In Chaina,
Hainan province produces 95% of areca nut and rest is produced in Yunnan,
Guangdong, Guangxi, Fujian provinces. Green immature areca nuts of size 3-5 cm
long (perhaps 4-5 months’ maturity) are dried without removing the husk. These
areca nuts are dried by exposing it to the hot smoke emanating from the wood
chips. These charred areca nuts are split into two pieces and flavored with
various spices and mint along with sweeteners and sold in packets. The flavor
of the areca nut is highly related to consumer preference. The usual approach
of flavor improvement is by marinating the areca nut with some additives (such
as sweeteners, mint and spices). During the process of chewing the areca nut,
those additives release a unique taste and smell. These processing steps
produce “fibrous shell of the dried betel nut infused with flavor”. Tobacco is generally not added to this flavored product.
In
China, 95% of areca is planted in Hainan, of which 95% to 97% is processed into
chewing products. 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 prevalence of betel nut consumption in
local areas of Hunan such as Xiangtan was as high as 64.5%-82.7% as per 2010
survey.
Due
to the ancient culture, prevailing social acceptance and the prevailing medical
use in traditional Chinese medicines, areca nut consumption has become a
culture in Hainan. Interestingly, tobacco is never mixed with the processed
areca nut. In the Xiangtan area of Hunan, there is a tradition of “Crossing
arms, walking on the street, chewing betel nut, making friends.” There is a
common belief that “To welcome guests, areca nut and cigarettes are necessary.”
Always the Spring festival is celebrated by eating and distributing areca
nuts. Dai, an ethnic minority, a population
of approximately 1.25 million that resides predominantly in Yunnan Province
invariably consume areca nut. Areca nut chewing is an important social activity
among Dai, especially in family gatherings and auspicious occasions such as
ceremonies and festivals and when honoring individuals.
In
Taiwan, as per one survey conducted in 2017, 6.1 % of the respondents chew
betel quid. Among the consumers, men outnumber women. One community survey
conducted in southern Taiwan in 2011, found that 10.7% of men and 2.5% of women
were current chewers. The indigenous population (Aborigines) in Taiwan is
reported to have a Betel quid prevalence of 54.3% and 33.8% in men and women
respectively, which is significantly higher than the rest of the population
(20.2% in men, 0.6 in women) as per a 2008, report.
Unlike
practices in other countries, tobacco is never added to Betel quid in Taiwan.
However, a majority of Betel quid chewers are also cigarette smokers. One study
conducted in 2010, that included 231,935 men aged 20 years and older found that
90.0% of current male chewers are cigarette smokers.
In Taiwan, green areca nuts of 2-3 months’ maturity are used for making the betel quid. 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 betel quid (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.
Most
of the betel quid consumers chew Lao-hwa, whereas the rest consume other
variants. Betel quid chewing is highly popular among the truck/Taxi drivers and
late-night workers. Mostly it is consumed for stimulatory / relaxing effect.
Unlike other countries, a very limited cultural or traditional value is
attached to the betel quid consumption in Taiwan.
