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What is betel nut?
areca

Its source is the seed of betel nut, a palm plant.

Nicknames: Renpin, Binmen, Binmen Medicine Bag, White Betel Nut, Olive Seed, Betel Nut, Western Dog Egg, Belly, Betel Nut, Ma Jinnan, Qingzai, Betel Nut Jade and Yu Lang.

Chinese phonetic betel nut

The main ingredient areca catechu contains alkaloid 0.3-0.6%, condensed tannin/kloc-0.5%, fat/kloc-0.4% and areca catechu red pigment. Contains mannose, galactose, γ-catechin, colorless anthocyanin, red pigment areca catechu and saponin.

Areca catechu contains 0.3 ~ 0.6% alkaloid, 0/5% condensed tannin/kloc-,0/4% fat/kloc-and areca catechu red pigment. The main alkaloid is arecoline, the content is 0.1~ 0.5%; The rest are arecoline, norarecoline, norarecoline, arecoline, homoarecoline, etc. Raw areca contains more alkaloids than products. The endosperm of areca catechu contains catechu essence, floral essence and their polymers. Areca nut contains fatty oil 14%, and the fatty acids of areca nut oil are lauric acid 19.5%, myristic acid 46.2%, palmitic acid 12.7%, stearic acid10.6%, capric acid 0.3%, oleic acid 6.2% and linoleic acid 5. Areca catechu contains more than 15% proline, more than 18% tyrosine, phenylalanine and arginine, while the non-protein nitrogen content of areca catechu decreases when it matures.

Areca catechu, 10 ~ 18 meters high, unbranched, leaves falling off, forming obvious annual rings. Leaves clustered at the top; Featherlike compound leaves, long1.3 ~ 2m, smooth, with triangular leaf axis, needle-shaped or linear leaflets, 30 ~ 70cm long and 2.5 ~ 6cm wide, narrow base, closed leaflets at the apex and irregular division. Inflorescence inserted at the base of the last leaf, spatulate bracts, long obovate, 40 cm long, smooth and multi-branched; Flowers unisexual, monoecious; Male flowers are small, numerous, sessile, near the upper branches, usually solitary, rarely opposite, calyx 3, thick and small, petals 3, oval and oblong, 5 ~ 6 mm long, stamens 6, filaments short, anthers basifixed, degenerated pistil 3, filiform; Female flowers are large and few, sessile, inserted at the base or branches of inflorescence axis, with 3 calyxes, oblong and ovoid, and12 ~15mm long. Nuts are ovoid or oblong, 5 ~ 6 cm long, with persistent calyx and petals, and are red when mature. Flowers bloom twice a year, from March to August, and bloom in winter without fruit. The fruiting period is 65438+February to February of the following year.

It is conical or oblate, with a height of 1.5-3cm and a base diameter of 2-3cm. Its surface is yellow-brown or yellow-brown, rough, with light-colored reticular concave lines, and occasionally silver-spotted endocarp attached. There is a concave pearl hole in the center of the base, and there is a pale scar-like umbilical cord next to the base. Solid, longitudinal section can be seen with brown seed coat on the outer edge, interlaced with ivory endosperm, forming a marble-like pattern. There is a small embryo in the micropyle at the base, which is often brown, dry and shriveled. No gas, astringent, slightly bitter.

Bitter and bitter, warm.

Indications: 1. Insecticidal products can repel a variety of intestinal parasites, especially tapeworms. 2. Diarrhea stagnation is used to treat food stagnation, qi stagnation and damp-heat dysentery. 3. Promote qi and blood circulation to treat edema and wet beriberi.

Administration and dosage for oral administration: decoction, 1.5-3 yuan (single deworming 2-3 yuan); I still took the pills and dispersed them. External use: decocted in water or ground and applied.

Adverse reactions include salivation, vomiting, epigastric pain, diarrhea, dizziness, convulsion, dyspnea, decreased blood pressure, proteinuria, even pulmonary edema, cardioplegia, difficulty, asthma, decreased blood pressure, proteinuria, and even death due to pulmonary edema, cardioplegia and respiratory failure. Usually chewing betel nut can loosen teeth, which is related to tumors in mouth, throat, esophagus and stomach, and has carcinogenic effect.

Loose stool due to spleen deficiency is forbidden and should be used with caution. Be careful when qi deficiency sinks. Not suitable for yin and yang deficiency and qi deficiency subsidence.

