Betel Chew (Paan)

When we first witnessed people with red stains on their teeth, for sure we thought it was blood and felt compassion for so many people suffering from some sort of gingivitis. Little did we know about the paan.

Paan is a wrap and it’s such a vital part of Bangladesh culture! Many people joke that betel nut is Bengali “chewing gum.” Street vendors make it and sell it from little sidewalk stands everywhere throughout Bangladesh as the ideal way to end a meal or tea break.

A green leaf is filled with betel (areca) nut, lime, fennel seeds, cardamom, clove, or other spices; then it is popped into the mouth. The areca nut contains the alkaloid arecoline, which promotes salivation (the saliva is stained red), and is itself a stimulant. When they spit, it looks like they are spitting blood, and sidewalks have red stained spots from it.  As they chew, people enjoy the peppery taste, the warm feeling in their body, the alertness it gives. and very much a social habit amongst the great, bad or good!

Unfortunately, betel nut is not merely a mild stimulant or a non-offensive after-dinner treat. It’s a dangerous carcinogenic snack. Chewing betel nut causes cancer of mouth, esophagus, stomach, prostate, cervix, and lungs. Mouths develop ulcers, and gums deteriorate.

Last night, after enjoying a nice dinner with a couple of our Bangladeshi friends, the urge for paan was felt. I accompanied the driver who went looking for the precious treat out of pure curiosity. Needless to say that, after having witnessed how it is prepared and trying it for a little bit, I think I will stick with my after-dinner sambuca for now!