check out my writings on religion here.