Areca catechu is one of the important medicinal plants. In many parts of Asia, such as Taiwan Province Province and India, there is a habit of chewing betel nut. Areca catechu is a palm plant with English names of Areca catechu, Areca catechu and Areca catechu. In China, it mainly grows in Hainan, Taiwan Province Province and other tropical coastal areas. The seeds of betel nut have many names, such as kernel frequency and betel nut. Since ancient times, betel nut has been a good fruit for residents in the southeast coastal provinces of China to welcome guests and entertain relatives and friends. In ancient times, honored guests as "guests" and "lang", hence the name "betel nut". There are four levels of hospitality in Hainan: "tea, cigarettes, wine and betel nut". Betel nut will only be served on important festivals such as welcoming VIPs and weddings, which shows its status. At present, with the expansion of betel nut planting area and the love of more and more friends, betel nut has spread to people's daily consumption.

Areca catechu is one of the four southern medicines in China. Areca nut contains many nutrients and beneficial substances needed by human body, such as fat, areca oil, alkaloids, catechins, choline and so on. Areca catechu has a unique function of preventing dysentery, which is the medicine fruit of doctors in past dynasties and is also known as "Xizudan". Because boils are generally related to irregular diet and qi stagnation, betel nut has been widely concerned for its medicinal properties because it can reduce qi, promote digestion and resolve phlegm. Even poets have a soft spot for betel nuts. Su Dongpo, one of the eight masters in the Tang and Song Dynasties, once wrote a famous sentence, "Red tides on the cheeks drunk betel nuts". Fresh betel nut has the wonderful effect that "hunger can make people full, and fullness can make people hungry". When eating on an empty stomach, it is full of qi and easy to digest after a meal, which can be described as a fairy fruit on earth. Li Shizhen, a medical scientist, recorded in Compendium of Materia Medica that Areca catechu has many diseases, such as "reducing edema, dredging joints, invigorating spleen and regulating middle energizer, and treating heartache". Not only that, betel nut also has the effect of treating glaucoma, hypertension and expelling insects.

Chewing betel nut is an indispensable hobby of Dai people in Xishuangbanna. Most elderly Dai people like to chew betel nuts in their spare time. Why do Dai people love eat areca so much? According to legend, a long time ago, there was an old Dai couple who took their anger out on unfilial because their son and daughter-in-law had stomach trouble. One day, the old couple were weaving a bamboo raft under the betel nut tree, and the wind made the tree stagger. A bunch of ripe betel nuts fell down. The thirsty old couple picked one and chewed it in their mouths. They feel sweet and cold, delicious and a little astringent. In the evening, the old couple felt very comfortable in their stomachs, and then they ate betel nuts for a few days. The old couple's stomach trouble actually recovered. It is said that since then, Dai people have had the habit of chewing betel nuts.

Areca catechu is a palm tree, native to Malaysia, India, Myanmar, Vietnam, the Philippines and so on. And India is the most cultured. In plant taxonomy, betel nut belongs to the same family as oil palm and palm leaf, but it is different in shape and style. Oil palm and palm leaves are tall and straight, with slender branches and leaves, which can be called tall and handsome. Betel nut is graceful, and it can be described as a beautiful girl who sinks fish and falls geese and closes the moon and feels ashamed of flowers. The betel nut tree is tall and thin, and there is a legend among the people: I don't know in what age, a young Dai man crossed mountains and mountains to find his beloved girl, and met the betel nut tree on a difficult road. But when he asked the betel nut tree hopefully if he had seen his beloved, the betel nut tree proudly held its head high and coldly answered a word that made him sad and disappointed. Angry and annoyed, the anxious Dai youth cursed loudly at the betel nut tree: I want you to stand tall and never be short and fat. Years have passed, and the betel nut tree is still thin and tall, and it has never grown strong.

In Xishuangbanna, betel nut is a symbol of wealth and auspiciousness. It was used as currency in ancient times, and it was also the token of love of young Dai men and women. It is said that after the Dai youth fall in love and get married, the young man usually goes to his aunt's house first and volunteers to serve hard labor for three years. But if the young man can climb the tall betel nut tree and collect betel nuts for his beloved during his love, he can avoid these three years of hard labor and take the girl home.

According to scientific research, betel nut is still a commonly used southern medicine. Betel nut not only has the function of strengthening stomach in Dai folklore, but also is a good medicine to protect human teeth. Many Dai people in Xishuangbanna have good teeth because they often go to eat areca. In addition, betel nut can also repel insects, treat abdominal distension, dispel wind and eliminate edema.

It has been proved that betel nut contains carcinogens to people.

Usually, people who chew betel nut have decreased taste, increased appetite, teeth shaking easily, less diarrhea and sore throat, which can cure abdominal pain, probably because it contains a lot of tannins.

In addition, people in eat areca have less intestinal parasites and less thirst, which may be related to the effect of arecoline.

