Areca catechu (betel nut, 檳榔) chewing experiences

Has Anybody tried Areca catechu (檳榔)? Were there any noticeable effect by consuming them?
Which 檳榔 do you like?

There are some types of 檳榔 around like
1.包葉
2.菁仔
3.双子星

Also there are
多粒(harder type?)
幼的(softer?)

Quality? from the top
特白
白肉
紅肉

Though many of us Forumosa readers can read Chinese, there are also many who can’t, so I would recommend (in fact, I believe the site rules state) that you should accompany the Chinese words with the English equivalent.

It’s a stimulant. As far as I’m concerned, it’s utterly fucking rank, gross peasant crap that I first encountered when I saw tramps round the back of a temple in Pattaya in the '90s enjoying it. Not particularly aspirational, I guess.

Are you practicing your Chinese?

Yeah, it’s vile. No noticeable effect. Can’t see the point.

As for the Chinese characters: I don’t see any problem with it in this case. If you don’t know what something is you can google it, but if you don’t recognise “檳榔”, you probably don’t have an opinion about 檳榔.

I’ve tried betel nut a couple times, mainly out of curiosity. There is a mild stimulant effect, but it tastes awful and causes you to salivate.

I’ve tried betel nut twice–basically on a dare–both times on cold New Year’s Eve nights. Nasty, disgusting taste, but it did warm my face up quickly and got me slightly dizzy.

It makes my lips and tongue a little numb and it does feel a little like drinking a coffee. Best enjoyed with a stale cigaratte and a plastic spittoon in hand. :bow:

As for memorable experiences, except for dodging betelnut spit and stains on the road, it must be the guy who sat down beside my family once outside a :ponder: local coffeeshop.

First came the coffee, then out came the cigarette, then in popped the betelnut. Did that dude have issues or what?

Never tried it and don’t really have any curiousity to try after seeing those old guys with red teeth.

I was once offered to try some though by a gangster uncle, and offered to join him as a gangster. I refused both as i had other family members around yelling ‘no!’ at me. I think it was a good choice.

Have you actually tried it? It’s a close second to crystal meth for blowing the top off of your skull. It gives you a serious rush. :2cents:

Yeah, it’s vile. No noticeable effect. I gave it a fair chance, I think. Do you have to chew them for hours, or chew several of them or something? One was enough.

Maybe I didn’t get the good stuff. Do they sell fake betelnuts or cut them with acorns? Or maybe you have to be wearing blue flipflops and roll your wifebeater up over your belly to get the full crystal meth rush.

[quote=“finley”]
Maybe I didn’t get the good stuff. Do they sell fake betelnuts or cut them with acorns? Or maybe you have to be wearing blue flipflops and roll your wifebeater up over your belly to get the full crystal meth rush.[/quote]

You need to change betelnuts pusher!

What about the king nut? This is apparently a nut that looks like other nuts, but it grows upwards on the tree - not downwards. It is far stronger than normal nuts, much more concentrated. If you get a king betelnut, the advice is to stop and spit it out. Of course, by that time your heart is already racing fast and you’re sweating profusely.

That’s all anecdotal. I’ve only chewed betelnut once in my life, and it was nothing exciting. Plus the spitting is gross - I’d rather have a strong cup of coffee.

I heard it turns you into a sexy man that has young girls in lingerie flagging you down on the side of the road all over Taiwan. So I tried it, and indeed, I have pictures of me with young sexy girls in lingerie standing on the side of the road.

Well, Areca catechu is an Austronesian tradition, which is deeply connected to religion, rituals and a symbol of love. Too bad that after Sinitization, only the crudest form of betal nut culture survives.

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