A plant with a reddish colour and an aromatic taste similar to ivy leaves. It is bruised with grains of sand and mixed with a bit of clove or cinnamon to make it more palatable. A famous chewing ingredient from India and Indochina with a straw-shaped wrapper containing areca nut, cactus, oyster lime and sometimes aromatic substances.
The mixture of areca nut and betel leaf is a tradition that dates back at least 4,000 years in Asia, but is more deeply rooted in Myanmar.
It is the mark of marriage in Vietnam (traditionally used by the bride and groom’s families) and also offered as a form of hospitality in Malaysia.
Chewing betel quid is also an important and popular cultural activity in Bhutan, Bangladesh, Pakistan, Maldives, India, Nepal, Philippines, Palau, Cambodia, Taiwan, Sri Lanka, China, Laos, Yap, Guam, Papua New Guinea, Thailand, Solomon Islands, Vanuatu and Indonesia.
