Hainan province
produces 99% of areca nut produced in China and rest is produced in Yunnan, Guangdong,
Guangxi, Fujian provinces. A systematic monoculture plantation of areca nut is
found in Hainan province. Green immature areca nuts of size 3-5 cm long (perhaps 4-5 months’ maturity) are
harvested, and individual nuts are separated from the bunch. These fresh whole
areca nuts without removing the husk are dried and stored for consumption. At
present, there are two methods for drying betel nut: one is to place the fresh
betel nut fruit in the oven, and directly burn and fumigate it with wood chips
to make black fruit. Other method is to dry them in the dryer with circulation
of smoke obtained by burning briquettes. These charred areca nuts are split
into two pieces and flavored with various spices and mint along with
sweeteners and sold in packets.
Main markets are Hunan, Hainan, Hubei, Guangxi and Taiwan. The proportion of Hunanese chewing betel nut reaches 38.42%, among which the proportion of people aged 30 to 40 is as high as 50.36%. The widespread consumption of betel nut in the above-mentioned places makes chewing betel nut a local culture. In a few parts of China, unprocessed fresh areca nut is treated with maltose and lime, which is cut into pieces and chewed with a few drops of cassia oil.
Bing lang - Flavored areca nut available in the packets
Areca nut is also extensively used in various medical formulations in China. More than 31 different formulations are being used for treating dysentery, abdominal distension, dyspepsia, parasitic diseases and constipation etc. The raw areca and charred areca nuts are the most common clinically used forms. The Charred areca nut is commonly prepared by stir-baking to a yellowish color, stir-baking to dark brown, or carbonizing by stir-frying.
In Taiwan,
green areca nuts of 2-3 months’ maturity are harvested and small unripe nuts
are separated from the bunches and thoroughly washed. Further, the nuts are graded
based on the size and the small cap covering the nut is removed by hand. The
whole nut is consumed in two ways, one with betel leaf smeared with slaked
lime. In another method, the whole nut is split into two halves consumed with
lime paste and betel vine spike. There are three main types of Tambula namely
the lao-hwa, the stem quid, and regular Tambula are seen Taiwan.
· Lao-hwa is prepared by inserting a piece of betel vine
spike (inflorescence) with red lime paste (often made of slaked lime and local
flavouring) into an unripe nut.
· Stem quid is similar except that the stem of the betel
vine replaces the inflorescence piece.
· Betel quid (Tambula) is prepared by smearing lime on the betel leaf
and consumed with whole betel nut of 2-3 months’ maturity.
The betel
leaf belongs to the species Piper betle, is used in the regular betel
quid (Tambula) in China and Taiwan, like elsewhere in the world. However, the
betel vine spike (inflorescence) and the stem, belonging to the species Piper
gibbilimbum is consumed in Taiwan and Papua New Guinea.
A national survey in Taiwan has shown
that 21% of men and 1% of women chew betel quid, with use higher in rural areas
than urban areas.