Excessive toxic arecoline causes salivation, vomiting, diuresis, drowsiness and convulsion.

"Betel nut on the high tree, whoever climbs first will taste it first." This is a love song that both Chinese mainland and Taiwan Province are familiar with. Implicit lyrics show young men and women's desire and pursuit of love.

In Taiwan Province Province, betel nut trees can be seen everywhere, especially in towns and villages. People in Taiwan Province Province have always had the habit of chewing betel nuts. In 1950s and 1960s, the authorities of Taiwan Province Province vigorously promoted the betel nut tree as a cash crop, and the planting and sales of betel nut became a booming industry. Although it has been restricted in recent years, a large area of betel nut trees can still be seen in the east and west coasts and central mountainous areas of Taiwan Province Province. The shape of betel nut tree is very similar to coconut tree, with straight trunk and a cluster of leaves at the top, but the trunk of betel nut tree is thinner than coconut tree and looks more delicate. The climate in Taiwan Province Province is warm, and betel nut trees bear fruit all year round, with clusters hanging on the top of the trees.

People who have never eaten betel nuts are curious about chewing betel nuts. Under the guidance of enthusiastic taxi drivers, we also made an attempt. A packet of 50 Taiwan dollars (4 yuan NT 1 RMB) in Xiaobinglang Store contains about 89 capsules. According to others, this price is not expensive. Betel nut is as big as jujube, and it is covered with a layer of green "betel nut leaves". It is said that betel nut leaves are actually leaves of another plant. Because it is used to wrap betel nuts, it is also called betel nut leaves. When eating, bite off one end first, spit it out and put it in your mouth. It feels bitter. I think this is how non-smokers feel. Chewing saliva for a long time increased, showing chrysanthemum red, and even the mouth was dyed red. Areca nut fiber is rough and will not melt in the mouth after repeated chewing. My own feeling is that I really dare not compliment you, just like foreigners coming to Beijing to drink bean juice.

Chewing betel nut can produce fluid and heat. When people are working hard, chewing betel nut can refresh themselves. Betel nut can be addictive if eaten for a long time, so people are often seen moving around all day. On the train from Taitung to Fangliao, I saw an old woman who ate betel nuts twice in half an hour, two at a time, and her peristalsis never stopped. Grandma is a very typical betel nut lover. She carries a full set of tools with her and processes betel nuts herself. She let us know the whole process of eat areca: Grandma took out two betel nuts from a small bag, cut off both ends with a knife, opened a small box similar to cosmetics, gouged out a little white mud paste with a knife, spread it evenly on betel nut leaves, and then wrapped the betel nuts separately and put them in her mouth. Grandma found when chewing betel nut that white frost, such as lime, can reduce the bad stimulation of betel nut and improve the taste. At the end of two or three hours' journey, grandma was still chewing betel nuts.

Modern people try to save trouble. Eat areca always buys finished products wrapped in green leaves in small shops. So betel nut shops can be seen everywhere in small towns in Taiwan Province Province, which is just right. Whether in Taipei or Tainan, betel nut shops have a distinctive sign: tubular neon lights are arranged in a radial fan shape, which is very eye-catching at night. Small shops on the roadside are more distinctive, with small transparent glass houses less than 10 square meters isolated on the roadside (pictured). Neon lights can be seen far away in the night, and everything in the store is clear and eye-catching. It is hot for a long time in Taiwan Province province, so the betel nut shop not only sells betel nuts, but also drinks and cigarettes. The names of various "professional betel nut" shops are varied: Baby, Bunny, Gemini ... There are also introductions under the signboard: retail, wholesale, one grain cut in half, white mud and red mud double package and so on.

In the past, there were many people in eat areca, betel nut shops were prosperous and betel nut trees were widely planted. However, due to shallow root system and poor soil fixation ability, heavy rain will cause soil erosion and flash floods; Because chewing betel nut stimulates the oral cavity and easily leads to oral cancer, the sales of betel nut in recent years are not as good as before, and the competition is fierce. Even so, the basic salary of "Betel nut beauty" in the betel nut shop, which is responsible for processing and selling, is more than NT$ 10,000, and there is a commission. Fierce competition has brought a variety of tricks: the "beauty of betel nut" in roadside shops is getting thinner and thinner, even wearing only a bra on the upper body and a short skirt below, even in winter. Unique things are naturally expensive, and it is said that they can be sold for 100 yuan per pill. The media in Taiwan Province Province described these "beautiful and frozen" girls as "cool and spicy" and criticized the practice of "buy one get two free" as too erotic. There are many complaints from the public, which heats up from time to time.

Betel nut beauty is a hot girl selling betel nuts ~