areca are trees of the betel nut genus of palms.
trees of the betel nut genus of palms?
areca
in taiwan, bags of 20 to 40 areca nuts are purchased fresh daily by a large number of consumers. to meet the steady year-round demand, two kinds of betel-nut shops sell betel and nuts, as well as cigarettes and drinks, including beer: small mom and pop shops, often poorly maintained and with unassuming façades, and shops which will often consist of nothing more than a single, free-standing room, or booth. the latter is usually elevated one meter above the street, and measures less than 3 by 2 m. large picture windows comprise two or more of the walls, allowing those who pass by a complete view of the interior. the interior is often painted brightly. within such a shop, a sexily dressed young woman, a "betel nut beauty", can be seen preparing betel and areca nuts. shops are often identified by multicoloured (commonly green) fluorescent tubes or neon lights that frame the windows or that are arranged radially above a store. customers stop on the side of the road and wait for the girls to bring their betel and areca nut to their vehicles. the habit of chewing betel nut is often associated with blue-collar labor industries such a long-haul transportation, construction, or fishing. workers in these labor-intensive industries use betel nut for its stimulating effect, but it also becomes a tool for socializing with coworkers. for example, studies have shown chewing betel nut is prevalent among taxi, bus and truck drivers, who rely on the stimulating effect of betel nut to cope with long work hours. for these reasons, oral cancer has been identified as a leading cause of death in professions with high betel nut-chewing rates.
areca nut
betel nut chewing is a widespread practice in taiwan. it is estimated that over a hundred billion new taiwan dollars are spent annually on this so-called "taiwanese chewing gum". frequent users are often called the "red-lip clan", since the residue often stains the lips and gums. according to the council of agriculture, as many as seventy farms have joined this lucrative pursuit by planting betel nut trees, which makes betel nut the most important economic crop in taiwan since the 1990s. however, the upsurge of betel nut planting causes problems with soil and water conservation on the hillside land. it was also found that the taiwanese way of consuming betel nut significantly enhances its potential to cause cancer.
betel nut beauty