Betel nut

Betel nut is the common name for the seed of the areca palm, *Areca catechu*, also called areca nut.

Betel nut is the seed of the areca palm, chewed as a stimulant in many parts of Asia and the Pacific. Despite its cultural significance, it carries serious health risks, including addiction and cancer.

What it is

Botanically, betel nut is not a true nut but the seed of *Areca catechu*, a tropical palm. It is also called areca nut. The term is common, though it often causes confusion with betel leaf, which comes from a separate plant (*Piper betle*).

How it is used

The seed is typically chewed alone or in betel quid — a mixture of betel nut, betel leaf, slaked lime, and sometimes tobacco. The active compound arecoline produces stimulant effects that have made the practice a long-standing tradition in South and Southeast Asia and the Pacific.

Why it matters

Health authorities link betel nut chewing to dependence, oral precancerous lesions, oral submucous fibrosis, and cancers of the mouth. It is also associated with cardiovascular and pregnancy-related harms. For Canadian readers, the issue touches multicultural communities where the practice may persist, and authorities monitor imports and health risks.