Betel nut: The areca nut is the fruit

The areca nut is the fruit of the areca palm (Areca catechu), which grows in much of the tropical Pacific, Southeast and South Asia, and parts of east Africa. It is commonly referred to as betel nut so it is easily confused with betel (Piper betel ) leaves that are often used to wrap it (paan). Betel chewing is a habit of an estimated one-tenth of the world’s population, and betel is the fourth most common psychoactive drug in the world, following nicotine, alcohol, and caffeine. Betel nut chewing, also called betel quid chewing or areca nut chewing, is a practice in which areca nuts (also called "betel nuts ") are chewed together with slaked lime and betel leaves for their stimulant and narcotic effects, the primary psychoactive compound being arecoline. Areca nuts 19th century drawing of the Areca palm and its nut The areca nut (/ ˈærɪkə / or / əˈriːkə /) or betel nut (/ ˈbiːtəl /) is the fruit of the areca palm (Areca catechu). The palm is originally native to the Philippines, [1][2] but was carried widely through the tropics by the Austronesian migrations and trade since at least 1500 BCE due to its use in betel nut chewing. [1] It is widespread in cultivation and is considered naturalized in much of the tropical Pacific ...